The NBA will now stream live on Disney+ as well for Filipino fans as part of a multi-year agreement.

This marks an expansion of Disney and ESPN’s global relationship with the NBA, bringing live coverage to the streaming platform for the first time.

ESPN, of course, is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is one of the latter’s major divisions.

Under the agreement, fans in the Philippines will get closer to courtside action with special access to live NBA games. There’s also ESPN’s award-winning documentaries and live broadcasts of NBA Countdown too.

Moreover, fans can tune in to legendary voices Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, and Charles Barkley in real-time with NBA Tip-Off and Inside the NBA.

NBA on Disney+ will officially start on Thursday, November 20 morning (November 19 in the United States) with a double-header featuring these match-ups:

• Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers (8:00 A.M.)
• New York Knicks at Dallas Mavericks (10:30 A.M.)

Disney+ subscribers will be able to live stream select regular season and playoff games, including marquee events like NBA on Christmas Day, NBA Draft, the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and select Summer League Games.

The agreement also includes one NBA Conference Finals series live. Another Conference Finals series and the NBA Finals will both be available to stream on delay as well.

The spooky season has arrived, but not all monsters wear masks. Some hide behind fake links and shady offers designed to trick you into giving up your hard-earned money.

These are the real-life financial monsters: fraudsters, impersonators, and manipulators who turn everyday moments into horror stories.

According to the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, 32% of Filipinos have fallen victim to digital fraud in the past year. And while it’s tempting to think you’d never fall for one, scammers are getting smarter and more creative.

Here’s what to watch out for:

Suspicious links and emails.

Those random texts and emails saying “there’s a problem with your account” or “you’ve won a prize”? They’re classic traps.

Scammers disguise themselves as legitimate companies to steal your information or access your accounts. Always double-check the sender’s address. If it looks off, don’t click.

Grammar gone wrong.

If a message is full of weird typos, awkward phrasing, or off punctuation, that’s a red flag.

Reputable companies review every message they send. When in doubt, don’t reply. Report it to authorities like the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group or the NBI.

Urgent and emotional messages.

Scammers love to pressure you. They’ll make you feel scared or guilty to get you to act fast.

Real companies won’t threaten or rush you into sharing personal info. Take a breath, hang up, and reach out to the official hotline to verify.

Deals that sound too good to be true.

If someone promises instant money or massive discounts, run. These scams often demand “processing fees” or personal info before disappearing. No legitimate prize will ever require payment upfront.

Behind every scam is a story of someone who deserved better. Sometimes, what started as a simple loan application can turn into a nightmare if a rogue online lender decides to harass someone over payments they didn’t even fully receive.

It’s a familiar story for many Filipinos who’ve been preyed on by unregistered or unethical financial services.

Thankfully, more responsible lenders and financial platforms today (Tala, for example) are working to raise awareness and fight back against these threats.

Some even use advanced systems to flag suspicious behavior, partner with authorities for investigations, and educate communities through financial literacy programs.

At the end of the day, awareness is your strongest defense. So this Halloween, stay sharp because protecting your peace (and your money) will always be the sweetest treat.

It’s nothing new that most productivity subscriptions these days are forcing AI onto their subscribers to justify higher prices. Microsoft, for example, now bundles its Microsoft 365 subscriptions with Copilot and other AI-powered features. However, most users don’t really need or want these features. Apparently, the company recognizes this and offers a cheaper subscription without Copilot. It’s been hidden though, and now Microsoft is in trouble for keeping it hidden.

A few days ago, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is suing Microsoft foMicrosoft is ending support for Windows 10r allegedly hiding a cheaper subscription tier and effectively forcing users into a pricier tier (via Reuters). In the country, the price of an individual annual subscription rose by 45 percent.

Currently, the regular tier, dubbed Microsoft 365, packs in access to Microsoft Office, 1TB of OneDrive storage, and Copilot. The allegedly hidden tier contains everything above except Copilot. The Australian organization claims that the company did not clearly tell users about the cheaper subscription.

As a result, the ACCC wants Microsoft to pay around AUD 50 million per breach of the country’s consumer laws. The court is still investigating the ACCC’s claims.

How to access the cheaper subscription

Though the lawsuit is in Australia, the subscription is hidden for most users around the world. Because of how difficult it is to access, the ACCC does have a substantial claim that the company is intentionally hiding the tier. Here’s how to access it:

The tier, officially called Microsoft 365 Personal Classic (or Family Classic), isn’t available if you just go through Microsoft’s list of subscriptions. Currently (and as far as we can tell), you need to attempt to cancel your ongoing subscription. Only after then will Microsoft offer you the cheaper subscription without Copilot or any AI features.

According to Microsoft’s website, the cost of a regular subscription costs PhP 4,899 per year (or PhP 489 per month). In comparison, the cost of the Classic subscription costs only PhP 3,499 per year, which is what the regular subscription used to cost per year.

Is there a risk with going Classic?

Switching to the Classic subscription naturally begs the question: What happens when you go for a subscription that Microsoft desperately wants to hide?

Nothing, really.

If you don’t need Copilot, the Classic subscription saves you from paying for an unnecessary feature. Even if you can just turn off Copilot on a regular subscription, you’re still paying for it.

That said, Microsoft does say that there is a risk. The Classic subscription is just a “limited” option, meaning that there is a chance that the company will stop offering the tier for users.

Currently, Microsoft has not said anything about when (or if) this is happening. It’s also possible that the company might just gatekeep some upcoming features from Classic.

For now, Microsoft 365 Classic remains the only way to keep the subscription price low.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10