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Albaay now under a state of calamity amid the Mayon Volcano's restlessness.

Power restored at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 after a one-hour blackout.

The Philippines' jobless rate eases in April but underemployment rises.

And Donald Trump becomes the first former U.S. President to be indicted on federal charges.

Good afternoon, I'm Ron Krug. And I'm Denise Insight. You're watching Top Story.

We begin with the Philippine province of Albaay bracing for the potential eruption of Mayon Volcano.

The provincial government has declared a state of calamity Friday as Mayon's alert classification remains at level 3.

Now this move allows officials to utilize some 30 million pesos of quick response funds.

But Albaay's governor says this amount is not enough.

Governor Lagban says thousands of families have been evacuated in just two towns.

He expects that figure to rise should the remaining six towns within Mayon's danger zone also evacuate the residents.

He says the national government has vowed to send relief to affected families.

Say volcanologists say Mayon Volcano is already ripe for another eruption this year.

This comes after lava flow was seen on the rest of volcano Thursday night.

The volcano's alert level was earlier raised to 3 signaling an increased likelihood of a hazardous eruption.

But they still hope it will not be as severe as 2018.

The difference right now is that we don't see a high amount of sulfur dioxide.

So we are actually hoping for a 2014 scenario which is just rockfall events followed by short lava flow and then it's stopped.

Hopefully it will not go the way of the 2018 activity.

The magma is being replenished and Mayon Volcano is actually the earliest would be three years after the last eruption.

And the latest would be 10 years after the last eruption.

So the last time it erupted was 2018 and it's been five years now.

So again we're on the range.

Over in Negros, authorities say volcanic activity in Mount Canloon indicates a looming phreatic eruption.

FIVOC says since Monday, Canloon has emitted over a thousand tons of sulfur dioxide.

At least three volcanic earthquakes were also recorded.

Canloon and Taal Volcano in Batangas are both under alert level 1.

But FIVOC's appeals for calm saying three volcanoes simultaneously showing signs of increased activity is not out of the ordinary.

We have 24 active volcanoes and there's always this possibility that one or two volcanoes would be restive and would show some activity simultaneously.

So this is not surprising.

The Taal Volcano, again as I've said, has always been active on alert level 1 since 2020.

Yesterday we only recorded one low frequency volcanic earthquake.

Which is lower than the nine volcanic earthquakes that we saw the day before.

Over in Indonesia, the Anak Krakatoa volcano has erupted.

The volcano erupted twice Friday morning, spewing ash up to three kilometers high.

The nearest settlements are located more than 16 kilometers away from the volcanic island.

And no casualties and evacuations have been reported.

Indonesia's volcanology agency warns residents not to conduct any activities within the five kilometer radius of the volcano.

Hundreds of wildfires are still burning in Canada.

Authorities say there are over 400 active wildfires as of Thursday, mostly in Quebec where temperatures are expected to rise further.

There have been no reports of injuries or deaths so far.

But it remains unclear when thousands of evacuees can return to their homes.

The hazardous conditions also prompted Canadians to begin wearing masks again as they see the worst ever start to the wildfire season.

Because they shouldn't happen this early in the summer at least.

Now I'm wondering what's going to happen as we head more into July and August.

Because it's just going to keep getting hotter, so are the fires going to keep getting worse?

The U.S. meanwhile continues to send much needed help for Canada's wildfire response.

U.S. President Joe Biden has directed American agencies to respond promptly to Canada's requests for more firefighters and air tankers.

The U.S. has so far deployed 600 American firefighters to Canada.

I spoke yesterday with Prime Minister Trudeau and I've decided to dictate a national interagency fire center response to Canada's request for additional firefighters and the fire suppression assets such as air tankers.

We already have 600 American firefighters on the ground and have been there for a while in Canada including hot shots and the smoke jumper crews.

And it's very important that affected communities listen to the guidance of their state and local officials from this point forward.

To keep up to date on the air quality in real time, go to the app that we provide.

It's called airnow.gov and check on one another.

Heavy smoke from Canadian wildfires continue to choke U.S. cities, halting flights and disrupting outdoor events.

In Washington, the air quality alert was raised to code maroon, the highest category, signaling hazardous conditions.

This prompted the White House to postpone an outdoor pride event.

A major league baseball game in the afternoon was also paused due to the nauseous heavy smoke.

In New York, Governor Kathy Hochul reminds residents not to be complacent as air quality levels continue to pose unprecedented numbers.

The message is this is not over.

We might get a little respite, but I don't want people to let down their guard and to become complacent about this because we have to be prepared for the winds to shift.

This is the unknown. We're tracking the large plume that is originating from primarily Nova Scotia and also Quebec, but also knowing that this is going to continue to have a negative impact on our health.

Scientists from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the El Nino phenomenon has begun.

They warn the climate phenomenon can cause a range of impacts, from heavy rainfall, drought, up to extreme temperatures.

Climate change also seen to exacerbate the effects of El Nino.

Most of the warmest years on record have occurred during periods of El Nino, and scientists fear this year and the next could see record temperatures.

Here in the Philippines, forecasters say El Nino may impact Mindanao the most, with its effects expected to be felt until next year.

As El Nino arrives, Balacanang orders state agencies to conserve water.

That order requires all government agencies to reduce their water consumption by 10 percent.

The new Water Management Office will spearhead the implementation of the Water Conservation Program.

Local water districts must also submit a monthly projection to identify any possible water shortages.

The Philippine Irrigation Administration expresses concern over the decreasing water level of the Magat Dam in Isabela Province.

An official of the Magat River Irrigation System said the current water level is at 169 meters.

That's below its normal level of 193 meters.

The flood has been affecting irrigation services in more than 90,000 farmlands in the provinces of Isabela, Quirino and Ifugao.

Officials worry the looming dry season brought by El Nino and forecasts of less rainfall may push water levels to dip below the critical 160-meter threshold.

With the projection that there will be no rainfall, it will be low for the first week of July.

But we can see that the rainfall is getting stronger because of the drought.

So we are experiencing rainfall and hopefully, we will not reach that elevation.

We are always advising our farmers, especially those who are affected, to be prepared.

Let's think carefully if we will plant rice or diversify crops.

In other news, airport authorities say a scheduled electrical audit caused the power outage earlier at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Power in the Terminal 3 went out at around 12.15 this afternoon, with generators kicking in at 12.30.

Power was then fully restored at 1.29 p.m.

Because of this, seven flights were delayed.

The electrical audit was prompted by the eight-hour outage on Labor Day, which affected nearly 9,000 passengers.

This is the third power disruption in IA this year.

Philippine immigration officials note a 10 percent increase in the number of arriving and departing passengers at Naia Terminal 3.

Immigration Commissioner Norman Tancinco said they have recorded daily departures of 17,000 passengers and around 16,000 daily arrivals.

Tancinco said he has instructed the immigration head of Terminal 3 to ensure the efficiency of their counters.

There are currently 26 counters in the arrival area and 30 in departures.

The bureau has also requested the construction of additional counters, which airport authorities are eyeing to complete by the last quarter of the year.

The driver's license backlog in the Philippines has ballooned to nearly 700,000.

That's almost triple than the 234,000 backlog in May.

The Land Transportation Office resorted to issuing driver's license printed on paper.

It also extended the validity of licenses that expired in April.

Senators hit the agency over the issue.

We all know that digitalization is the future of government transactions.

But the digitalization of the LTO is still accompanied by old problems like backlogs in vehicle plates and license cards, slow and unserviceable portals, long queues, and long turnover of services.

The LTO digitalization plan is still chaotic.

In other words, the computer software is still in the beta phase.

The Transportation Department assures the public

the shortage will soon be addressed as it eyes the procurement of at least 500,000 driver's licenses.

Philippine manufacturers urge to do more to reduce plastic pollutants.

This is as a recent study showed, plastic waste is even present in Metro Manila's air.

Rafael Bosano reports.

A quick look at this creek in Manila shows it's choked by plastic waste.

But many scavengers usually ignore it.

Trash from creeks flows to rivers and eventually the ocean.

To mark World Oceans Day on June 8, different sectors simultaneously collected trash along Manila Bay.

Aside from reducing pollutants from the coastline, the activity aims to identify the type of waste that ends up in bodies of water.

Environment Secretary Tony Ululoy-Zaga reminds manufacturers they have a part to play.

If we can profile kung saan po nanggaling ito mga ito, we can trace back where the prevention should actually happen.

They must also take responsibility for the impact nung ginagawa po nila.

Hindi po lang yung fence line nila talagang ipoprotecta nila.

We need to go beyond the fence line because the ecosystem that supports their business is beyond their fence line.

And the communities that are supporting their business is also beyond their fence line.

Plastic pollutants are everywhere.

A study by the Mindanao State University Iligan Institute of Technology shows microplastics is present in Metro Manila's air.

Microplastics are a result of the degradation of larger pieces of plastic.

It is 0.5 millimeters or smaller in size, making it possible to be inhaled.

Aside from bacteria, viruses and other chemicals can latch on to microplastics.

Inhaling a large amount will stress the respiratory system.

Yung microplastics, hindi lang sa water, pati napansin niyo, pati sa hangin.

To address that microplastics, dapat sa source natin sasagutin.

Hindi natin kagad malilinis dahil napakalito. Wala tayong equipment to recover those microplastics.

Governments around the world have enacted laws and implemented initiatives such as restricting or banning single-use plastics to reduce plastic pollution.

However, there is also a need to encourage a shift in behavior for more people to recycle or consciously use more sustainable materials.

Rafael Bosano, ABS-CBN News.

President Marcos and his 2016 vice presidential rival Leni Robredo are told to claim millions of pesos from a tribunal used for Marcos' electoral protest.

The Audit Commission told the Presidential Electoral Tribunal to inform the two to withdraw the unused amount of 13 million pesos for expenditures on the protest.

State auditors note Robredo, who won that race, had an unutilized deposit of 8 million pesos while Marcos had 5 million.

The deposits were meant to cover fees for the delivery of ballot boxes and election materials to the tribunal.

Marcos lost that poll protest in 2021.

The Supreme Court junked his petition for lack of proof to support his claims that the VP race was marred by irregularities.

In the U.S. now, former President Donald Trump indicted by a grand jury yet again.

This time for allegedly mishandling classified government documents and obstruction of justice.

Trump made the announcement on his Truth Social platform saying the Biden administration informed his lawyers about the development.

The criminal case brought by the U.S. Justice Department stems from roughly 13,000 documents seized from Trump's Florida home nearly a year ago.

U.S. President Joe Biden asserts he did not interfere in the investigation.

Trump has been summoned to appear at a courthouse in Miami Tuesday.

This is another legal setback for Trump as he seeks to regain the U.S. presidency next year.

He's already facing a criminal case in New York that is due to go to trial in March.

Trump's indictment showing mixed reactions.

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy says this is a dark day for the U.S. as he accused President Biden of indicting the leading candidate opposing him.

Another Republican, Florida Senator Mark Rubio said there's no limit to what people can do to protect their power and destroy those who threaten it.

Meanwhile, Democrat House lawmaker Adam Schiff said Trump's indictment is an affirmation of the rule of law.

A U.S. constitutional professor explains just how significant this indictment is.

It's the first time in American history that a former president has been indicted on federal charges.

And it comes shortly on the heels of the first time in American history that a former president had been indicted on state charges.

The walls around former President Trump are closing in from a legal perspective.

These are very serious charges and they're also the kind of charges that if the federal prosecutors and the Department of Justice are bringing them are likely to be particularly easy to prove.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and U.S. President Joe Biden vowed to enhance cooperation on artificial intelligence as well as clean energy during a visit to Washington.

We have more in this report.

A deal to ensure U.S.-UK leadership in critical and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, economic security, digital transformation and clean energy transition was announced Thursday by President Joe Biden during a visit by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

I think we had a really good discussion today about our economic relationship.

We launched negotiations on critical materials and an agreement to deal with climate crisis.

The so-called Atlantic Declaration will reduce strategic dependencies on adversarial powers, Sunak said.

Countries like China and Russia are willing to manipulate and exploit our openness, steal our intellectual property, use technology for authoritarian ends or withdraw crucial resources like energy.

They will not succeed.

Sunak is under domestic pressure for a comprehensive free trade agreement with the U.S. that his party promised in 2019.

But there's no support from the U.S. Congress.

What Britain's trying to do now is forget about the comprehensive free trade issues and go for wins, selective wins that don't have to go through Capitol Hill.

Ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania in July, the meeting between leaders of the top two military donors to Ukraine is also intended to signal commitment to support Kyiv in defending itself against the Russian invasion.

We will have the funding necessary to support Ukraine as long as it takes.

In his first visit to the United States since taking office, Sunak also met congressional leaders including Republican Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy.

He paid respects at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and stopped by a baseball game.

Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News at the White House.

Cuba dismisses claims it allowed China to establish a secret spy base on the island.

U.S. media earlier reported China paid Cuba billions of dollars to set up a facility that could gather electronic communications across the U.S. southeast.

It's an area where most American military bases are located.

Cuba's foreign minister denies the accusations, asserting the reports are mere lies made up by U.S. officials to destabilize the country.

But the Pentagon has likewise dismissed the report as inaccurate.

Southeast Asian nations set for their first ever joint military drills in the South China Sea.

The exercise, which will take place in the North Natuna Sea in September, comes amid Beijing's increasing aggression in the disputed waters.

ASEAN bloc observer Timor-Leste will also be participating.

Indonesia says the drills will focus on maritime security and rescue, and will not involve combat operations.

The ASEAN nations have held naval drills with the U.S. before, but never as a bloc on its own.

Beijing asserts ownership of most of the South China Sea, despite competing claims from other Southeast Asian nations, including the Philippines.

Debris suspected to be part of a Chinese rocket recovered in waters near the Philippine province of Bataan.

The Philippine Coast Guard says the wreckage resembles the top section of China's Tianzhou rocket.

The debris is now in the safekeeping of the Coast Guard in Limay, Bataan.

China launched its Long March 7 rocket on May 10 in Hainan province.

The Philippine Space Agency had warned rocket debris might fall into the waters near Zambales.

Up next, four children are among the wounded after a brutal knife attack in Southeast France.

And e-wallet service GCash preparing an initial public offering.

More news when we return.

This is a Watching Top Story here at GCast.

Again are the headlines. Albay now under a state of calamity amid the Mayon Volcano's restlessness.

Power restored at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3 after a one-hour blackout.

The Philippines' jobless rate eases in April, but underemployment rises.

And Donald Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to be indicted on federal charges.

Pope Francis' recovery after his abdominal surgery is going well as expected.

The Vatican says the 86-year-old is on a liquid diet and is well enough to receive communion and make a phone call.

The Pope underwent a three-hour operation in Rome to repair a hernia.

His doctor said Francis will remain in the hospital for about five to seven days.

The Pope has two upcoming trips in August, and his doctor said no changes are necessary to his travel schedule.

Six people, including four toddlers, are injured in a knife attack in the French town of Fenici.

Some of the victims are in critical condition.

Police say the attacker was a 31-year-old Syrian asylum seeker carrying Swedish identity documents.

His motive remains unclear, but a prosecutor says it does not appear to be terror-related.

France's interior minister, meanwhile, says the country had recently rejected the attacker's asylum application.

France has been shocked by a number of violent incidents over the past few months,

including the fatal stabbing last month of a nurse in the northern town of Reims.

India is seen to outperform China in terms of economic growth in the next two years.

A new report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development sees India's economy expanding by 6 percent year-on-year for 2023

and to further grow in 2024 by 7 percent.

India's economy is expected to grow by 1.5 percent in the next two years.

In both years, the OECD believes China will see a 5 percent economic growth to trail India.

OECD adds while China had already reopened its economy, its recovery will be a little bit weaker than in past years.

Overall, the organization sees a global growth of 2.7 percent this year.

Here at home in the Philippines, we're following the latest news.

The Philippines is expected to see a 2.7 percent economic growth this year.

Here at home in the Philippines, the government provides its inflation forecast for this year.

Economic managers on Friday narrowed the CPI projection between 5 to 6 percent from the previous assumption of 5 to 7 percent.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee attributed the lower outlook to a consistent slowdown in inflation in the past four months.

It now expects inflation to settle between the range of 2 to 4 percent through the years 2024 to 2028.

In another development, the DBCC says it's preparing a 5.75 trillion peso national budget next year.

That proposed outlay would be higher by 9.5 percent from the current year's spending plan.

The committee says the proposed budget will prioritize items on infrastructure, food security, and capital development.

Over now to the Philippine labor market.

The country's unemployment rate eased to 4.5 percent in April from 4.7 in March.

This translates to 2.26 million jobless Filipinos compared with the 2.42 million the previous month.

The National Economic and Development Authority vows to sustain the improvements in the labor market by implementing crucial economic reforms that will also enhance the employability of workers.

The statement comes as the underemployment rate in April rose to 12.9 percent from 11.2 in March.

This means more Filipinos are seeking to work for longer hours.

NEPALA SAYS EFFORTS OF THE MARCUS ADMINISTRATION PAID OFF IN CREATING MORE JOBS FOR FILIPINOS.

CITING DATA FROM THE PHILIPPINE STATISTICS AUTHORITY, IT NOTED THERE ARE 48.6 MILLION EMPLOYED PERSONS AS OF APRIL 2023.

THIS IS HIGHER COMPARED TO THE ESTIMATED 47.35 MILLION IN JANUARY 2023.

AND THE 45.63 MILLION IN APRIL 2022.

THE SERVICES SECTOR ACCOUNTS FOR THE LARGEST SHARE OF EMPLOYED PERSONS, LOGGING 61.1 PERCENT OF APRIL 2023'S TOTAL EMPLOYMENT.

OVER 80,000 JOBS UP FOR GRABS THIS MONDAY IN CELEBRATION OF THE COUNTRY'S 125TH INDEPENDENCE DAY.

THE LABOR DEPARTMENT SAYS MORE THAN 8,000 EMPLOYERS WILL LEAD THE FACE-TO-FACE JOB FAIRS IN 51 VENUES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ON JUNE 12.

AMONG THE MAIN INDUSTRIES THAT WILL BE PARTICIPATING ARE THE BUSINESS PROCESS OUTSOURCING OR BPO, MANUFACTURING, RETAIL AND SALES, AND CONSTRUCTION.

THE AGENCY SAYS ASPIRING APPLICANTS NEED TO PRE-REGISTER FIRST IN THE AGENCY'S REGIONAL OFFICES FOR JOB MATCHING.

The Philippine Stock Exchange caps the week in the red as investors digest a slew of economic data at home. Michelle Ong tells us more.

Asian risk assets up again on Friday, inspired by the S&P 500's bull market run, as the rest of the world's stock market continues to grow.

As investors digest a slew of economic data at home. Michelle Ong tells us more.

Asian risk assets up again on Friday, inspired by the S&P 500's bull market run, as the rally in tech shares resumed. The regional benchmark now on its second weekly gain.

In the Philippines, investors also digested a mixed bag of economic data. Unemployment slipped, while underemployment picked up in April and trade deficit hit $4.5 billion.

BPI's chief economist, Jun Neri, more bullish, expecting to see growth accelerate in the second half on the back of sharp deceleration of inflation, but warns the central bank against cutting too soon.

We've been waiting for this for a long, long time. You know, everyone in the region has like, Malaysia has 2% reserve requirement, Thailand has 1%, even Indonesia is only 9% on the reserve requirement.

So it's good that we finally got this through and brought it down to single digit. But as far as liquidities, the impact on monetary policy, this has been made neutral by the BSP for June 30.

We are allowing the RRR, zero RRR for MSMEs to finally expire. So BSP will make that expire. And the implication is something like a 250 billion reduction in liquidity.

So with the 350 to 400 billion coming from the 250 basis point RRR cut, you would say there's a net easing of about 100, 150 billion. But BSP has an instrument to be able to map that out. They will be introducing a 56-day bill, a BSP bill, also on June 30.

So putting these three together, the impact is supposed to be neutral. It's supposed to be a wash.

For the day, the PSC index fell half a percent to close just a hairline above 6,500. AIA's Group Market Economist, Ervei Leavor, meanwhile, raised some concerns over holding risk assets in this environment.

The success of equities since the beginning of the year is very much narrow-based. It's only a few names that are driving the market as a whole. And it makes for a fairly unstable situation. There is an even more tricky situation, which is more on the credit side of things, so corporate credits.

So far, both investment-grade and high-yield bonds have seen their credit spreads remain very well anchored, especially in a context where GDP growth is slowing down, where central banks are tightening monetary policy. And now the expectation is that the rate of defaults, especially when you go into high yield, is likely to start to spike as we get into the second half of this year. There are plenty of models showing that.

While Regina Capital's Jerry Alfonso says investors are looking to next week's Fed meeting.

I think after the earnings season, the market has really been quiet. For this week, stocks have been tanking with a low value turnover. I would say we do not have that much catalyst that could prompt or pump the market right now. Investors now await the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision, which will also be announced next week.

The Fed meets on June 13-14, and traders are pricing in a pause this month, then an 80% chance for another hike in July. Michelle Long, ABCBN News.

Philippine power distributor Meralco hikes rates for a second straight month. Customers can expect a 42 centavo per kilowatt-hour increase in their June bills, which will translate to an 84 to 209 peso additional charge for regular households. The higher rates reflect the end of the 90 centavo monthly deduction from the Energy Regulatory Commission's refund order.

Gcash, the e-wallet unit of Philippine telco giant Globe, will be ready for an initial public offering by year-end. Globe CEO Ernest Ku revealed that in an interview with Bloomberg News after Gcash saw growth in its profits in the last two years. Mobile payment apps like Gcash gained prominence at the height of the pandemic, as most consumers opted for cashless transactions.

Aside from being the flagship payment platform of Globe, Gcash also offers crypto, savings, investments and insurance services. It had about 76 million users by the end of last year.

Immigration consultants see a surge in inquiries after the announcement of the Philippines' inclusion in Canada's expanded visa-free travel program.

We're going to be expanding visa-free travel for known travelers to this country. It's going to take $7 and just a few minutes to be approved if you are a known traveler who holds a valid U.S. visa or has had a valid Canadian visa over the past 10 years.

Eligible travelers from the Philippines can now visit Canada visa-free. This, after Canada's Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced the addition of 13 countries, including the Philippines, to its Electronic Travel Authorization, or ETA, program.

Under this program, Filipinos with temporary resident visas, or TRVs, issued to them by Canada in the last 10 years, or those with non-immigrant U.S. visas can just apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization instead of a visa.

Immigration consultant Kaide Kikumoto said prospective travelers can click a link on the Government of Canada website and they can see their application approved within minutes.

Immigration Canada said that adding more countries to its ETA program will make it faster, easier, and more affordable for thousands of travelers to visit Canada, while at the same time clear some of their backlog in the visa processing.

Kikumoto said that she has been flooded with inquiries right after Canada's announcement.

Maraming question agad, kasi syempre marami akong nakaprocess na mga application for visitor visa. Ngayon, syempre yung iba doon, parang sabihin, oh so po pwede na agad silang pumunta dito.

Kikumoto added eligible Filipinos will save from $50 to $500 in visa application and processing fees, as the ETA costs only $7 and is valid for six months.

But while most applications can be approved within minutes, Kikumoto said there may still be instances when applicants will be asked to provide other documentation.

Kailangan mo ipakita na financially stable ka, meron kang ibivisit doon or dito sa Canada, and then ayun, depende kung hihindi pa sila ng parang magiging home ties mo, na talagang ang purpose mo is magvisit lang, and then upon intended stay, aalis ka ulit ng Canada.

Kikumoto said that although this is welcome news, many immigration consultants are cautioning unsuspecting Filipinas against getting the services of unscrupulous immigration practitioners who may take advantage of them.

Yun lang po yung parang winaworry namin na basta lang parang i-offer siya, pagkatapos eh, syempre yung mga Pinoy gusto nilang pumunta dito, baka kakagatin nila agad without knowing na meron siyang parang requirement bago mo ma-applyan or mag-qualify ka.

Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Jolie said that expanding the ETA program to include countries like the Philippines is part of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy that aims to strengthen its ties with countries in the region.

Rowena Papasin, ABS-CBN News, Vancouver.

Transgender Filipino-Canadian Adrian Reyes will represent Canada in the Miss International pageant in Thailand.

Lucille Nolasco Garrido has the details.

I'm actually feeling really nervous and anxious but excited to raise our flag in the biggest transgender pageant in the world.

28-year-old Adrian Reyes of Winnipeg, Manitoba, will be representing Canada in the Miss International Queen 2023.

Now in its 17th year, it is considered the world's biggest beauty pageant for transgender women held in Pattaya City, Thailand.

The winner will receive Php 450,000 Thai Baht, which is equivalent to more than Php 17,000 Canadian dollars,

stay in an exclusive apartment in Pattaya, and her own wardrobe for the duration of her reign.

Adrian won her first national competition at the Miss Philippines Canada Queen Pride held in Calgary last year.

She believes this gave her an edge in applying to be Canada's representative to the Miss International Queen pageant this year.

Days before she flew to Thailand, Adrian was busy polishing her preparations for the competition,

from her signature walk to costume and makeup.

Her group of friends have volunteered to help and make sure everything is ready.

We help her, we donate our time, our money, effort for her.

So we help each other in making costumes, gowns, even trainings.

No stranger to criticisms and discrimination, Adrian says all these challenges made her brave.

She adds she will bring this courage to the international stage to show everyone that she's here, standing tall, loud and proud.

My advocacy is trans visibility. I think with what's happening in the world right now, there's some pushback, especially for the trans community.

We need to be seen and to be visible. We need to be heard, so people know that we're not going anywhere.

We are here to show them that we are trans excellent.

Adrian says she is thankful to everyone for their support in her journey, and is grateful for their acceptance.

Lucille Nolasco-Garrido, ABS-CBN News, Winnipeg.

We're taking a short break. Up next, the latest in sports and entertainment. Stay tuned.

Welcome back. Sports now. A crucial Game 4 of the NBA Finals set to go down in Miami.

A win for the Heat will level the best-of-seven series.

A victory by the Denver Nuggets will have them on the cusp of their first-ever NBA championship.

Steve Angeles tells us more.

Back to the practice course for film. Head coach Eric Spoelstra and the Miami Heat on Thursday morning

after suffering a 109-94 Game 3 defeat to the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.

Spoelstra says despite the two games to one deficit, the Heat's competitive spirit remains strong.

Yeah, like a lot of these games, there are certain things that you like.

And you think that you can continue to do those things. I liked our aggressive attacking mentality.

And then there's things that we feel like we have to do better.

And this is great competition.

You know, those two guys can manipulate your defense in different ways.

And one of the biggest strengths we have is our competitive spirit, nature.

You know, just to overcome whatever, even if players play well or a team plays well,

that we figure out how to get the win at the end. We were not able to do that. You do have to credit them.

One big question mark for the Miami Heat is their 2022 Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Hero,

who has been injured for most of the playoff run.

Hero has been participating in practices throughout the finals.

Yeah, this is just part of the process. You know, you have to go through stages.

First part of it was just shooting, then movement, then contact versus coaches,

and then the next level of contact in practice. He has not been cleared for a game.

And he's still not cleared yet.

Now with a home court advantage, the Nuggets are focusing on the series one game at a time

and are looking to continue correcting some of their mistakes from Game 3.

We're addressing all the areas where we have to be better.

Too many turnovers, too many offensive rebounds.

And so, yeah, it was nothing celebrating the great nights that Nicole and Jamal had.

More importantly, it's about how can we find a way to come out tomorrow night

and get another one here in Miami, heading home to Denver for Game 5.

We go into every game trying to win. We try to win every game.

Home or away, we try to win every game. We don't plan on losing the game.

So, whether home or away, we're trying to win and just kind of react off that.

Game 4 will tip off on Friday night in Miami and returns to Denver on Monday for Game 5.

Steve Angeles, ABS-TV News.

Featuring catchy visuals and anthems from the 90s,

Transformers Rise of the Beasts follows two Hollywood talents

monding over their love for musicals and shared struggles.

Yael Chavez talks to the stars of the newest Transformers film.

In Transformers Rise of the Beast, Anthony Ramos plays Noah,

a former soldier struggling to find employment as a civilian

who's desperate to support the medical needs of his younger brother.

In the middle of this, he meets Optimus Prime and other Transformers Autobots.

Ramos, who starred in A Star is Born with Lady Gaga

and who first gained notice on stage through Broadway hits

in The Heights and Hamilton, says that like his character,

he knew firsthand what it means to go up against the glass ceiling.

Not many Latino talents have had a chance to lead a huge Hollywood franchise

like Transformers, so he's mindful of its significance.

What does it mean to you to be the lead of a franchise as you just did?

And how did you relate to the struggles of Noah?

It means a lot. You know, it means a lot that we get to, you know,

me and Don coming from similar neighborhoods in Brooklyn, New York,

you know, we get to do this movie together and we get to infuse our flavor

into a franchise like this that is usually in a specific kind of neighborhood

with a specific kind of family.

And, you know, my mom was a single parent.

I'm a little brother, right? So in our movie, it's the opposite.

I'm the big brother. I relate to that relationship a lot.

The home team handshake they have, that's the thing that my dad used to say to me.

The movie, which is set in the 90s and features the era's iconic music,

also stars Dominic Fishback, who plays a brilliant archaeology researcher

who found the important object that the Autobots and their enemies were looking for.

The struggles of your character, you know, the way that she was not being recognized

for her brilliance initially.

It resonates for sure. I think you work so hard.

You give everything you have.

And like, obviously, they talk about how acting is like mostly rejection.

You know what I mean? So you go hard for things or you feel like, okay,

your team might be like, okay, this is the one that's going to bubble up.

It's going to get you to be able to do X, Y, Z.

And then you get it and you do it.

And it's like still crickets. And that's okay.

It's like as long as they see the work, you know, that's what matters.

Fishback bonded with Ramos on set and even sang his songs to him.

Your impromptu rap with Anthony Mack, it was iconic.

Did you try one with him?

First of all, Inner Heights was the first musical I ever saw.

I loved that musical.

And then I got to see Anthony do it at the 10-year anniversary of Inner Heights.

And then I watched the movie, obviously.

And so we'd be on set and I'd be like, I'll just throw a line of white stuff

or something like that.

Or the only room with the view was the room with you in it.

Transformers Rise of the Beast also features the voice talents of Michelle Yeoh,

Pete Davidson, Cristo Fernandez, and Peter Cullen as the iconic voice of Optimus Prime.

Yong Chavez, ABS-CBN News, here in Hollywood.

And a new addition to the Transformers franchise

and the final installment of a popular comedy-drama series

are some of the latest releases in theaters and on streaming.

Our resident movie critic, Manny the Movie Guy, gives us a look.

The seventh movie in the Transformers franchise has come out of the dark

and is ready to give you pretty much more of the same.

Set in 1994, shortly after the last film, Bumblebee,

we meet Noah, played by Anthony Ramos, an ex-military electronics expert

failing at every turn until he meets Mirage, voiced by Pete Davidson.

The big bad this time is Unicron, a planet-eating dark god,

and his minions, the Terrorcons, headed by Scourge, voiced by Peter Dinklage.

Helping the good guys, the Autobots, win are the Maximals,

an advanced race of beast robots.

This two-hour toy commercial is a little better than all the other Transformers movies,

but that's not saying much.

Director Stephen Caple Jr. tries to inject some heart to the story, at least.

The best part about the film?

It's relatively short compared to the other Transformers movies.

The first half is good, and then it gets a little boring in the middle,

but then there's some surprises in the end, including a mid-credits scene.

And for that, Transformers Rise of the Beast gets 2.5 out of 4,

more than meets the eye, kisses.

If you wanna see a series that's funny and sad and gives you all the feels,

there's the fourth and final season of Netflix's Never Have I Ever.

The brainchild of Mindy Kaling, this coming-of-age comedy-drama

continues to be sharp and witty, but also very honest,

complete with a perfect ensemble headed by Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as Devi,

a high school senior at a crossroads.

Say goodbye to Never Have I Ever, but like high school, it's quite unforgettable.

And for that Never Have I Ever, season 4 gets 3.5 out of 4,

always and forever, kisses.

And before we go, the OB Ranger Project of ABS-CBN News

bags the Broadcast Innovation Trophy at the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Awards in Singapore.

The OB Ranger Project stemmed from the challenges faced by ABS-CBN News

following the non-renewal of its franchise.

Also recognized in the awards is ABS-CBN Global,

which nabbed the Excellence Award for OTT Platform

for its live-streaming app, I Want TFC.

ABS-CBN's Big Dipper also earned the Innovation Award for Audio Description,

providing an inclusive viewing experience for hearing-impaired audiences.

And those were the top stories today. I'm Denise Tinsay.

And I'm Ron Cruz. You can watch exclusive content

and highlights and recaps of our shows online.

Thank you for watching.

Transcribed by https://otter.ai