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Bagman Directly Drags Marcos Jr.

Rose de la Cruz
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Bagman Directly Drags Marcos Jr.

NO ONE HAS ever dared directly drag President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. into the flood control mess, except for a person who worked directly under his supervision.

In an interview with the GMA Integrated News, ACT Teachers Partylist Rep. Antonio Tinio specifically hinted at former Presidential Legislative Liaison Officer Adrian Bersamin.

According to Tinio, it was actually Batangas 2nd District Rep. Leandro Leviste who had an actual encounter with Bersamin, who allegedly presented screenshots of the exchange of text messages with the President.

The text messages, Tinio added, is a confirmation that the President actually benefitted from the flood control scandal — in the form of kickbacks, with Bersamin acting as “bagman.”

The militant congressman then cited a July 10, 2025 text of Bersamin — “Complete na po ang 7.122 delivery sa akin. Tapusin ko po ang computation today,” in reference to “second quarter combined commissions” that was supposedly delivered to the Narra residence.

According to Tinio, the next text message came from the President who allegedly replied: “Sasabihan ko si Jun Baris.

CONNECTING DOTS 

In November last year, fugitive former Ako Bicol partylist Rep. Zaldy Co released a series of videos where he tagged the President as the “brain” behind the scheme. 

Co likewise claimed that it was Marcos who ordered a P100 billion budget insertion. Aside from the directive, Co claims to have received a list of projects which Bersamin claimed came directly from the President.

“Si Bersamin ang tinuro noon ni Zaldy Co na nagkumpirma na may pinapa insert si Pangulo Marcos na P100 billion sa budget. Si Bersamin din daw ang nagbigay kay Co ng listahan ng mga proyekto na mula mismo kay Pangulo.”

Malacanang has since denied Co’s allegations, but for Tinio there’s a way to validate Co and Bersamin’s stories. His suggestion — cross-match Co and Bersamin’s claim with that of the testimony of former Public Works and Highways Secretary Roberto Bernardo.

During a senate hearing, Bernardo claimed that he completed in March last year the “delivery of around P2 billion stuffed in an armored van.”

MORE PEEPING TOMS

Tinio said the text messages were also obtained by Caloocan (2nd district) Rep. Edgar Erice and other congressmen to whom Leviste also showed the screenshots.

When asked if he’d allow the media to take a peep into the supposed screenshots, Tinio deferred to Leviste to explain how the exchange of text messages landed in his hands.

When GMA Integrated News tried to get confirmation from Leviste, he posted in his FB post that “Panoorin na lang niyo ang mga pahayag ni Tinio at Erice.”

Erice for his part readily confirmed that it was Leviste who showed them the text exchanges between Marcos and Bersamin — “Nnatakot si Bersamin na maging fall guy kaya gumawa ito ng affidavit sa bahay ni Leviste sa Batangas. Leviste even showed CCTV footage of the arrival of Bersamin in his house in Taal, Batangas along with some lawyers.”

POTENTIAL EVIDENCE

While screenshots alone are not admissible in court, Makabayan bloc hinted at finding ways as to how the exchange of text messages between Bersamin and Marcos could be used as evidence.

Rep. Sarah Elago of Gabriela Women’s party challenged the Office of the Ombudsman and the entire House of Representatives to go over the new twist — “Itong bagong development na ito, seryoso at hindi dapat ipagwalang bahala.”

Palace Press Officer Claire Castro belittled the supposed development which she claimed “is just another fodder for the ouster of the President.” 

Similarly Rappler wrote that Tinio, is the principal endorser of the dismissed impeachment complaint against Marcos Jr., who admitted seeing the “communication records” proving that the chief executive had direct knowledge of the kickback scheme that led to the flood control corruption scandal.

JUNKED COMPLAINT

One of the accusations in the petition endorsed by Makabayan was that Marcos had direct personal knowledge of the modus, citing the video statements of former House budget chairperson Zaldy Co and the testimony of former Department of Public Works and Highways undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, among others.

Rappler also reported that “records of communications between Undersecretary Adrian Bersamin and President Marcos from December 2024 to July 2025 included a message dated March 24, 2025, regarding the receipt of an P8-billion delivery from Bernardo that was relayed to the President, along with the President’s acknowledgment or reply of ‘OK,’” 

“This primarily included expenses for candidates supported by the President in the last election, as well as spending for election-related TV advertisements, a P6-million payment to a foreign pollster, Peron, who was used by Malacañang as an election consultant, and P68 million as a talent fee for a performer used by the administration during the campaign,” Tinio said.

MESSAGE TIMELINE

Tinio added that the communications continued until July 2025.

“On July 10, Bersamin conveyed that he had a P2-billion delivery for the President at the Narra residence in Forbes Park. The President replied, ‘I’ll inform Jun Baris.’ This was July 10. The President appears to have been receiving kickbacks just days before he went to Congress, where he stood before the chamber and said, ‘Have some shame.’ So, who, exactly, should be ashamed?” Tinio said.

Baris at one point served as Marcos’ head of security.

“In short, there is strong evidence supporting the allegation that the President knew — and knew very well — about the corruption in flood control projects, directly took part in it, and received kickbacks from it,” Tinio said.

Badly Missing Charlie, Bounty Raised To P20M

Lily Reyes
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Badly Missing Charlie, Bounty Raised To P20M

WHAT VALUE DOES a gaming tycoon like Charlie “Atong” Ang possess for which the government is willing to shell out more funds from its limited resources if only to ensure he gets arrested — way ahead of crooks behind the so-called flood control scandal.

This comes as the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Ang, who is facing arrest warrants in connection with the “missing sabungeros.”

During a press conference, DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla announced that the bounty for Ang’s capture has been raised to P20 million from P10 million.

“We are increasing the bounty for Atong Ang to P20 million for information leading to his arrest,” he said.

INTERPOL RED NOTICE

Ang has been the subject of multiple arrest warrants in view of multiple counts of kidnapping with homicide and kidnapping and serious illegal detention cases filed by the family of cockfight enthusiasts who have since been missing and believed killed in 2021 and 2022.

The Department of Justice, through the National Bureau of Investigation, earlier requested the International Police Organization (Interpol) to issue a red notice against Ang.

A red notice is a request to law enforcement worldwide to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition, surrender, or similar legal action. 

The individuals are wanted by the requesting member country, or international tribunal. Member countries apply their own laws in deciding whether to arrest a person.

DENIAL AS USUAL

The gaming tycoon, who has gone hiding since late last year, has categorically denied allegations against him.

Atty. Gabriel Villareal, in his capacity as Ang’s legal counsel, described the issuance of arrest warrants  as “premature” and “legally questionable.” He claimed that the court failed to meet the constitutional standards that should have been observed under the circumstances.

“Clearly, the court merely acted on the incomplete and one-sided information provided by the DOJ in its determination of probable cause, without having even seen the counter affidavits and exculpatory evidence of the respondents, including that of Mr. Ang.” 

FRESH WARRANT

As this developed, a third arrest warrant has been issued against Ang in connection with the disappearance of cockfight enthusiasts.

DOJ spokesperson Atty. Polo Martinez said that, while the panel of prosecutors has not yet received a copy of the arrest order, the branch clerk of court of San Pablo, Laguna Regional Trial Court Branch 29, has already confirmed the existence of the court order.

“The Branch Clerk of Court (BCC) of Branch 29 RTC San Pablo has confirmed that a warrant in the Atong Ang case has been issued. However, the panel of prosecutors has yet been furnished with an official copy of said warrant or any order for its issuance,” Martinez quipped.

E-Sabong Thrives Despite Total Ban

Ernesto Reyes
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E-Sabong Thrives Despite Total Ban

NOT EVEN A total ban seemed enough to stop a lucrative business embarking on an online cockfight betting scheme that even kids could access via mobile phone with an internet connection.

Referred to as e-sabong, the online cockfighting scheme continues to operate in parts of the country, says Senator Raffy Tulfo during a joint hearing of the Senate Committee on Games and Amusement.

To prove his claim, Tulfo presented real-time livestream footage of an ongoing e-sabong match during the hearing, demonstrating that online betting on cockfights remains accessible to the public. Committee members in attendance were stunned.

E-sabong operations were ordered suspended in 2022 amid mounting concerns over criminal activities linked to the industry, including the infamous “missing sabungeros.” 

DISAPPEARING ACT

Aside from Tulfo, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian also showed an active e-sabong website. He however wasn’t able to gain access to the website that “may have been gone” after news broke out about the senate inquiry.

“It was active yesterday,” Gatchalian said. He suspected that its operators may have temporarily shut down or “migrated” the platform in anticipation of the senate investigation.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has yet to issue a statement regarding the supposed resurgence of e-sabong operations. 

SHIELDED BY COPS

For the longest time, ranking police officials have been accused of protecting illegal gambling operators in exchange of “weekly dole-outs.”

Tulfo, a hard-hitting broadcaster who exposed the scheme, took a swipe at the PNP’s failure to dismantle the illegal operations despite being visible on social media. 

“Why are they not being stopped and arrested when law enforcement agencies know about these activities?” Tulfo asked, in reference to the livestreamed e-sabong match which he claimed is linked to a gambling kingpin based in Central Luzon.

PINEDA AND BERNOS

Tulfo went as far as dragging prominent surnames of individuals he claimed are behind illegal e-sabong operations in several regions.

Among those whom he claimed have been raking in huge in the illegal e-sabong scheme is a certain “Pineda” operating in Regions III (Central Luzon) and Region IV (Calabarzon).

Also tagged in the illegal e-sabong is a person named “Bernos” who is allegedly in control of e-sabong operations  in Abra province in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

INCUMBENT SOLON

In Manila, a sitting legislator on one of the the six congressional districts in the city is also being tagged as an e-sabong operator.

According to an Insider, the congressman, whom he declined to identify for fear of reprisal, has been lording over illegal gambling business in Manila.

When pressed to provide more hints, he said: “Gamit ang cellphone, madalas nyo yan makikitang nagmomonitor ng mga takpakan habang may sesyon ang Kongreso.”

Role Of Gen X In Workplace Seen As Critical

Marcus Aquino
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Role Of Gen X In Workplace Seen As Critical

PROFESSIONALS BELONGING TO Generation X, born between 1965 and 1980, have a critical role in the workplace in bridging other generations in a largely multigenerational workplace.

A new study from the Mather Institute based in Evanston, Illinois, USA, showed that Gen X have a critical role in bridging a multigenerational workplace. The insight comes from its latest Gen Xperience Study, which provides critical insights into Generation X’s experience in the workplace, interactions with colleagues and expectations – or lack thereof – of their employer’s wellness programs.

This means that employers should not overlook Gen X professionals as one of their important resources.

“This research comes at a pivotal time when Gen X is playing a vital role in the workplace yet feel overlooked,” said Jennifer Smith, assistant vice president, director of Mather Institute and lead of the Gen Xperience study. 

“They (Gen X) are deciding now how they will age well in the next chapter of their lives while remaining with their current employers. Companies are investing in wellness programs that aren’t resonating with Gen X, a generation key to the success of their employers,” she added.

Based on findings from this year’s report, Mather Institute recommends employers to:

– Begin targeted retention strategies for Gen Xprofessionals;

– Provide fair and transparent advancement opportunities;

– Support their current “sandwich generation” life stage needs; and

– Value the role Gen X plays between younger and older colleagues.

“The study shows how Gen X is uniquely able to understand workplace dynamics across all generations – and how younger and older employees are more alike than stereotypes suggest,” said Mather Chief People Officer Dominice LaPorte. 

“Employers should recognize the value of this unique generation, which has successfully adapted to rapid social and technological changes and brings untapped potential to the workplace,” she added.

GEN X STAY LONGER WITH EMPLOYERS

Compared to employees from other generations, more Gen X employees (38 percent) intend to stay with their current employer for more than 10 years.

Gen Xers are less likely to participate in workplace wellness programs than younger generations. Approximately 61 percent of Millennials and 59 percentGen Zers are more likely to change jobs if their personal wellness went unsupported in the workplace compared to 41 percent of Gen Xers.

Based in Evanston, Illinois, Mather is a not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 that is dedicated to a vision of changing the way society views aging. Mather creates Ways to Age Well through programs, places and residences for today’s older adults.

Pag-IBIG Squanders P6B In Investment

LOUIE LEGARDA
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Pag-IBIG Squanders P6B In Investment

WHERE Martin Romualdez goes, expect bad luck. Whatever he touches gets ruined. 

This may as well be the case of a government-owned and controlled corporation that has reportedly lost (or bound to lose) a whopping P6 billion after being wooed (or coerced) to invest in EEI Corporation, a construction company that has been in a losing skid for years and wallowing in debt.

Created in 1978 by virtue of Presidential Decree 1530, Pag-IBIG Fund, which operates as a provident fund, is mandated to provide national savings programs and affordable shelter financing for Filipino workers.

WHAT WENT BEFORE

A year after President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. took the helm of Malacanang, his cousin Martin bought 20 percent of EEI’s common shares for P1.2 billion despite being aware that the Yuchengco-controlled construction company wasn’t doing well.  

A businessman by nature, Martin may have intended to tap EEI Corp. for the government’s flood control program. But things didn’t happen as planned. Hence, he sought a “buy-out” from EEI Corp. months after securing 20 percent of the company shares.

Without money,  EEI can’t possibly buy back what they have already sold to the presidential cousin. This is where the powerplay took place.

WIELDING THE POWER

Martin isn’t just any other politician. Aside from being a presidential cousin, he was the Speaker of the House of Representatives at that time. In short, he wields the power to “make things happen.”

To cut the long story short, he was able to “convince” Pag-IBIG Fund to invest in a corporation that hasn’t been making money.  The amount — a staggering P 6 billion.

The Pag-IBIG Fund investment into the EEI came in two forms. First if the “investible fund” amounting to P5 billion and another billion from the Pag-IBIG employees’ provident funds.   

Under existing laws, Pag-IBIG Fund is allowed to make “wise” investments. There’s just one glitch, it doesn’t have approval from its board of directors.

CONNECTING THE DOTS 

A lawyer that he is, Romualdez coursed the plan through his House ally, TUCP partylist Rep. Democrito Mendoza who happens to be the cousin of his wife Yedda Marie Mendoza-Romualdez.

Mendoza then coursed Martin’s request to his “best friend” who forms part of the Pag-IBIG hierarchy. Based on news reports, this person served as spokesperson of the partylist Mendoza is representing in Congress.

To cut the long story short, Pag-IBIG president and chief executive officer Marilene Acosta, signed the deal embarking on a P6-billion investment into the EEI Corp., without the approval of the agency’s board of directors.

Under existing laws, GOCC decisions (especially on matters concerning funds) should be approved by its board.

INVESTMENT PROSPECTS 

With a P6 billion investment added to its financial portfolio, EEI Corp. in March 2025 released dividends to its shareholders, triggering a sharp increase in its stocks performance.

The next day, its shares dived again after Romualdez sold his stakes (he bought at P1.2 billion) for a whopping P3.75 billion. To date, EEI Corp. has yet to recover as its shares continue to plunge.

With a P6 billion investment added to its financial portfolio, EEI Corp. in March 2025 released dividends to its shareholders, triggering a sharp increase in its stocks performance.

The next day, its shares dived again after Romualdez sold his stakes (he bought at P1.2 billion) for a whopping P3.75 billion. 

To date, EEI Corp. has yet to recover as its shares continue to dive. When Pag-IBIG bought the 60 million shares of preferred “D” shares in December of 2024, the price of the EEI common shares was at P3.60. Now it continues to drop at P2.16 at present. 

The breakdown of the P6 billion investment for the 60 million shares of Preferred “D” shares was bought at P100 per share. Today, the rate of EEI’s preferred shares series “B” is now traded at P95.50. There is no available price for series “D” as of present nor being traded at all. 

With EEI Corp. on a sustained skid, there is a slim chance that Pag-IBIG Fund would be able to earn — at least recover its investment.

SIMILARLY DISADVANTAGEOUS

Even before the Pag-IBIG Fund brouhaha was exposed, there were similar instances involving government officials who were charged for bypassing the board of the agency they’re supposed to protect.

Arnell Ignacio, former administrator of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) was dismissed in May 2025 by the President for an alleged anomalous P1.4 billion land acquisition deal that reportedly bypassed the OWWA Board of Trustees. A graft complaint against him was filed with the Office of the Ombudsman in July 2025.

Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) President and General Manager Arnulfo Veloso  was slapped with a six-month suspension by the Ombudsman over a P1.44-billion investment in Alternergy, a renewable energy firm.

Will the President apply the same strictness to Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Marilene Acosta over a P6-billion for a blunder?

Iloilo, Pack Your Bags (Mentally): Australia Is Coming to Town

Cheryl Luis True
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Iloilo, Pack Your Bags (Mentally): Australia Is Coming to Town

There was a time when studying abroad meant two things: a balikbayan box full of dreams and a family meeting about “kaya ba ang budget?” Today, it also means strategy, scholarships, side hustles, and a long-term life plan. And this February 22 at the Iloilo Convention Center, those dreams get a practical roadmap as Iloilo welcomes top Australian institutions at the aecc Global Education Fair (GEF) 2026.

Let’s be honest: Australia has long lived in the Filipino imagination as more than just kangaroos and postcard beaches. It is that English-speaking, multicultural, career-forward destination where education meets employability. For many Filipino students, it’s not just about earning a degree. It’s about earning leverage — global exposure, international networks, and pathways that can even lead to permanent residency.

As Jun Mojica, Marketing Manager of aecc Study Abroad Consultants, explains, Australia offers opportunities that go beyond academics. Students can work and earn while studying, gain industry experience through internships, and pursue flexible programs with clear post-study career pathways. In a safe, English-speaking, and diverse environment, they are not simply enrolled — they are supported.

The aecc Global Education Fair collapses distance in the most practical way. Instead of flying thousands of miles to scout universities, Iloilo students can meet representatives from globally recognized Australian institutions, along with universities from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Japan, and New Zealand — all under one roof. It is a rare chance to ask real questions and receive real answers from decision-makers themselves.

At the Fair, students will have the opportunity to speak directly with college and university representatives, attend expert-led seminars about student visas and study pathways, and even submit school applications on the spot. With personalized guidance from aecc counsellors, aspiring international students can move from vague curiosity to concrete planning in a single day.

Australia’s appeal lies in its practicality. The education system is internationally recognized, and students are allowed to work while studying, making it possible to gain both income and experience. Internship opportunities strengthen employability, while structured post-study pathways make the transition from classroom to career more realistic. In an era when diplomas alone no longer guarantee security, Filipino students are looking for education that translates into mobility and opportunity.

Cost, of course, remains a key concern for families. Studying abroad is an investment, but scholarships can make it significantly more accessible. During the GEF, students can explore merit-based and excellence scholarships offered by partner institutions, some of which partially cover tuition and provide additional financial support. For many high-achieving students, this transforms an intimidating dream into a viable plan.

There is something fitting about Iloilo hosting this event. Known as an emerging hub of education in Western Visayas, the city now becomes a gateway to global possibilities. For students who have quietly wondered whether studying abroad is within reach, this Fair offers clarity. Sometimes the biggest leap does not begin with a plane ticket, but with a conversation.

The aecc Global Education Fair 2026 will also take place on February 21 at Dusit Thani Hotel in Makati, February 28 at Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu, and March 1 at Acacia Hotel in Davao. Exclusive giveaways will be available on event day, adding a celebratory note to an already promising opportunity.

The aecc Global Education Fair is not merely an exhibit of universities; it is a gathering of possibilities. In a world that increasingly rewards adaptability, global perspective, and internationally trained professionals, Filipino students are no longer just dreaming of studying abroad. They are preparing for it.

This February, in Iloilo, preparation meets opportunity. To register and learn more, visit AECC Global PH’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AECCGlobalPh.

Bring your questions. Bring your ambition. The world, quite literally, is coming to your city.

LGUs Taking Over Classroom Construction

Angel F. Jose
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LGUs Taking Over Classroom Construction

IN WHAT APPEARS to be an earnest bid to appease Filipinos yearning for results instead of rhetoric, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has finally decided to keep the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) away from school-related infrastructures.

At the signing of the memorandum of agreement between the Department of Education (DepEd) and various provinces in Malacañang, Marcos said that the local government units (LGU) will be taking the lead in the construction of classrooms.

”We are changing the system because the process that we have now is much too slow. With this initiative, we can take a big bite out of that gap. And under this partnership, the DepEd will set the technical standards, provide designs, and supply the funding for these classrooms,” Marcos said. 

”On the other hand, the LGUs will take the lead in their procurement and actual construction,” the President added. 

CLASSROOM BACKLOG

According to Marcos, the classroom shortage as of December 2025 amounted to 145,000 units. However, web sources showed that the backlog is way higher than what the President stated.

Data collated from search engine Google indicated 165,000 classroom gaps as of 2025, a predicament largely driven by population growth and slow construction, requiring an estimated P400 billion to resolve. 

While the government has allocated funds to build thousands of new classrooms, construction remains slow, with the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) region, Metro Manila and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) experiencing the highest deficits

Without proper intervention, the gap could increase to 230,000 by 2028.

NO MORE WAITING

”How have we allowed this to become such a bad, bad situation? I cannot – I cannot understand,” an obviously pissed off President averred.

According to the Malacanang chief executive, the administration has been finding ways to address what he referred to as ‘yawning gap.”

”Because we cannot wait another five or 10 years to ensure that every student has a comfortable classroom. So, we have initiated this partnership with the local government units. That is one of our strategies,” Marcos said.

Marcos is confident that the construction of these school facilities by LGUs would not result in ghost and substandard projects.

”Ang sabi ko, hindi uubra yan pagka sa LGU. Hindi uubra yan dahil ang tao mismo ang kaharap ninyo. Pagka hindi maganda ang gawin ninyong trabaho, sisitahin kayo. Araw-araw kayong – gabi-gabi kayong kakatukin sa bahay ninyo.”

LOCALIZED CORRUPTION

Later in the day, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro expressed belief that the supposed corrupt practices would not be ”transferred” to the LGUs.

”Huwag namang korapsyon agad. Kaya nga po natin nililinis ito para, unang-una, matugunan ang kakulangan sa silid-paaralan and at the same time, mapabilis. Pero hindi po ibig sabihin nito na ililipat ang korapsyon dahil ayaw po ng Pangulo ng korapsyon,” Castro said during the regular press briefing.

Under the MOA, LGUs will carry out the construction, rehabilitation and improvement of classrooms within their jurisdictions, including procurement and on-site implementation, in accordance with national standards.  

SHARED RESPONSIBILITIES

DepEd for its part will identify priority schools, issue standard classroom designs and technical specifications, and oversee the process through plan review, validation of completed works, and compliance checks on safety, accessibility and quality standards.

“These signatures mark the end of working in silos. They mark the beginning of shared responsibility,” said DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara.

Angara assured that the agreement complements existing national school building programs and leverages local implementation capacity to speed up delivery while maintaining national standards.

Marcos promised to prioritize education until the end of his term — ”And that is why, I have pledged for the remainder of this administration, we will prioritize – the first priority will be education.”

Senators Linked To Flood Scandal Safe For Now

Rose de la Cruz
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Senators Linked To Flood Scandal Safe For Now

COINCIDENCE OR NOT, filing of criminal charges against three senators linked to the flood control scandal will have to wait longer as the blue ribbon committee recommended another review on the supposed evidence against peers at the upper chamber.

Committee chair Sen. Panfilo Lacson cited the need to boost the evidence through what he referred to as case build-up against fellow legislators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada and Joel Villanueva.

BACKPEDALLING PING

Previously, Lacson hinted at a draft committee report recommending the filing of plunder charges against Escudero, Estrada and Villanueva.

He explained that the word charged or to be charged, to a layman, sounds like the person is already in court, which is why the word was changed to “undergo preliminary investigation or fact-finding investigation or case buildup.

We can’t recommend to the court that someone be charged, because only the Department of Justice and the Ombudsman are authorized to file the information for any person to be charged before the court,” Lacson explained. 

“There was nothing substantial changed. We never deviated from the original intent of our committee report, which was for the subject to undergo a preliminary investigation,” he added. 

Despite the change in the committee report, Lacson maintained that the recommendation of his panel did not weaken at all. 

FOILED SENATE COUP

According to Lacson, the move has nothing at all to do with the failed coup, but is merely meant to correct and finalize the committee report after a supposed consultation among members of the senate majority.

He also denied that the word change in the committee report was made after a supposed discontentment of the minority bloc or the recent attempt for a coup d’etat against Senate President Vicente Sotto III as the report has not reached the minority bloc yet. 

The Inquirer said a copy of the draft and partial report, which was previously leaked to the media, showed that  aside from plunder, the committee sought the filing of malversation of public funds, and direct bribery against the Escudero, Estrada, Villanueva, former Senator Bong Revilla and former Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy.

While he emphasized that the draft report is still subject to change, Lacson earlier said he would stand by the recommendations to file criminal charges against the aforementioned officials. 

PURE SEMANTICS 

Such caution in semantics was not enjoyed by officials and contractors of the Department of Public Works and Highways, who were forthwith jailed based on their admissions before the BRC hearings. Some have been even detained in the Senate for contempt. 

But senators and other congressmen are lucky because they can invoke interparliamentary courtesy and not attend hearings, or threaten walk-out or coup to wiggle away from criminal or civil liabilities. Such is the selective justice in the Philippines.

The committee report has drawn mixed reactions. Some critics called the report biased for excluding certain lawmakers, including former House Speaker Martin Romualdez, who was accused of involvement in the flood control scam, while others focused on those slated to face charges.

But Lacson maintained that the committee “cannot go beyond” the evidence presented in previous hearings. Rather than criticize the report, he challenged his colleagues to submit their own evidence to help the panel produce a truly evidence-based report.

LACSON BEGS OFF

Senator Imee Marcos on Monday insinuated that the alleged coup was motivated by the lack of internal support, as senators themselves, who are mandated to protect the institution, were being targeted in the flood control probe led by their colleagues.

Asked what would happen should some of his peers ask that this be removed from the recommendations, Lacson said he would no longer sponsor the report. 

More Proof To Pin Down Romualdez

Ernesto Reyes
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More Proof To Pin Down Romualdez

THE SENATE BLUE Ribbon Committee is all set to release a list of personalities who will be recommended for preliminary investigation in relation to the flood control scandal.

The list however would not include former House Speaker Martin Romualdez. The reason — there isn’t enough evidence linking him to the anomalous infrastructure projects.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo Lacson however hinted at recommending the continued gathering of evidence against Romualdez in relation to his alleged links to the flood control controversy. 

“In the case of Speaker Romualdez, hindi siya for preliminary investigation kasi nga walang validation, walang corroboration unlike dun sa iba,” the senator in reference to the testimony of “whistleblower Orly Guteza. 

“Kay Speaker Romualdez, ang recommendation doon sa kanya i-pursue yung mga ebidensya na nakalap patungo sa preliminary investigation. Pero wala pa dun. So more on fact-finding o case build up at saka ‘yung inirecommend siya para yung AMLC, magsagawa ng tracking nung mga movement ng accounts,” he added. 

But in case new evidence corroborating Guteza’s claim would come out, Lacson hinted at the possibility of recommending the conduct of a preliminary investigation against the former House Speaker.

“In the case of Speaker Romualdez, kasi ‘di ba ang naging basehan lang sa pag-rekomenda sa kanya yung statement ni Guteza. Hindi pa naman kami umaabot doon sa huling pagdinig kasi partial nga ito eh,” Lacson averred.

“At saka kung magkakaroon ng pagdinig ng halimbawang merong validation or corroboration doon sa pagli-link kay former Speaker Romualdez, sa final report ng Blue Ribbon, mapapalitan yun. Isasama na siya dun sa irerekomenda for preliminary investigation.”

In his testimony at the senate blue ribbon committee in September last year, Guteza claimed that he personally delivered suitcases of money to the residences of Romualdez and former Ako Bicol Rep. Zaldy Co. 

Romualdez and Co have since denied allegations .

Atty. Petchie Rose Espera, the lawyer whose notarial information appeared on Guteza’s affidavit likewise denied that the signature affixed in the document was hers. She also said the document number, page number, and book number shown in the document do not exist in her notarial records.

In November last year, the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) found “guilt or liability” on the part of Romualdez. The ICI said the transmittal was “made without prejudice to the Commission to accept or receive additional evidence, if any, concerning former Speaker Romualdez.”

Humanity Plunges Into ‘Water Bankruptcy’, UN Report Says

Marcus Aquino
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Humanity Plunges Into ‘Water Bankruptcy’, UN Report Says

“In the same way that financial bankruptcy forces us to admit a harsh reality and accept that the current business model is no longer viable, water bankruptcy requires the same honest recognition. In many parts of the world, our existing development model and water governance systems have proven unsustainable and fundamentally dysfunctional,” said United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) Director Kaveh Madani.

HUMANITY HAS PLUNGED into “water bankruptcy” or a situation where people and nations are consuming more water each year than the planet can replenish through natural means.

This is the finding of the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) in its report titled “Global Water Bankruptcy, Living Beyond Our Hydrological Means in the Post-Crisis Era” released last month.

Lead author and director of UNU-INWEH, Kaveh Madani, compared humanity’s behavior to spending without restraint and expecting savings to last forever, similar to reckless financial behavior.

“If we continue using more than what’s available or our natural income, then we have to go to our savings,” he said.

Madani also said that the current model or ecosystem to manage water resources is outdated.

“In the same way that financial bankruptcy forces us to admit a harsh reality and accept that the current business model is no longer viable, water bankruptcy requires the same honest recognition. In many parts of the world, our existing development model and water governance systems have proven unsustainable and fundamentally dysfunctional,” he added.

Madani pointed out that water overconsumption has come at the direct expense of nature itself—the stakeholder with no voice and no vote.

“As a result of this behavior, we are now seeing failing ecosystem components—wetlands that cannot restore themselves, aquifers that cannot recharge in the short term, retreating glaciers, extinct species, and many other signs of damage,” he explained.

He emphasized that water bankruptcy is not confined to poor or developing nations, as wealth offers no immunity when water budgets are ignored or abused.

“Like financial bankruptcy, you can be poor or rich. What matters is how you manage your budget. You can be rich and become bankrupt, and you can be poor and not become bankrupt,” Madani added.

“That’s why we see water bankruptcy problems appearing in 

different parts of the world,” he said, adding that the report clearly identifies where these failures are unfolding.

THE TOLL OR DAMAGE

According to the report, since the 1990s, half of the world’s major lakes have been in measurable decline, despite the fact that these waters directly sustain 25 percent of the global population. This is not a marginal environmental shift—it is a direct assault on the water lifelines of billions. At the same time, nearly 410 million hectares of natural wetlands—an expanse almost equal to the European Union—have been wiped out over the past fifty years. With their destruction, ecosystems have lost their natural defenses against floods, their capacity to purify water, and their ability to sustain biodiversity. What took centuries to develop has been dismantled in decades.

The crisis runs even deeper underground. Half of all domestic water consumption worldwide depends on groundwater reserves, while more than 40 percent of irrigation draws from aquifers that are being drained with little regard for recovery. Seventy percent of major aquifers are now in long-term decline. This is not management—it is liquidation. Humanity is extracting water at a rate that nature cannot replenish, effectively mining a resource essential to survival as though it were expendable.

The report said that the financial and economic toll is just as unforgiving. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, 1.8 billion people endured drought conditions. The annual loss of wetland ecosystem services has been valued at an astonishing $5.1 trillion, while drought-related damages have surged to $307 billion per year. These figures expose the scale of the reckoning: environmental negligence is no longer just an ecological issue—it is an economic catastrophe unfolding in real time.

Labor Market Crisis To Persist

Rose de la Cruz
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Labor Market Crisis To Persist

THINK TANK IBON Foundation said the labor market crisis in the country would persist describing it as a “deepening jobs crisis” marked by joblessness, informality and volatility, driven by a “weak and exclusionary economy, not a mere ‘slowdown in momentum’ as the Marcos Jr administration claims.”

In its February 9 report, IBON said ironically the Marcos administration continues to push the weak and exclusionary economic policies in the name of quality job creation, which has been dragging down the country’s labor market. 

The December 2025 year-on-year figures already show a troubling jobs situation. 

Employment fell by around 758,000, from 50.2 million in December 2024 to 49.4 million in December 2025, while unemployment grew by about 631,000, from 1.6 million to 2.3 million. 

The employment rate declined from 96.9% to 95.6%, and the unemployment rate jumped from 3.1% to 4.4 percent. This is alarming because December typically sees a rise in seasonal holiday-related jobs.

Looking beyond a single month, full-year data and trends over the years confirms that the jobs crisis is structural and long-standing as the economy struggles to create decent and sustainable work, it said. 

From 2024 to 2025, the number of employed Filipinos increased by just 172,000, from 48.8 million to 49 million, even as the employment rate slipped from 96.2% to 95.8 percent. Unemployment rose by 200,000 from 1.9 million to 2.1 million, pushing the unemployment rate up from 3.8% to 4.2 percent. Underemployment remained high at 5.8 million with a rate of 11.9 percent. 

Official figures understate the true extent of joblessness. The reported 2.1 million unemployed excludes some 3.3 million unpaid family workers who are unjustifiably counted as “employed” despite receiving no pay. 

IBON estimates that another 1.5 to 2 million discouraged workers – Filipinos who have given up looking for work due to lack of job prospects and who are considered “not in the labor force” rather than unemployed.

Adding official unemployed, unpaid family workers, and estimated discouraged workers dropped from the labor force, the true number of unemployed is likely closer to 7.2 million in December 2025, and 6.9 million for the whole of 2025.

INFORMAL JOBS

Being employed does not mean income security for families, because most jobs available are still informal. IBON estimates that almost 35 million or seven-out-of-ten (71%) of the 49 million total employed in 2025 are informal workers. This includes 13.5 million self-employed, 4.3 million in family farms and businesses, 2.1 million in private households, and around 18 million wage workers in informal establishments.

Employment growth is concentrated in sectors notorious for low paying and insecure work. 

Around 34.5 million or over 70% of total employment in 2025 is in agriculture, construction, trade, transport, accommodation and food services, and other low-productivity services. Wages in some of these sectors are among the lowest, with average daily basic pay (ADBP) in 2025 at just P367 in agriculture and P378 in other service activities.

The uncertainty of employment is evident in the increasing volatility of the labor market, which cannot be explained by seasonality alone or by pandemic lockdowns. Over the past six years, year-on-year monthly employment has swung from declines of as much as 1.6 million (July 2025) to increases of up to 2.6 million (January 2025). 

By sector, agriculture has been the most unstable, with employment falling by as much as 2 million or rising by up to 1.7 million in a year.

PLATEAUING WAGE 

Another worrying sign is the sudden deceleration in the absorption of the growing working-age population into wage and salary jobs, which also dampens economic growth. 

Wage and salary employment expanded rapidly after 2003, adding 9.9 million workers and nearly doubling the total to 25.2 million by 2016. Its share of total employment rose from 50% in 2003 to 62% in 2016, but then largely stalled, averaging 63.1% in 2017-2024 and reaching just 63.9% in 2025.

While many of these jobs are mostly low-paid, irregular and not enough to lift households out of poverty, their earlier expansion cumulatively helped boost household consumption and in turn economic growth — benefits which are now fading as job creation slows.

At the root of the jobs crisis is a sluggish and non-inclusive economy, weakened by the lack of strong domestic production sectors as engines for sustained economic growth.  Gross domestic product (GDP) growth has steadily slowed from a peak of 7.1% in 2016 to just 4.4% in 2025.

Manufacturing’s share of GDP fell to 17.3%, its lowest in 76 years, while agriculture’s share has dropped to a historic low of 7.9 percent. The 20.5% share of agriculture in total employment and 7.1% of manufacturing in 2025 are the lowest in the country’s history, reflecting long-term agricultural and industrial decline.

Yet the Marcos administration portrays this as a temporary slowdown in the labor market while clinging to the same failed measures – foreign investment dependence, infrastructure-led growth and narrow upskilling programs – that do not strengthen domestic agriculture or Filipino industries. 

Agricultural modernization and Filipino industrialization are vital for the economy to be fully unleashed and for the creation of decent and stable jobs. The country needs leadership capable of undertaking bold measures that put the people first, ahead of narrow, self-serving, and profit-driven interests.

Farmers End Up In Jail After Losing Farmland

Rose de la Cruz
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Farmers End Up In Jail After Losing Farmland

KNOWN for the family’s penchant for lands, the family of former Environment Secretary Ma. Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga has figured anew in what looks more like a usual controversy embarking on the usual victims — the farmers.

In Cabuyao, Laguna, 21 farmers and residents were arrested and detained at the Cabuyao Police since February 7 after resisting armed guards implementing a forceful demolition of their properties in Barangay Casile.

According to the farmers, the armed guards acted on orders of the Laguna Estates Development Corp. (LEDC) reportedly owned by the Yulos — the very same family that was earlier investigated by the Senate for landgrabbing in the towns of Coron and Busuanga, in the province of Palawan.

Witnesses claimed that armed guards started “securing” the barangay an hour past noon of February 7 — and thereafter violently dispersed residents assembled in a make-shift camp the residents built. 

Apart from LEDC, another security group, Emirates Security Agency also took part in the violent dispersal of protesters that included senior citizens and some with mental health conditions and others with bladder diseases and diabetes, according to the Bayan Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Laguna chapter.

Some of those arrested and detained were officials of the Samahan ng mga Magsasaka ng Casile (SAMACA-PUMALAG).

To recall, the violence started sometime in 2024 over the illegal fencing of the farmlands wholly claimed by the Sta. Rosa Realty and Development Corp. (SRRDC).

Referred to as Hacienda Yulo, the property covers 7,100-hectares of sugar estate spanning the cities of Calamba, Cabuyao, and Santa Rosa. The entire estate was placed under  the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) after the late strong Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was ousted.

The Yulo family, through LEDC and the SRRDC, is claiming ownership over what remains of Hacienda Yulo — a 255-hectare farmland.

The Supreme Court in March 2006 ruled that the disputed property was agricultural and not exempted from CARP, upholding the acquisition by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) for farmer-beneficiaries.

Aside from Yulo’s LEDC and SRRDC, also claiming ownership of the farmlands are the Ayala Corporation and a lesser known San Cristobal Realty Corp.

A related land dispute of the Yulo family is the high-profile controversy involving the Yulo King Ranch (YKR) in Palawan, which is a protected public domain area established by presidential proclamation in 1975. 

News reports and a Senate resolution in 2024 have highlighted allegations that the Yulo family has unlawfully occupied and claimed ownership of the 40,000-hectare ranch, which is ten times the size of Manila.

Former DENR Secretary Yulo-Loyzaga denied allegations, stating her family has never owned the land and has no interest in owning it, emphasizing it is government property.

Stereotypes Shape Attitudes On Wellbeing Across Asia, Says AIA Group Study

Marcus Aquino
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Stereotypes Shape Attitudes On Wellbeing Across Asia, Says AIA Group Study

“The data is unequivocal. Asia’s health challenge is no longer just medical, it is also behavioral and cultural. As lifestyle-related diseases continue to rise across the region, deeply rooted stereotypes around fitness, financial success and mental health are quietly undermining prevention, delaying support and driving poorer health outcomes,” Stuart A. Spencer, AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer, said.

DEEPLY ENTRENCHED PHYSICAL, mental and financial health stereotypes shape attitudes and behaviors around wellbeing across Asia, according to a study conducted by AIA Group Limited.

The study was conducted across China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia, analyzing more than 100 million social media posts and online content, alongside a survey of 2,100 respondents.

The research set out to understand how stereotypes around wellbeing are formed, reinforced and normalized in everyday life. It reveals that rigid expectations around fitness, mental health, wealth and family responsibility continue to exert powerful pressure on individuals and shape how people see themselves, how they relate to others and how they engage with their health journeys.

“The data is unequivocal. Asia’s health challenge is no longer just medical, it is also behavioral and cultural. As lifestyle-related diseases continue to rise across the region, deeply rooted stereotypes around fitness, financial success and mental health are quietly undermining prevention, delaying support and driving poorer health outcomes,” Stuart A. Spencer, AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer, said.

“By uncovering these insights, our aim is to empower people to question limiting beliefs, challenge how health is portrayed and make more informed choices for their overall health and wellbeing. We believe that helping people live healthier, longer, better lives require changing the narratives that shape everyday behaviors in the first place,” he added.

The key findings include:

• 69 percent of respondents agree that fitness requires discipline with no compromise;

• 59 percent believe that improving health requires a complete transformation;

• 57 percent feel that to be respected, a person must control their emotions and avoid showing vulnerability;

• 63 percent feel negatively about financial health stereotypes, while 41percent associate personal worth with financial success – particularly for men; and

• Only people with good wellbeing tend to find these stereotypes motivating, while those with poorer wellbeing experience them as pressure that reinforces selfdoubt and delays action.

Building on these insights, AIA has launched the next phase of Rethink Healthy, anchored by three new films that bring these hidden pressures to life:

• Perfect Son – explores mental health challenges created by expectations around achievement, strength and family duty;

• Mother & Daughter – highlights how narrow definitions of ‘healthy’ and body image ideals can be unintentionally passed from parent to child; and

• Lone Wolf – challenges the belief that only intense exercise counts, showing how joy and movement can be reframed at every life stage.

To deepen the impact of the campaign, AIA brought together creators and brand ambassadors from across the region for a summit on responsible health storytelling. They examined how stereotypes shape content and co-created ways to encourage more inclusive and authentic wellbeing conversations online.

Together, these initiatives reinforce AIA’s long-term commitment to helping people across Asia live healthier, longer, better lives, and support its ambition to inspire and engage one billion people by 2030.

In 2022, AIA launched the AIA One Billion initiative to engage a billion people to live Healthier, Longer, Better Lives by 2030. 

“The ambition underscores AIA’s commitment to engage, educate and inspire communities across Asia to improve physical, mental and environmental wellness while championing financial inclusion,” the company said.

To date, the initiative has reached over half a billion people.

Fake Fierceness: Grown-Up Playground Drama

Vivien Mangalindan
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Fake Fierceness: Grown-Up Playground Drama

EVER MEET SOMEONE who makes you feel small? Someone putting on a show to scare, control, or impress you. 

The Back Story

That is fake fierceness. Think of it as playground behavior in grown-up clothes. 

It’s not about solving problems.

  • It’s about looking powerful and making others feel small.

Spot The Signs

These people rely on a few key moves. 

Their body language might make you feel crowded.

  • They stand too close, move slowly on purpose, or use big “look at me” gestures. 

Their speech is often sharp. 

  • Full of fancy words
  • Delivered in a loud “I know better” tone

And their actions? 

  • Showing off
  • Making decisions in public
  • Turning ordinary moments into center stage performances.

Sound familiar? 

  • Same kids. Bigger bodies. Better clothes. 

Power Moves

Fake fierceness comes in many forms. 

  • Big gestures, loud voices, or even blocking your path—all meant to intimidate. 
  • They want compliance, or at least silence, without needing violence. 

The goal is to make you feel unsure, embarrassed, or small.

Where does it happen? Everywhere.

  • At work, in politics, at school.
  • Anywhere someone wants control or to shut others down.

Why They Do It

There’s usually a method behind the madness. 

  • Many are hiding insecurity, boosting their confidence with volume. 
  • Some just want to stay in control. 

Many create tension to distract everyone from the real issues at hand.

Win Without Hype

Here’s the good news: you don’t have to play along. See through the act and maintain your power. 

  • Stay calm
  • Keep your focus
  • Take a stand

Relationship Reset

When tension rises at home, fake fierceness often shows up disguised as “assertiveness”.

Situation: Ryan raises his voice during disagreements and leans in close.

  • Before: Emma backs down just to end it.
  • After: She sees the performance. Emma stays calm and says what she needs to say.

Tip: Stand your ground.

Own Your Voice

In the workplace, the loudest person often tries to control the room.

Situation: Jason dominates meetings with big gestures and louder opinions.

  • Before: Mia stays quiet to avoid conflict.
  • After: She pauses, then shares her point clearly and directly.

Tip: Pause. Then speak clearly.

Lead Without Drama

In community spaces, drama can hide behind the mask of leadership.

Situation: Tim turns every community meeting into his personal spotlight.

  • Before: Others pull back. He fills the room.
  • After: Sofia calmly redirects the conversation to the shared goal.

Tip: Call it out calmly. Refocus the goal.

Tips and Techniques

Fake fierceness is everywhere. The playground never really closed. 

  • Every time you refuse to support  their performance, they lose power. 

When the drama starts, don’t join the show.

Remember: Stand calm. Stay quietly unshakable. 

Lacson Flags Modern-Day Makapili

Ernesto Reyes
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Lacson Flags Modern-Day Makapili

SENATE PRESIDENT PRO Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson on Saturday warned against what he described as “homegrown traitors,” or Filipinos who are willing to sell the country in exchange for personal gain.

Lacson – who has spent more than five decades in public service, almost half of which doing intelligence work – said such individuals, alongside technical intelligence, are the most common sources of information in geopolitics.

“In geopolitics, the most common sources of information are technical intelligence and homegrown traitors who are willing to sell their country in exchange for what’s in it for them. In intelligence operations, it is called ‘recruitment in place,'” he said in a post on X.

Earlier, Lacson rejected a suggestion to give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), which he said is no different from surrendering Luzon or even the entire country.

During the Commission on Appointments’ hearing last Wednesday, he countered Sen. Rodante Marcoleta’s suggestion that the Philippines give up the KIG by citing a long-standing legal principle supporting the Philippines’ ownership of the KIG.

He pointed out that lawyer and adventurer Tomas Cloma discovered the Spratly islands and occupied them as under “res nullius,” whoever discovers and occupies the land is recognized as its owner. Cloma turned over the ownership of the land to the Philippine government. There are currently Filipino families occupying the KIG, a town in Palawan which Lacson visited in 2021.

Lacson, who served in the Philippine Constabulary and as Chief of the Philippine National Police and now as Senator, has long been vocal in defending the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, including against bullying in the area by China.

We Will Not Surrender Our Country’s Territory!

Tracy Cabrera
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We Will Not Surrender Our Country’s Territory!

The love of one’ s country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?  — Catalan composer Pablo Casals

CIVIC GROUPS HAVE, for the longest time,lambasted China’s incursions into our seas, stressing that there are moments when a nation must speak plainly and so in this occasion, it is only proper that Filipinos verbalize what is truth and reality.

In a statement, civic leader Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia cited that “recent attacks on (our country’s) legal position, especially those aimed at the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), demand an unequivocal response.”  

Dr. Goitia, chairman emeritus of the Alyansa ng Bantay sa Kapayapaan at Demokrasya (ABKD), People’s Alliance for Democracy and Reforms (PADER), Liga Independencia Pilipinas (LIPI), and the Filipinos Do Not Yield Movement (FDNY), strongly pointed out that “when institutions tasked with defending the Republic are undermined, neutrality ceases to be prudence and this inadvertently becomes surrender.”

“Filipinos are not naïve. What is dangerous is the attempt to dress surrender as realism and retreat as wisdom. Every colonizer begins by telling a people they are too small to resist. That lie collapses every time Filipinos choose courage over fear.”

Accordingly, he tagged that such attacks weaken our country, precisely when resolve is required to defend sovereignty under international law.

“Those who argued for retreat never thought of themselves as traitors. They wrapped surrender in the language of pragmatism, only for history to expose the cost,” Goitia observed. 

But today, he quickly remarked, the pattern repeats and rights are portrayed as negotiable while clarity is replaced by doubt and retreat is sold as wisdom. 

“This is collaboration by another name and it succeeds only when Filipinos are persuaded to doubt themselves. What is presented as debate is, in truth, disinformation intended to hollow out the Republic from within,” he spelled out as he asserted that on the law, there is no uncertainty.

Goitia stressed: “The Philippines’ rights are firmly anchored in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and reinforced by the 2016 arbitral ruling that categorically rejected China’s sweeping maritime claims. Even entertaining the idea of abandoning Philippine-held territory undermines the Republic’s legal defenses and strengthens those who seek to dispossess it.

“This is how nations lose territory without firing a shot. They surrender the argument before it is even heard.”

Moreover, our country does not require separate coordinates to establish its Exclusive Economic Zone. Under UNCLOS, maritime zones arise by operation of law from archipelagic baselines. China’s so-called nine-dash line, by contrast, has no legal basis, no recognized coordinates, and no standing under international law. Treating it as credible is not error. It is an inversion of truth.

And yet, we realize that accountability begins at home. The remarks of Senator Rodante Marcoleta, Senator Robin Padilla, and several media figures do active harm to the Republic. By questioning settled maritime rights and amplifying narratives crafted by a foreign power, they compromise the country’s legal position at a time when firmness is required.

“Sovereignty is not rhetorical,” Goitia affirmed. “It is constitutional, legal and binding. To cast doubt on it is to endanger (our) Republic’s defenses.”

In ending, Goitia insisted that we are a nation that knows its worth. 

“Filipinos are not naïve. What is dangerous is the attempt to dress surrender as realism and retreat as wisdom. Every colonizer begins by telling a people they are too small to resist. That lie collapses every time Filipinos choose courage over fear.

“Defending Philippine sovereignty is not hostility toward others. It is fidelity to ourselves. This us why no inch (must be) surrendered. No sovereignty negotiated. The Republic stands (firm),” he concluded. 

***

BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my pamangkin, San Fernando, Pampanga prosecutor Jose Teodoro Leonardo Cabrera Santos, who celebrated his natal day last February 6.

More birthdays to come and may the Almighty God bless you every day! 

Also, binabati ko rin ang magaganda’t mga pogingmga empleyado ng Bangko de Oro. 

Mahigit 20 taon na po akong kliyente ng BDO and so far, very much satisfied ako sa serbisyo nito, partikularna rin ang mga manager, supervisor, teller, account representative, security personnel at maging ang utility personnel ng BDO. 

Salamat din sa napaka-accommodating welcome saakin nina Ma’am Jane at Kate nang dumalaw ako sakanilang branch sa Remedios, Malate. 

* * *

FOR your comments or suggestions, complaints or requests, just send a message through my email at cipcab2006@yahoo.com or text me at cellphone numbers 09171656792 or 09171592256 during office hours from Monday to Friday. Thank you and mabuhay! 

Globe Closes 2025 with Record Growth and Digital Milestones

Cheryl Luis True
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Globe Closes 2025 with Record Growth and Digital Milestones

Globe say, “Good connection, good day!”—as the telecommunications giant wrapped up its full-year 2025 financial media briefing, the mood was upbeat and numbers were even more impressive. Guided by Chito Maniego from Globe’s Sustainability and Corporate Communications team, the session highlighted both financial performance and digital innovation achievements.

President and CEO Karl Cruz kicked off the briefing noting, “For Globe, we will rather spend on experience than on pricing,” a philosophy that underpinned the company’s record-breaking results. Globe posted 43.4 billion pesos in quarterly revenues, fueling a full-year revenue of 165.1 billion pesos, with data services making up a whopping 88 percent of its top line. “Even amidst typhoons, floods, and extreme heat, Filipinos’ digital habits kept growing—and so did Globe,” Cruz quipped, illustrating the resilience of the business.

The mobile segment shined, with revenues reaching 116.9 billion pesos, driven by a rising subscriber base of 65.8 millionand a 4 percent year-on-year growth in mobile data traffic. Broadband also made waves: fiber subscriptions surged by 43 percent, totaling 2.1 million households, thanks to G-Fiber Prepaid’s flexible plans and fast installation times. “We’re turning everyday homes into high-speed hubs,” noted Abigail Cardina, VP for Globe Broadband Business.

Globe’s digital ecosystem, led by Mint (parent of GCash), contributed 22 percent of pre-tax income, supporting initiatives like Commute QR for faster MRT payments, G-Bonds, G-Loan Protect, and even G-Crypto trading. “Finance for all isn’t just a tagline—it’s a daily experience for millions of Filipinos,” said Karl.

On the innovation front, Globe became the first in Southeast Asia to offer Starlink’s direct-to-device satellite service, bridging connectivity gaps during disasters and extending coverage to remote islands. The company also expanded its 5G footprint, ensuring high-speed, consistent connectivity in Metro Manila and key cities nationwide.

2025 was also a year of recognition: Globe earned Great Place to Work certification, won the Best ESG Practices Telecom in the Philippines Award, and was lauded for broadband excellence. Cruz summed it up best: “We’re not just connecting phones; we’re connecting lives, businesses, and opportunities across the Philippines.”

With strong financials, robust digital platforms, and a clear vision for 5G and satellite expansion, Globe enters 2026 poised to deliver experiences, innovations, and impact like never before.

A Hidden Gem Of The Country’s Catholic Heritage

Marcus Aquino
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A Hidden Gem Of The Country’s Catholic Heritage

IN A HUMBLE memorial park in Metro Manila is an object that can be part of the country’s Catholic heritage, even if it was not meant to be.

Tucked in one of the deepest parts of that memorial park is an authorized copy of Michaelangelo’s La Pieta, which is part of the mausoleum of the family of a former senator who in turn was the son of one of the country’s industrialists.

A grandson of the former senator said that La Pieta inside his family’s mausoleum is one of the three completed copies of the original one found in St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The original was completed in 1498 or 1499.

To create the authorized replica, the molds for the original La Pieta had to be used and the fourth generation of Michaelangelo’s family still possessed the molds. Also, only the best artists were tapped to do the job.

“The original molds to create the replica were in the hands of the fourth generation of Michaelangelo’s family, and that were needed to create the authorized copy. It was made from one whole marble block,” the grandson of the senator said.

And anyone who sees the La Pieta in the family’s mausoleum will immediately be stunned by its almost perfect execution. Moreso, those who have seen the original in the Vatican will swear that the authorized copy in the Philippines captures the authenticity of the original.

“I have seen the original one in the Vatican, and the one at the mausoleum looks exactly like the original, the grandson of the senator said.

The La Pieta features Mother Mary seated and her son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, on her lap lifeless, and is meant to communicate the suffering Jesus had to undergo to save humanity from sin. The authorized copy captures this vividly.

The authorized copy has been in the family’s mausoleum for more than four decades, and is hardly visited as it is not visible at plain sight.

Asked if it is possible for Christians to visit the La Pieta located in one of Metro Manila’s memorial parks, he said it is possible. However, since it is located in a mausoleum, which is private property and is not as big as a church, small crowds may be allowed.

And for the next decades, the third authorized copy of Michaelangelo’s Le Pieta will remain there in the caring hands of the former senator’s family, while remaining a “Hidden Gem” of the country’s Catholic heritage.

Chavit’s Looming Downfall?

Fernan Angeles
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Chavit’s Looming Downfall?

JUST LIKE HIS father, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. doesn’t want any obstacle on his road to “greatness,” and he seems to be doing just that. 

Detained former President Rodrigo Duterte may be gone for good, Vice President Sara Duterte faces the possibility of being ousted via impeachment, members of the so-called inner circle hunted down or swayed to “jump ship.”

However, there is one staunch Duterte ally that Marcos can’t seem to appease — a fellow Ilocano by the name of Chavit.

The mere mention of Chavit translates to prowess. A kingpin for who knows how long, former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson has prevailed “come hell or high water.”

His mastery in politics and business (legal or otherwise) made him stand out above the rest, some of whom already laid to rest. At the age of 84, he is no longer a gigolo. Amazingly though, he remains a chic magnet.

But just like other stories of greatness, Chavit must have realized that the law of gravity (everything that comes up must go down) is catching up on him. And from how it looks, his downfall may come soon.

For the past several weeks, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been pulling off stunts against illegal cigarette manufacturing, raiding one depot after another.

Then comes Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla. He dragged two Northern Luzon politicians, whom the DILG boss tagged as masterminds behind the operations of illegal cigarette factories, including one facility in Mexico, Pampanga.

From my ever-reliable sources, Chavit is one of the two Northern Luzon politicians whom Jonvic is referring to as masterminds.

No less than PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has admitted zeroing in on the financial trail and evidence that could lead to the politicians behind cigarette smuggling and illegal manufacturing activities in the country.

The recent discovery of the illegal tobacco operation in Barangay Panipuan in Mexico, Pampanga, consecutive raids conducted in Batangas and Malabon, plus 10 other clandestine cigarette manufacturing facilities across the country, with a combined revenue amounting to a whopping P20 billion monthly — are all being linked to Chavit.

As if a non-bailable case of economic sabotage (over the alleged production of fake cigarettes) isn’t enough, Chavit is also facing a plunder complaint (another non-bailable offense) before the Office of the Ombudsman for an overpriced deal involving a 10-hectare land acquired by the Narvacan LGU in 2019 during his term as mayor.

There are also reports that Chavit has been supplying China with filling materials being used in creating artificial islands at the West Philippine Sea.

For one, Marcos has every reason to be mad at Chavit, who isn’t just another Duterte ally. Chavit talked too much, went as far as dragging the presidential son Ilocos Norte Congressman Sandro Marcos into the flood control scandal and calling for the President’s resignation.

Rizal LGU Won’t Condone Illegal Quarry Ops

Edwin Moreno
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Rizal LGU Won’t Condone Illegal Quarry Ops

ANGONO, Rizal — Days after operatives swooped down a land development site for illegal mineral extraction, transport and sale, the local government cited the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for performing its mandate.

In a statement, Angono Mayor Gerardo Calderon particularly hinted at the earthmoving activities at the Village East II Residential Subdivision Project, which was ordered closed by the local government in 2014.

Records showed that the land development is covered by a development permit issued in 1994 by the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board which has since been integrated by virtue of the law creating the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD).

While the project is covered by an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), the DENR said that the Village East II Residential Subdivision Project neither has a permit to quarry nor extract and transport minerals for commercial purposes.

Interestingly, documents obtained by The PH Insider showed that the property developer was able to secure a Special Haul Out Permit from the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board (PMRB).

In September last year, DENR issued a cease-and-desist order against the project developer. Two months later, the same agency lifted its closure order citing compliance.

When asked as to why the DENR halted land development for the Village East Subdivision Projects, Calderon said: “Posibleng hindi pagsunod ng subdivision developer sa mga kondisyon na nakapaloob sa ECC… pero ibig sabihin kapag nagcomply sa mga conditions ay ili-lift ulit ang kanilang cease and desist order.” 

The DENR, through the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) seized assets, which included heavy machinery, trucks, mobile crushers, and large volumes of stockpiled and processed aggregates. The total value of the seized items is estimated at P133.5 million.

As this developed, Calderon reminded other property developers, private contractors engaged in earthmoving activities to comply with the preconditions stipulated in the permits and clearances issued by both the national and local governments.

“Ang ECC ay ini-issue ng DENR sa lahat ng earthmoving activities at development activities, kaya ang DENR lang ang may kapangyarihan rendahan, parusahan ang sinumang lumabag,” the local chief executive added.

“Kami, all we could do is to report them to the concerned agencies for proper disposition – unless lumabag sila sa local ordinances o sa mga probisyong kalakip ng business permit na inisyu ng munisipyo.”

Meanwhile, municipal administrator Alan Maniaol clarified that the local government has never been pro-quarry, even as he cited previous instances when the municipality took the lead in organizing peaceful protest rallies against the continued mining activities of Helix Aggregates (formerly La Farge) in Barangay San Roque.

“The LGU remains firm — ayaw namin sa quarry. Ang tanong — pwede ba i- supercede ng LGU ang national government?,” Maniaol quipped.

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