PRESIDENT MARCOS LEADS the inspection of about 60.6 kilos of suspected shabu worth some P8.8-billion. These were seized by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency that were discovered by fishermen floating at the coast of Zambales set for destruction.
President Ferdinand Marcos inspect the seized illegal drugs of the PDEA that are set for destruction the recovered floating shabu were discovered by local fishermen off the coast of Luzon.they have estimate Street value of 8,871,307,200
WONDERING IF YOUR voice still matters in an AI world? You spent years learning how to write, speak, tell stories, and grab attention. Maybe you worked in TV, radio, or print. Maybe you were the behind-the-scenes voice shaping the message. And now? It feels like anyone can do it.
THE BACK STORY
People start a YouTube channel in five minutes. AI writes blog posts in seconds. Online training? Free. Templates? Free. Everyone’s suddenly a “writer,” “host,” or “media expert.”
It’s easy to wonder:
Here’s the truth. The world changed. Fast. But you’re not outdated—you just need to reposition.
‘You’re not behind. You’re ready. This isn’t the end of your skills—it’s the beginning of your next version. Show up. Speak up. Let people feel the difference between content and connection.’
YOU’RE NOT OBSOLETE. YOU’RE EXPERIENCED.
AI is fast, smart, and helpful. But it doesn’t know what sounds human. It doesn’t feel. It doesn’t know when something’s off or awkward or just plain boring.
You do. That’s your edge. You’ve built instincts over years:
Those aren’t dead skills. They’re upgradable assets.
IT’S NOT THE PLATFORM. IT’S THE PRESENCE.
Today, you don’t need a network or a publisher. You just need a phone and a point of view.
You can:
You already know how to communicate. Now you just need to speak where people are looking.
PEOPLE STILL NEED HUMAN HELP
Yes, AI can write. But people still need someone to:
That’s you. Offer simple things:
YOU KNOW WHAT QUALITY FEELS LIKE
Everyone’s creating now, but not everyone’s connecting.
You know the difference between noise and impact. That’s priceless. Use it.
Start small:
You don’t need to go viral. You just need to stay visible—as someone who knows what they’re doing.
CONNECTION MATTERS
AI writes. Everyone’s talking. But real connection still wins.
People want to learn from someone who’s been there. Someone who knows how to cut through the clutter and sound like a real human.
That’s your edge.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
You’re not behind. You’re ready. This isn’t the end of your skills—it’s the beginning of your next version.
Show up. Speak up. Let people feel the difference between content and connection.
Remember: AI writes – you connect. You still matter.
IF PLANS DON’T miscarry, again, the (Grand Central) or common station for MRT 3-LRT1 and other rail systems that would be operating by 2027, would finally be realized between the SM North and Trinoma– both owned by the country’s largest tycoons.
The 17-year old common station would certainly bring comfort, convenience and a sense of pride to commuters, whose ease in transferring from one rail system to another would give them a feel of being in some developed world.
These same commuters, who currently take the MRT-LRT for going north or south to their workplaces and schools, currently have to pass through tight, unsafe, dark and muddy walk ways as a result of the ongoing construction of the subway system have no choice but to take this daily risk.
But with a well-lit, roofed common station, that is also envisioned to contain stalls for everyday needs and ready-to-eat food items at the commuters’ convenience (unlike shopping and queueing inside the malls) on their way home.
‘Despite some initial progress, construction slowed and then stopped altogether with the pandemic and the alleged failure of the government to pay the progress billings of the contractors.’
BID AWARDING
In a news release, the Department of Transportation said it plans to award the new contract for the building of the common station– which had stalled for reasons like legal and construction setbacks and right of way issues for the past two previous administrations.
Transport Secretary Vicencio Dizon said the government targets to complete the bidding process before December 2025 as it hopes to finish the project a year later.
“The goal is we want to award [a new contract] by this year so that by January, we recommence construction and finish by the time MRT 7 is operational by 2027,” he told the recent Infrastructure Forum of the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP).
INORDINATE DELAYS
Construction work at Area A of the common station stopped in early 2025 after the government decided to terminate its contract with BF Corp. and Foresight Development and Surveying Co. (BFC-FDSC), citing “inordinate delays” that have kept the major commuter hub idle for more than a year.
BFC-FDSC was supposed to finish the project in 2021.
The idea was first proposed during the Arroyo administration. However, the project was bogged down for years owing to legal disputes, right-of-way issues, and design and location disagreements, particularly over whether it should be built near Sy-owned SM North Edsa or Ayala-owned Trinoma, Business Mirror reported.
Two administrations later, all parties reached a compromise, leading to the partial awarding of construction contracts.
CONNECTION HUB
Despite some initial progress, construction slowed and then stopped altogether with the pandemic and the alleged failure of the government to pay the progress billings of the contractors.
“This is like 17 years already since it was first planned. We’re now finding the fastest possible way to continue and finish it finally,” Dizon said.
The hub, located at the intersection of EDSA and North Avenue, was designed to connect four major rail lines—the MRT 3, LRT 1, MRT 7, and the Metro Manila Subway.
Once completed, the 13,700-sqm Common Station will feature a centralized concourse with seamless transfers between rail lines and an intermodal transport terminal at street level for buses, jeepneys, and taxi cabs.
ST. ROBERT’S INTERNATIONAL College (SRIC) has taken a bold leap into the future with the official launch of its Cybersecurity Module under the newly established Robertine Center for Technopreneurship. This initiative, created in partnership with Cusco Standardization International (CSI), the Engineering Council of Thailand (ECT), and Rajamangala University of Technology (RMUT), is more than just a new course offering—it’s a significant shift in how we prepare the next generation for the digital world.
Unlike traditional tech education that often arrives too late and too slowly, SRIC is integrating four advanced Digital Engineering modules directly into its Senior High School (SHS) curriculum for Grades 11 and 12. These include:
What sets this program apart is its alignment with ISO 17024 standards, meaning it meets globally recognized certification criteria. Delivered online by CSI, the modules culminate in assessments conducted by SRIC-CSI, with successful students receiving certifications from International Qualification Certification Services (IQCS) Canada and German Cert—credentials acknowledged in 175 countries.
The first module, Cybersecurity, is now fully TESDA-approved and ready for national rollout. With digital threats growing daily, this module trains students to protect networks, defend information, and strengthen systems—skills that are critical in every sector today, from government to finance to education.
And it’s not just about learning. Through micro-credentialing, graduates of the program receive advanced standing in the BS Digital Engineering degree at RMUT. They also gain exclusive access to study abroad programs in Korea, including immersion opportunities hosted by Korean higher education institutions and work placements via the Korea Holiday Program.
To make the program accessible, SRIC has secured the backing of key congressional districts. Scholarships and voucher programs are being supported by:
Now, SRIC is reaching out to Iloilo Province and Iloilo City, inviting local government and congressional leaders to collaborate and extend the program to Western Visayas. With Iloilo’s rising pool of tech-savvy students and a growing innovation ecosystem, the region is ripe for this kind of future-ready investment.
The broader implication? This isn’t just about digital skills—it’s about access, global competitiveness, and inclusive development. It ensures that even students from underserved areas—those who may have never imagined working abroad or building careers in tech—can now earn international certifications before they even enter college.
In a country where many youth are digitally native but not digitally empowered, this initiative offers both pathway and purpose. It bridges the gap between what’s being taught in classrooms and what’s needed in the real world.
If we truly want to raise a generation of globally competent professionals—not just social media natives—then initiatives like SRIC’s Cybersecurity Program are exactly the blueprint we need. It’s education that doesn’t just respond to the future—it anticipates it.
St. Robert’s has just set the standard. The rest of the country should take notes.
AFTER 13 YEARS of implementation, the Kindergarten to Grade 12 program has failed to produce job-ready high school graduates aside from being an additional financial burden to parents, who keep shelling out allowances and other fees for the two additional secondary years their students have to undergo.
President Marcos Jr., in an interview with One PH television, said the K-12 program which started more than a decade ago cost parents more because two additional years were added therefore they had to pay for enrollment, buy a lot of school supplies, purchase books and transport/living allowances. “Yet after 10 years, there’s no real advantage,” he stressed, saying it is up to Congress to scrap the program altogether.
‘The EDCOM report … warned about the dire state of basic literacy in Philippine public schools, with students falling four to five years behind the expected reading proficiency for their grade levels. (It) recommended a “teach-at-the-right-level” approach…’
COLLEGE GRAD PREFERRED
The President echoed the frustrations voiced by lawmakers who are calling for the abolition of the mandatory senior high school system under the K-12 program.
Originally intended to provide high school students with employable skills through four tracks, still the expected employment did not materialize as businesses complained they were not equipped with the proper skills needed by industries.
Employers still prefer college degree holders over K-12 graduates, intoned Maria Ella Calaor-Oplas, an economics professor at De La Salle University in Manila to Business World.
“There is still preference for degrees, even if it’s not necessary and could be done by K-12 graduates. Senior high school graduates are ready if job opportunities for them are available” she continued.
INADEQUATE FUNDING
The Department of Education (DepEd) is rolling out in 889 schools across the country, the pilot of a revised K-12 curriculum this school year that updates the senior high school program.
The K-12 program, which extended the country’s basic education by two years, has been criticized because of inadequate funding, the added financial burden on families, subpar educational outcomes and questions about whether senior high school graduates are job-ready.
The President said his administration will work with the private sector to enhance the K-12 system and address the issue of skill mismatch.
But while the law mandating K-12 is still in place, the President said he told DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara to significantly improve the program to address the issue of skills mismatch.”
The government is finding out from the private sector the skills they need, the kind of workers they are looking for so they can be hired by the company. But, he said, the private sector went a step further by suggesting that it run the training programs and once completed, they can hire the graduates.
Marcos said the government is also partnering with the private sector to help fix the country’s severe classroom shortage as the government can’t do it alone. He said the private sector is willing to invest and is genuinely eager to help.
REVERSE THE TREND
Marcos vented his frustration at the poor state of public school infrastructure, which he attributed to decades of neglect and underinvestment. He cited the 160,000 classroom shortage as the education sector suffered from utter neglect. “There was no effort to strengthen the system,” he lamented.
Angara cited as well the steady declining performance in key subjects like science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), which reflects the long-term consequences of neglect.
“Our students are falling behind in STEM. Many are struggling even with basic reading skills,” he added.
To help reverse the trend, the President said the government is improving the welfare and capacity of public school teachers, addressing longstanding issues such as delayed salaries and administrative overload.
He added that a major retraining and upskilling initiative is under way to help educators keep pace with modern teaching tools and methods.
“We’ve introduced a retraining and re-education program for our teachers because so much has changed,” Mr. Marcos said. “There’s new technology they need to learn. Supporting teachers — that’s our top priority.”
BASIC LITERACY
The Second Congressional Commission on Education report released in January 2025 warned about the dire state of basic literacy in Philippine public schools, with students falling four to five years behind the expected reading proficiency for their grade levels.
EDCOM 2 recommended a “teach-at-the-right-level” approach, tailoring instruction to students’ actual learning needs rather than their age or grade. It also sought stronger support from DepEd in enforcing remedial and foundational programs.
Amid a persistent learning crisis, the government fell short of its target to add 20,000 teachers for the school year, managing to recruit only 16,000. The government also eyes 10,000 additional administrative assistants to support public schools as they handle accounting, paperwork, documentation and other matters.
EDCOM 2 also asked the DepEd to consider population growth, vulnerabilities, projected deterioration, and available private school capacities in addressing the classroom backlog in order to diversify interventions to address school congestion, break down silos in resourcing and ensure that our efforts directly support the improvement of learning outcomes of our students,” EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee said in a statement.
The DepEd earlier said it could take 55 years to bridge the country’s 165,000 public school classroom backlog. The DepEd in 2024 received a budget of only P28 billion for basic education facilities, including P7.18 billion for the construction of new kindergarten, elementary and secondary school buildings. Congress also allotted P6.13 billion for the school repairs.
EDCOM 2 Co-Chairman and Senator Sherwin T. Gatchalian is pushing public-private partnerships (PPP) to fix the shortage. Angara on Monday said they might pursue PPP to fast-track the construction of about 105,000 classrooms.
ASIDE FROM BEING hectic, the past weeks had been pretty light and sort of mirthful for the iconic theater, film and television actor Victor Laurel.
This was according to a very close friend and business associate of the singer and arts patron.
Hectic as there were a lot of commitments and obligations he had to fulfill in just, more or less, two months.
Last April, he had to pay last respects to one of his best friends and perennial movie love teams, Nora Aunor who died of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on Maunday Thursday.
‘Contrary to reports that Victor died of cancer, the family friend clarified that he died of cardiac arrest due complications. He knew it’s coming.’
LAST RESPECTS
Victor, also known as Cocoy Laurel, went in cane, limping and in hunchback posture to the Heritage Park and Crematorium in Taguig City to see and offer a little prayer to the National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts.
When fellow singer Dulce saw him, she quickly got near Victor, hugged him tightly and walked him to Nora’s casket.
At the time, the Laurels were also experiencing the same ordeal. Cocoy’s sister, Suzie Laurel-Delgado, passed on two days after Aunor’s demise.
Suzie’s remains would also lie in state at Heritage Park.
“Cocoy had to be with his sister in the entire funeral wake that no matter how hard he tried to be at the state funeral of Nora, he couldn’t attend because of the same ordeal,” said a Laurel family friend who requested anonymity.
“Then he still had to attend to some events last month,” added the Laurel business associate.
HIGH SPIRITED
He was high-spirited amidst physical aches.
According to the family friend, Cocoy was always happy even in his medical check-ups.
“He would profusely say ‘thank you, thank you’ to the doctors, nurses and other staff in the hospital while touching with his fingers the sleeves of theirs,” described the family friend.
“He was always light-hearted even when he was in pain,” added our source.
Contrary to reports that Victor died of cancer, the family friend clarified that he died of cardiac arrest due complications.
“He knew it’s coming. When he wasn’t feeling well again, he asked his sister Lally to bring him to the hospital,” informed our source.
The actor had a broken spinal column that he contracted twenty years ago but was not eventually dealt with.
“Lately, lagi siyang nadadapa (always had bad fall) because of his poor eyesight,” informed the family friend.
AN ACTOR, INDEED
He died on June 14, 2025 but his family officially announced it two days after his death.
In his lifetime, Cocoy was an active stage, movie and television actor.
He was a Repertory Philippines stalwart who made his memorable portrayal of the Engineer in the world renowned “Miss Saigon” in Australia.
Victor’s foray into the movies was his team-up with both top caliber actresses Nora (the first three) and Vilma Santos (the last four) in “Roses and Lollipops,” “Lollipops and Roses at Burong Talangka” and “Impossible Dream” and “Ofelia at Paris,” “Disco Fever” and “Pinay, American Style.”
Cocoy was the son of the late Philippine Vice-President Salvador H. Laurel and arts patroness and stage actress Celia Diaz-Laurel.
Victor’s cremains were inurned at the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Makati City.
He was 72.
CLIMATE GROUPS GATHERED in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila to condemn “Japan’s fossil fuel obsession” and its promotion of false solutions, which are endangering the climate and harming communities across Asia.
The climate advocates — coming from the Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ), Asian Peoples’ Movement on Debt and Development (APMDD,) and other groups — staged their action on the eve of the Japan Energy Summit, held from June 18 to 20 in Tokyo.
Hosted by Japanese energy giants JERA and Tokyo Gas, the annual event is viewed by activists as an ineffective attempt to “greenwash Japan’s destructive role in Asia’s energy future.”
“At a time of worsening climate crisis, it’s outrageous to see an industry summit propping up fossil fuel companies under the guise of energy transition. The Japan Energy Summit doesn’t accelerate the shift to clean energy. What we urgently need is a full-scale rollout of solar and wind, not more excuses to cling to coal and gas,” said APMDD coordinator Lidy Nacpil.
[W]ith the climate clock already ticking and extreme weather events devastating the region, year after year, Japan must stop its fossil fuel obsession and pave the way for a just energy transition immediately.’
SERIOUS IMPACTS
PMCJ’s Ian Rivera revealed that “communities near fossil gas facilities in the Philippines are already suffering from serious health impacts, including respiratory and heart-related illnesses.
“Yet, Japanese companies and the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) continue to push for more gas expansion, ignoring the harm it brings to people and the environment. Japan must stop its dirty trail of gas expansion now!”
Nacpil underscored that Japan remains one of the top financiers of fossil fuels in the world, with its public and private banks channeling billions into coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects across Asia.
She cited a study by climate groups that shows that in a period of 10 years, Japan provided $93 billion in support to global oil and gas projects. Between 2020 and 2022, the Japanese government provided an average of $6.9 billion annually for overseas gas, coal, and oil projects.
DISPLACED COMMUNITIES
A similar coordinated action was held in Bangladesh where more than 20 LNG power plants are being proposed in the port town of Chattogram.
Sharif Jamil, coordinator of Waterkeepers Bangladesh, said, “These dirty projects are part of the Moheshkhali-Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI) Plan drafted by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), with the involvement of numerous Japanese companies, like JERA and Mitsubishi Corporation.”
Jamil added that Japan’s fossil gas expansion in Chattogram has forcibly displaced communities in the coast and disrupted salt farming and fishing activities. “Bangladesh should break free from this harmful fossil fuel agenda and pursue just renewable energy solutions for the people and communities.”
GREENWASHING?
A protest rally was also held in Indonesia. Rere Christanto, Campaigns Director of WALHI, stressed that “Japan has been pushing dirty fossil fuels, right in the eyes of the Indonesian people. It proposed to Indonesia’s upcoming electricity sector plan (RUPLTL 2025-2034) a JICA-backed decarbonization roadmap that prioritizes the expansion of 10.3 GW of LNG and the use of ammonia, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) to extend the life of coal and gas plants. We outrightly reject this greenwashing, masquerading as decarbonization.”
CLOCK IS TICKING
Meanwhile, Mecanzy Dabre of the fisher group Koli Yuva Shakti in Vasai Koliwada in India lamented: “Japan says it backs climate action, but its money tells a different story.
Through its public financial institutions, like JBIC and NEXI, and fossil giants like Mitsubishi, Marubeni, and Sumitomo, LNG terminals are bankrolled in Dabhol, Jaigarh, Chhara, and Hazira. These aren’t transition projects — they’re fossil fuel lock-ins.”
Asian Civil society groups said that “with the climate clock already ticking and extreme weather events devastating the region, year after year, Japan must stop its fossil fuel obsession and pave the way for a just energy transition immediately.”
FINDING THE BENEFITS of operating busways along the stretch of the Epifanio de los Santos (EDSA) Avenue, the Department of Transportation is looking at pushing ahead with modernizing and expanding the dedicated busway systems, beginning with EDSA, and a planned rollout of new corridors in Metro Manila and major provincial cities.
At the forum of economic journalists, Transportation Secretary Vivencio Dizon said the rehabilitation of EDSA busway would begin this year with the long term goal of transforming it into a more sustainable public transport system through a public private partnership project.
‘Among the top priorities is a new busway corridor along España Boulevard in Manila to Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, which Dizon finds as the most viable and most needed … to relieve pressure on the Metro’s congested roads.’
The International Finance Corp. of the World Bank “is helping us do the PPP of the busway. I think that’s the way forward — that is the long term solution to the busway. We need more of those,” he said.
The EDSA Busway PPP is set to be auctioned off in 2026.
NEW BUSWAY CORRIDOR
Among the top priorities is a new busway corridor along España Boulevard in Manila to Quezon Avenue in Quezon City, which Dizon finds as the “most viable and most needed” addition due to its existing road width and potential to relieve pressure on the Metro’s congested roads.
“The España-Quezon Avenue Busway is very important. We are doing a feasibility study for it, hopefully next year. It’s not difficult to build,” he stressed.
He cited the critical role of these planned projects for students and others in the university belt.
Just like the EDSA busway, Dizon believes the government can be the one to run it initially.
“I think we’ll have to do it. Government muna, kamukha nung EDSA. We’ll do it like EDSA. We’ll use that model then we’ll privatize the O&M (Operations and Maintenance),” he added.
PRIVATIZATION
The DOTr plans to privatize the EDSA Bus Carousel as well, with the bidding war set for next year.
Dizon explained that the government will build the “more or less [a] 15-kilometer” infrastructure and will bid out the operations and maintenance contract thereafter.
Beyond Metro Manila, the DOTr wants major bus rapid transit (BRT) projects to transform public transport in the province, such as for Cebu and Davao, Dizon said, explaining that the Cebu BRT and the Davao Public Transport Modernization Project are critical components of this strategy.
He called these projects “game changers because they will be a model for other areas like Iloilo, Bacolod, and Baguio.”
EVEN WHILE PRESIDENT Marcos staunchly distances himself from the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, his seasoned senior legal adviser, Juan Ponce Enrile, once a Senate president for the longest time, spoke on his views about the Senate’s handling of the impeachment process.
Enrile, who served four terms in the Senate, or for 22 years, one of the longest in the history of the upper chamber, and Senate President during the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, said in an interview with Inquirer that he is not aware if the Senate rules on impeachment has been changed to allow such an impasse.
“If not then, the Senate failed to do its job,” he said citing that when he was at the Senate, they quickly tackled the impeachment articles sent to them, as the 1987 Constitution states that the trial must proceed forthwith if ⅓ of the House members file an impeachment complaint.”
He said with 215 lawmakers filing the impeachment last February 5, or over the ⅓ requirement achieved, then the Senate is supposed to do its job with reasonable speed. But the Senate tarried and dilly dallied.
Enrile says he personally thinks that Sara Duterte does not want to face impeachment trial.
‘Enrile says he personally thinks that Sara Duterte does not want to face impeachment trial … What is worse, … the Senate turned it back or remanded the case to the House, which is improper and unparliamentary.’
UNPARLIAMENTARY
What is worse, Enrile said, the Senate turned it back or remanded the case to the House, “which is improper and unparliamentary. You must give a presumption of regularity to the other house, you cannot demand or command the other house which is your co-equal.”
Enrile — who participated in the impeachment trial of former president Joseph Estrada as a senator-judge, and then as presiding officer in the trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona — said that the delay in the impeachment proceedings and the remand of articles is without precedence, the Inquirer reported.
During the trial of former president Joseph Estrada, the complaint filed by the House before the Senate was forwarded to the Senate committee on rules, calendared for first reading, before being sent back to the committee so that senator-judges can formulate rules and conduct preliminary processes in preparation for the hearing.
Enrile said what the Senate did under the leadership of Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero was unheard of. “We never had the experience or precedent like what they have done now to return the impeachment complaints to the impeaching authority which is the House of Representatives.”
AN ODD MOVE
The report submitted by the committee on rules were then referred back to the plenary for second reading and “at that point, the notices have been sent out to the prosecutors, to the person impeached, to his lawyers, and then in the case of Erap (Estrada), to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court,” Enrile explained.
The current Senate, using the Corona case as precedent, should have brought the articles to the plenary for hearing and while there were gaps in the hearings, the trial went on.
After VP Duterte was impeached last February 5, the House forwarded the impeachment articles to the Senate. But the trial did not start immediately as the articles were not taken up during the Senate plenary session before the 19th Congress adjourned for the midterm election break. February 5 was the last session day of both chambers.
On May 23, SP Francis Escudero sent a letter to House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez inviting the House prosecution panel to the Senate plenary on June 2, to present the articles of impeachment. He promised to convene the Senate as an impeachment court on June 3, which did not materialize until June 11. But even before the prosecution team visited the Senate, a resolution was filed by reelected Sen. Bato de la Rosa dismissing the case altogether.
When the Senate finally convened on June 10 as an impeachment court, the 18 senator judges voted in favor of the motion of Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano to remand the articles back to the House, which Enrile found rather odd.
TO CLARIFY ISSUES
Until the prosecutors’ questions are addressed, Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said the House would delay accepting the articles not out of defiance to the Senate order but to clarify possible issues.
The articles dwell on issues like allegations of confidential fund misuse within her offices which were uncovered during the hearing of the House committee on good government and public accountability, and threats to have President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, and Romualdez assassinated.
At this juncture, Enrile has this simple message to the impeachment court judges: “my first advice is to keep quiet and then go to the session hall during their trial, sit down and listen to the proceedings, listen to the presentation of evidence.”
“The region has become a crucial manufacturing and export hub, which is drawing significant capital flows. This momentum has been further fueled by Trump-era tariffs, which have reshaped global trade dynamics and driven a shift towards Southeast Asia,” said Clay Chandler, Executive Editor Asia of Fortune 500,
THE PHILIPPINES RANKED a lowly sixth in the number of companies that made it to the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia list, indicating the lack of growth among medium-sized companies to become conglomerates or diversified firms.
The country had 40 companies included in the 2025 Fortune Southeast Asia list, only beating Cambodia’s two. Indonesia leads the list with 109 companies.
Thailand was at third with 100, Malaysia has 92 companies on the list, surpassing Singapore’s 81. Vietnam’s presence on the list has grown to 76.
And for the second straight year, San Miguel Corp. (SMC) made it to the top 10 on the list, ranking at No. 9 with revenues of $27.477 billion last year, 5.7-percent more than in 2023.
Meanwhile, SM Investments Corp. ranked at No. 25 on the list, with revenues of $11.429 billion in 2023, or an 11.2-percent increase compared to 2024.
Singapore-headquartered commodities trader Trafigura earned the No. 1 spot on the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 for a second year, generating more than $243 billion in revenue in 2024, followed by Thailand’s PTT (No. 2), Indonesia’s Pertamina (No. 3) and Singapore’s food and agribusiness powerhouses—Wilmar (No. 4) and Olam (No. 5).
Clay Chandler, Executive Editor Asia of Fortune 500, said that Fortune’s interest in the region demonstrates its vital role in the global economy.
“Fortune’s interest in the region reflects Southeast Asia’s growing importance as an engine of global growth,” he said.
“The region has become a crucial manufacturing and export hub, which is drawing significant capital flows. This momentum has been further fueled by Trump-era tariffs, which have reshaped global trade dynamics and driven a shift towards Southeast Asia,” Chandler added.
Besides SMC and SM Investments, among the other Filipino corporations that made it to 2025 Fortune 500 Southeast Asia list are Ayala Corp. (No. 47), JG Summit Holdings (No. 50), BDO Unibank (No. 52), GT Capital Holdings (No. 61), Jollibee Foods (No. 79), Cosco Capital (No. 88), Alliance Global Group (No. 92), PLDT (No. 95), Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (No. 96), and Robinson Retail Holdings (No. 100).
YOU POST SOMETHING online – and suddenly a stranger attacks you. Out of nowhere, someone you don’t even know is trying to embarrass you in front of everyone – like they’ve known you for years.
And you’re left thinking, “Where did that come from?”
THE BACK STORY
You’re not alone. Welcome to the wild world of online bashing – where people get bold behind a screen, but not because they’re brave.
HAPPY PEOPLE DON’T HATE ONLINE
People who feel good about themselves don’t randomly attack strangers online. If someone bashes you, that says more about them than it ever will about you.
Let’s break down why they do it – and what you can do instead of losing your cool.
WHEN SOMEONE BASHES YOU ONLINE (specially a stranger):
Don’t take the bait.
You don’t have to reply. Silence is a power move. Not every comment deserves your energy.
Ask yourself: “Is this about me – or about them?”
Most of the time, it’s them. Their mood. Their issues. Their mess.
Don’t match their tone.
You don’t need to be rude back. Stay cool. Reply calm – if you choose to reply at all.
WHEN YOU FEEL LIKE BASHING SOMEONE ONLINE:
Pause. Breathe. Wait.
Ask yourself: “Do I want to connect or just explode?” Type it if you must – but don’t hit send yet.
Try a question instead.
Instead of “That’s dumb,” try: “I see it differently – can I share my take?”
Check your real reason.
Are you angry at them – or just frustrated with life today? Don’t turn a bad day into a mean post.
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
At the end of the day, online bashing isn’t real strength. It’s stress, fear, boredom, or insecurity – dressed up as confidence.
The good news?
You don’t have to play that game. Next time you’re online and the drama starts flying:
When you’re tempted to bash someone else? Choose better words. You’ve got the power to keep it smooth and strong: Not loud. Not messy.
Remember: When strangers get mean online, take the high road. That’s real power.
WHILE the President continues to “validate” the performance of his Cabinet pointmen, one of his political appointees who had just been bypassed by the Commission on Appointments (CA) implemented his own version of “reorganization.”
In a special order released on June 11, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Secretary Jay Ruiz tapped Undersecretary Michael Lim Ubac to “oversee” six PCO-attached agencies.
The order specifically cited the urgent need to ensure “continued oversight, coordination, and alignment of high-priority messaging and interagency communications initiatives under the Office of the Secretary,” for which he designated Ubac to exercise “supervision and functional oversight” over the following offices:
“In this capacity, Ubac holds strategic and supervisory control over press accreditation, messaging on national security and sensitive issues, editorial consistency and interagency coordination,” the order further reads.
“His expanded role also includes organizing press briefings, managing media logistics, and maintaining relations with the Malacañang Press Corps (MPC),” Ruiz added.
In a separate order, Ruiz designated PCO Assistant Secretary Erelson Cabatbat as pointman for Media Affairs and Relations “to strengthen coordination and delivery of media-facing public communications and institutional relations with accredited press partners.”
Under his designation, Cabatbat will assist Ubac in the implementation of his assigned oversight functions, including the following:
Cabatbat was also tasked to provide operational and editorial support for all institutional engagements involving accredited media partners, both domestic and foreign; ensure that procedures for media accreditation, press access, and briefing management are executed in compliance with internal protocols and quality management systems; and collaborate with the Office of the Undersecretary, Palace Press Officer, and content teams to ensure proper preparation of talking points, press kits, event notices, and clearance documentation.
Ruiz also designated senior undersecretary Analisa Puod as head of the Strategic Communications Cluster and Supervising Officer for Interagency Communications Operations “to ensure effective coordination of government messaging across traditional media, state-run platforms, and interagency communication offices.”
Under this designation, Puod shall provide strategic direction and supervisory oversight over the following offices:
Following Marcos’ “recalibration of the Cabinet,” the President dismissed PCO Undersecretary for Administration, Finance and GOCCs Jorjette Aquino; Assistant Secretary for Inter-Agency Communications Operations Claudine Marie Caparon; Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure Communications Ana Dominique Consulta; and Assistant Secretary for Media Accreditation and Relations Dale De Vera.
The President also accepted the “courtesy resignations” of PCO directors Maribel Dario, Sheryll Anne Lizarondo, Alexius Calda, Luis Morente, Lee Ann Ducusin, Nelson De Guzman and Robertzon Ramirez were also accepted by the chief executive.
Philippine Information Agency (PIA) Deputy Director General Adolfo Ares Gutierrez also resigned from his post while director Florante Solmerin was terminated.
GOOD MORNING, PILIPINAS! June 16, 2025, marks the balik-eskwela of 27.6 million students nationwide. From Ilocos to Tawi-Tawi, they marched in—armed with notebooks, starched uniforms, and one collective prayer: Sana pumasa sa Math.
Welcome to SY 2025–2026, where hopes are high, classrooms are short, and Wi-Fi still doesn’t reach the back row.
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara called Day One “smooth.” True—if you don’t count fires, floods, and mpox jitters. In Quezon City, 640 students were rerouted to a gym after a classroom fire. In Malabon, floods turned campuses into mini-lagoons. In Iloilo, students came to class with both face masks and faith.
With the June–March calendar restored, so are the headaches: 165,000 classrooms short, and in Central Visayas alone, 3,000–5,000 rooms and 1,000 teachers are missing. At this rate, backlog clearance might take longer than your crush’s reply.
Good news: 33,000 laptops, 5,000 support units, and 26,000 smart TVs were distributed. But many classrooms still resemble storage rooms with chalkboards. ACT teachers held a “sunrise protest” demanding not just gadgets—but real solutions.
The PNP deployed 37,740 officers to keep 45,000+ schools safe. So far, peaceful—though some classrooms still battle with one electric fan and sixty students. That should be a Category 1 emergency.
“I came to school para makatabang sa pamilya,” said Nick Dan, 17, from Liloan, Cebu. Another said it best: “Happy ko pero kapoy. Ambot unsa ni’ng feeling.” A national mood, captured in one line.
First-day verdict? Full of hope, still full of holes.
But if there’s one thing the Filipino student never lacks, it’s resilience (and a little humor).
So here’s to a year of fewer “Wala pa ang teacher” moments, and more “Sir, we used the Smart TV!” victories.
Class dismissed—for now.
In today’s fast-changing world, we often wonder—are the Filipino youth aware of the nation’s pressing issues? From the West Philippine Sea dispute to leadership controversies, do they speak out or remain indifferent?
Our youth stand at a crossroads: to pursue personal interests or rise to the call of nationalism. They must come out of their youth cave —filled with gadgets imbued with the latest technology —and be present in the real world.
In 1879, during the age of colonization, ignorance, and suppression, Dr. Jose Rizal wrote the poem dedicated to the youth of his time. He was then studying at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. Written in Spanish, entitled “A La Juventud Filipina” (“To the Filipino Youth”), his intent was to inspire confidence and purpose among young compatriots.
In writing this, Rizal advocates seeking knowledge and to use it to break the chains of ignorance encouraging them to pursue knowledge through science and the arts.
Trusting that the Filipino youth are capable of reaching greater heights by harnessing their skills for the betterment of the country as they are not just the hope of the Fatherland, they are its strength and future.
Rizal’s legacy teaches the Filipino youth the timeless values of patriotism, intellectual discipline, and moral courage.
Rizal, as a model way advanced for his time, used his talents not for personal development but moreso to awaken fellow Filipinos to face the truth, to claim justice, while, at the same time, maintaining dignity and self-worth.
Today, as we navigate in the present time of apathy, disinformation, and misinformation, it is imperative for the youth to stay well-versed and woke, to speak out, and to engage in building a country worth living in for their next generation.
Rizal’s belief in education as a tool for liberation, rendering service to the poor, and with quiet humility in doing so remind us that greatness lies not in fame but in compassion and integrity.
As we commemorate his birth this month, let us not just remember Rizal as our national hero but, rather, live out daily his ideals.
Over time and with proper education, Rizal had hoped that today’s youth will turn out to be critical thinkers, active citizens, and principled leaders.
The Philippines deserves no less.
WHEN DOES INFORMATION become an entertainment and vice-versa?
Entertainment, being an action that provides amusement and enjoyment, has also been the stimulus that purges emotions such as joy, sadness, wonder, love, hatred, fear etc. in response to an act or reaction done, being face-to-face in any medium, plastic or real-life situations while information is a fact about someone or something conveyed using a particular medium or multimedia like a human body or any instrument in communications.
‘Like Andres Bonifacio, Rizal was a theater person as well. He might not be directly involved in stage acting but he wrote a play in Filipino at the age of eight. No wonder entertainment was also in his DNA.’
This brings to mind the idea of infotainment because the line that divides entertainment and information already blurs the singular meanings evoked by the two actualities.
We have seen the dual, even multiple, roles being played by our winning and losing candidates in the last midterm elections where all are actors in polity, all of them informing truths, lies, half-truths and half-lies at the same time entertaining not only themselves but the vulnerable public as well who are to discern—against confusion and frenzy—what is true or false.
Then and now, we are all agents of actions and reactions in entertainment and information in all degrees of our participation in the daily quotidian.
So, let us drag in figures, popular or not, to illustrate the assumption.
RIZAL AND CINEMATOGRAPHE
In the case of National Hero Dr. Jose Rizal, he is an addition to messengers of infotainment earlier than the film pioneers in Father of Philippine Cinema Jose Nepomuceno and his confrere Vicente Salumbides combined.
Being educated —formally or not in his given environment —in Spain, France and Germany, Rizal had lived in the early civilization of cinema in Europe at the time the medium’s infancy was an interesting stage of a new gadget.
Although there is no record of proof that he was involved in filmmaking or simply watched movies—at the time billed as Cinematographe–in his free time, there was his pursuit of intellectualism in arts and sciences very intrinsic in the invention of modern tech and filling up of contents/ideas in the medium.
Before Rizal went back to the Philippines from Europe, the Kinetoscope, a motion picture device invented by Thomas Alva Edison which inspired the Lumiere brothers, Auguste and Louis Lumiere, from France to enhance the Edison invention to the so-called Cinematographe.
Early practitioners of motion picture from the West were influential in the technology transfer to the world, in Asia, specifically in the Philippines like French brothers Auguste and Louis Lumiere who invented the Cinematographe, Spanish Antonio Ramos who brought in film equipment, established theater in Manila and later on, sold them to Nepomuceno.
PURVEYOR OF INFOTAINMENT
Prior to the invention of the moving pictures, though, Rizal was a purveyor of infotainment when he was a small boy.
In Calamba, he shared his shadow play, traditionally known as carrillo, to his, for instance, playmates.
Like Andres Bonifacio, Rizal was a theater person as well. He might not be directly involved in stage acting but he wrote a play in Filipino at the age of eight.
No wonder entertainment was also in his DNA.
Rizal bequeathed his artistic talents to his descendants, one of them 1964 Miss International Gemma Cruz-Araneta, a great-granddaughter of his sister, Maria Mercado who was married to Daniel Faustino Cruz.
Gemma has been involved in arts and culture.
Meanwhile, young actress Therese Malvar is a great-great grandniece of Rizal being a scion of Soledad and the revolutionary hero Miguel Malvar who had a son who got married to Soledad Rizal, one of the sisters of the National Hero.
The brilliance of Therese in theater and film, particularly acting, is a legacy of Dr. Jose Rizal.
I HAVE ALWAYS believed that massive reforestation programs are best left in the care and investment portfolios of the private sector, except tight governance and watchful government monitoring must be in place to prevent abusive practices.
Environmental advocates have raised alarm by the potential conflicts of interest in privately managed reforestation, as opposed to government-directed programs carried by local communities.
The profit motive could erode the imperative that future generations benefit from the earth’s resources, while also undermining the “equitable distribution of resources especially for indigenous communities,” noted Business World on the post of Ateneo School of Government Jennifer S. Oreta.
“The private sector, by its very nature, is concerned with profit. Return of investment is the immediate goal; profit maximization is the long-term goal,” Oreta said. “Profit-seeking on the one hand, and human rights-social justice on the other are fundamentally different concerns.”
REGREENING PROGRAM
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) last week said it plans to open 1.2 million hectares of “denuded” forest land to private investors on June 26, shifting away from government-centric reforestation.
Such massive tracts of land, now denuded, might undergo a partial reforestation and, if the government fails to monitor well, can be turned into land development and resorts that can benefit only the purses of private companies to the exclusion of local communities around these areas.
DENR Undersecretary Carlos Primo David said half of the 1.2 million hectares should be reforested by the private sector under the National Greening Program (NGP). In 2024, the NGP had set a goal of rehabilitating 7.1 million hectares of denuded land by 2028.
“You need to reforest the half, and then you utilize the other half,” David said, noting that the previous purely conservation-focused approach has not worked.
MAKING CHOICES
Setting such enticing parameters for the private companies will certainly attract them, but again, the government must be watchful that half is half and that they won’t add more land for their business, to the detriment of regreening our bald forest lands.
“If you wait for the government to do reforestation of one million hectares… It will take us many years.” These kinds of excuses should not even be floated as it is an admission of the inefficacy and ineptness of government, considering the massive resources at its hands.
But what about the surrounding communities? Are we not even giving them a reason to do the reforestation themselves, as they are in a better location (provided they have the financial support and proper government monitoring) to do so. Why always the bias for private companies?
Companies involved in agriculture and timber production as well as those involved in renewable energy, eco-tourism, and the carbon credit markets are expected to participate in the program, David said. (I wonder why it is even using the carbon market to entice them, they know all about this by now and why stress this point. If at all, the organized communities surrounding the bald mountains and plains should be the one to be educated about carbon credit trading, but immediately, it is government financial support that they need ASAP.
“In situations where a choice had to be made, will business choose the nobler agenda of conservation over profit?” Oreta asked.
ANCESTRAL DOMAIN
Should private partners need to get free, prior and informed consent, a prerequisite for building on indigenous land, David, who heads the DENR’s geospatial data office, said: “Half of the 1.2 million hectares is outside IP areas.”
“Since half of the target areas are in IP ancestral domain areas — in parts where mining companies are operating, who will manage the relations/conflict mitigation among IP communities, mining companies, and the business sector?” Oreta asked.
Cleng Julve, secretary general of AGHAM, a group of scientists, said the government has not clearly defined what lands are classified as “denuded” (which often applies to productive land cultivated by farmers and IPs) to be classified for corporate interests.
“Such ambiguity puts these stakeholders at risk of displacement, especially when land is handed over to corporations under the guise of reforestation.”
Julve said previous projects claimed to be outside IP areas still “spilled over into IP areas, often accompanied by militarization to protect corporate interests.”
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Alyansa Tigil Mina said the DENR “deliberately neglects” and abandoned its primary mandate of “conservation and restoration under the 1987 Constitution by giving private and non profit-driven corporations millions of hectares of forest lands.
Oreta said while the private sector can help in the greening program, “running the show must still remain with the government.”
Julve of AGHAM said the DENR must confront “the real drivers of deforestation head-on,” namely large-scale mining, logging, and land use conversion.
“Genuine forest restoration must be community-led, ecologically sound, and rooted in social and environmental justice,” she said.
“Instead of turning forests into business ventures, the government should support indigenous and local communities who have long protected these ecosystems.” Exactly my point.
DENR’s David said the government will open another one million hectares of land every year until 2027. (Do I hear election bells?)
In a significant step toward enhancing support for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) and optimizing government services for migrant Filipinos, the Department of Finance and the Bureau of Customs proudly spearheaded the recent signing of a Joint Administrative Order. This landmark agreement, aligning with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to safeguard the welfare of OFWs, aims to strengthen regulatory oversight for foreign and domestic sea cargo freight forwarders responsible for handling Balikbayan Boxes.
TOKHANG MAY BE gone, but the human rights situation in the country continues to deteriorate, according to the Amnesty International Philippines (AIP).
In a press conference following AIP’s launch of “Report 2024/25: State of the World’s Human Rights,” Jepie Papa in her capacity as AIP acting director particularly cited what she aptly referred to as widespread impunity, shrinking civic space, and the persistent red-tagging of human rights defenders.
Among the affected sectors Papa identified included journalists, indigenous cultural community leaders, and environmental activists.
‘By rejoining the Rome Statute, fully cooperating with the ICC … the Philippine government … can show that it can carry out credible investigations and deliver its promises of ‘real justice in real time’.’
RED-TAGGING
“Laws like the Anti-Terrorism Act, the practice of surveillance and red-tagging of human rights defenders show that mechanisms of repression are deeply embedded in the system,” Papa said.
“The international community has already seen this, with human rights defenders, development workers, and journalists sharing their personal stories. Their voices must be heard, and their safety must be guaranteed,” she noted.
Red tagging is the act of labeling individuals or organizations as communists, subversives, or terrorists, as a way of harassment and intimidation. The usual suspects — government officials and law enforcement agencies, including the Philippine National Police (PNP).
In May 2024, the Supreme Court declared red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association as threat to a person’s right to life, liberty, or security, which may justify the issuance of a writ of amparo.
PLAYING SAFE
While cops have been closely associated with extrajudicial killings during the previous administration, the Philippine National Police (PNP) insisted that red-tagging doesn’t form part of their mandate.
“Regarding the issue of repression of dissent, the PNP does not possess any legal mandate to engage in the practice commonly referred to as red-tagging whether against individuals or groups,” PNP-Human Rights Affairs Office representative Brigadier General Jerry Protacio said
“On the issue of enforced disappearance there are several individuals allegedly victims of forced disappearance. There are already temporary protection orders issued to the Supreme Court in favor of those missing activities,” he added.
Under the previous administration, human rights groups hinted at around 30,000 summary executions mostly perpetrated by PNP operatives.
POVERTY RELATED
According to the rights group, the lives of millions of Filipinos barely improved despite what the government claimed as a growing economy as reflected in government figures covering the latter part of 2024 and the first three months of the current year.
“What really drives poverty and insecurity? This is the human rights issue, we cannot talk about progress while millions go hungry, live in slums, or fear violence for standing up and speaking out,” Papa averred.
“Economic, social, and cultural rights are not optional—these are basic rights. Growth that excludes or disenfranchises marginalized sectors cannot be called progress,” the AIP country chief further said.
The group also hinted at a climate crisis that has been affecting indigenous cultural communities, farmers, fisherfolks, among others.
POLITICAL UNREST
Amnesty International Philippines also noted the “political chaos” in the 2025 midterm elections.
“Filipinos need institutions that withstand celebrity politics, institutions that uphold accountability no matter who is in the Senate and Congress,” Papa said.
Meanwhile, the organization considers the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a “brief respite” for the family of thousands slain in the guise of anti-drug operations.
“By rejoining the Rome Statute, fully cooperating with the ICC, and prosecuting perpetrators outside of Duterte’s case, the Philippine government through the Department of Justice (DOJ) can show that it can carry out credible investigations and deliver its promises of ‘real justice in real time’.”
THE DECLINE OF net inflows of foreign direct investments (FDIs) to the Philippines is bad news for the business sector, as this also points to the hesitance of foreign businesses and investors to put their money in the country.
According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), FDI net inflows reached $498 million in March this year, reflecting a 27.8-percent drop compared to the $689 million logged during the same period last year.
‘Exiting the FATF grey list is a significant step in strengthening the Philippines’ financial system and maintaining global confidence.’
In February this year, the BSP said net inflows of FDIs reached $529 million, declining by 61.9 percent from the $1.4 billion recorded in February last year.
For the first three months of the current year, FDI net inflows decreased by 41.1 percent to $1.8 billion from the $3 billion recorded in the same period last year.
According to the BSP, FDIs include investments by a non-resident direct investor in a resident enterprise whose equity capital in the latter is at least 10 percent, and investments made by a non-resident subsidiary or associate in its resident direct investor. The latter can be in the form of equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, and borrowings.
Japan, the United States, Ireland, Malaysia, Singapore, and South Korea were the top sources of FDIs to the Philippines, and were invested in real estate, manufacturing, financial and insurance, and administrative and support services industries.
NOT ACHIEVING TARGETS
What is disappointing is the Marcos administration said in January this year that it will double its efforts to enhance the flow of FDIs into the country.
This, as FDI net inflows to the country, was short of target in 2024, or reaching $8.93 billion. The target for last year was $9 billion while the figure for 2023 was $8.925 billion.
“We will find out and if there is any deficiency, our business experts and our heads of agencies will immediately take steps to address whatever the impact will be,” said Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary Claire Castro.
Castro added that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is also holding meetings to make sure that foreign investments in the country would further improve.
And in February, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) said the removal of the Philippines from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) will strengthen the country’s position as an “attractive destination” for FDIs.
“Countries in the FATF grey list are placed under increased monitoring. This is a burdensome process for banks and other financial institutions. This process discourages correspondent banking relationships and international financial flows into the country,” it said.
“Exiting the FATF grey list is a significant step in strengthening the Philippines’ financial system and maintaining global confidence. The government remains committed to ensuring long-term compliance with international standards,” AMLC added.
But the latest figures on FDI net inflows show otherwise.
THERE’S TOO MUCH noise in the timing and conduct of Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment trial by the Senate, which to people is long overdue but which Senate President Chiz Escudero would rather subject it to a vote, if the body should proceed this month or leave the matter to the upcoming 20th Congress. (This new stance is being seen as Escudero playing safe so as not to get the ire of Sara, if acquitted, and guns for the 2028 presidential race).
Frustrations have been raised by people and by members of the House of Representatives, which diligently worked on impeaching her but the final say now rests in the Upper Chamber, which continued to drag its feet by simply disregarding the Constitutional order of “holding the trial forthwith, (in layman’s term meaning immediately).”
As House Deputy Majority Leader and Iloilo Rep. Lorenz Defensor said: the Senate should not abandon its constitutional mandate and must proceed with the impeachment trial of VP Duterte.Pause
Unmute
The impeachment is a critical mechanism for holding high-ranking officials accountable for serious offenses and its abandonment by the Senate of its duty to exact accountability would set a bad example to the young and future leaders of our country, Defensor said.
DRIBBLING TACTICS
All eyes are now focused on Chiz and the other senators if they would kill the impeachment plot or not, as incoming Liberal partylist Rep. Leila de Lima (who as a senator was jailed by Sara’s father, former President Duterte).
De Lima deplored the dribbling and dilatory tactics in the Senate to derail the momentum of the impeachment case against Sara saying the “public will not be fooled.”
She said there’s no reason for Escudero to study the impeachment case since the Senate’s mandate is clear: Convene as an impeachment court with no excuses.
“Let us not kid each other. This is no longer about legal preparedness but about political will,” said De Lima, one of the impeachment prosecutors. Delaying tactics designed to wear out the public and slow down the momentum would spare the powerful, she stressed.
But she warned that the public will see through it. People are closely watching what the senators are doing, she said, adding “the Filipino people have seen the show before, you can’t fool them.”
MORE IMPORTANT MATTERS
The truth is at stake in this impeachment trial as she dared the senators to be the stewards of the Constitution, and not be gatekeepers of convenience.”
“When powerful figures are accused of grave abuse, silence is complicity. Delay is betrayal” as she posed “Let the trial begin.”
Escudero refused to convene the impeachment court in February after the House of Representatives transmitted the Articles of Impeachment, and then moved the scheduled reading of the charges from June 2 to June 11, citing priority legislation as an excuse.
Reports claim that he could be shelving the case to court the support of the Duterte bloc for his continued leadership of the chamber. But Escudero denied this saying he could not see any connection between the two issues.
WHATEVER IS PENDING
Similarly Batangas Rep. Gerville Luistro said the change in Senate composition should not stop the trial because of incoming Senators on June 30.
Citing the Supreme Court’s rule that Congress is a continuing body “what terminates is the session, but the Congress itself does not end after every session,” she said likening it to a Regional Trial Court with the next judge deciding on whatever is pending before the sala.
This is the same with the impeachment court. If the 19th Congress does not finish it, the 20th Congress could continue the hearing, she said.
A coalition of multisectoral groups, including leaders of the clergy, on Tuesday protested the delay in the trial of VP Duterte June 11 from June 2.
At a press conference, 204 impeachment complainants, religious leaders, and students, artists, members of the Makabayan coalition and other civil society groups issued a joint statement expressing “great alarm” and shared their “outrage over insinuations that the trial will not proceed because of jurisdictional issues.”
“The time for accountability over large-scale corruption is now. Further delays and the termination of the proceedings will be nothing but a win for impunity,” they noted.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros said the delays in the reading of the articles of impeachment are no longer procedural but are obstructions disguised as protocol. She insisted that it’s appropriate for the Senate to immediately start the proceedings four months after the House the impeachment article.
Asked if he was afraid of Duterte, Escudero simply shrugged off talks on his supposed fear which caused delays in the impeachment trial.
“Pain (bait) naman ang tanong na yun. Ginagawa namin kung ano ang trabaho namin. Yung mga ganyang uri ng komentaryo at pain, uulitin ko—dun sa mga ayaw kay VP Sara at pabor sa impeachment, doon sa mga gusto kay VP Sara at tutol sa impeachment—walang bale sa akin yun.”
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