By Leonardo Micua THE latest rigodon in the Senate, which saw Minority Leader Vicente Sotto III succeeding Francis Escudero as Senate president, hardly came as a surprise. It was, in fact, an ouster waiting to happen. When Sotto’s closest ally, Senator Panfilo Lacson, exposed in a privileged speech the existence…
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo THE last time I had my glasses on was a few hours ago, while reviewing the files of three NGOs where I used to be a Trustee. I recall having gone down to the ground floor to cook. That was around 7:00 p.m. After having…
By Farah G. Decano PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has a historic opportunity to reshape public perception and restore trust in the government through the newly formed commission investigating fraudulent flood control projects. To make a lasting impact, his administration must pursue a strategy of swift and decisive action…
By Eva C. Visperas GO to the Capitol area. Hug the trees there. Soon, they will be gone. A total of 192 trees will be cut — vanishing from our sight, living only in our memories. On Monday, September 8, 2025, I went, as I always do, to the…
By Rex Catubig WITH the onrush of high tide, storm surge, and floods that have engulfed the consciousness, that have made life miserable, and have dragged along monumental debris of scandal, I am drawn to haunting memories of catastrophes in the past, similarly destructive and horrific. Yet I was never in…
By Gonzalo Duque THE Senate Blue Ribbon Committee investigation, headed by Senator Rodante Marcoleta, into the botched flood control projects done by unscrupulous contractors under the watch of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) resumed last September 1. It initially gave us a glimpse of how the…
By Leonardo Micua THE recent assurance from Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 Director Rommel Tan that there are no ghost projects or substandard flood control initiatives in the region is a welcome relief. Coming from the very agency tasked with implementing all national government-funded infrastructure…
By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo IN the NGO community, an umbrella organization is a big organization large enough to manage the interests of its member NGOs, who, individually, could not access funding on their own because they lack the necessary financial and operational documents required by the funding agencies. The…
By Farah G. Decano THE internet whispers about Filipino actress Ellen Adarna’s separation from Derek Ramsey, suggesting she was mistreated during her postpartum period, with hints of verbal or even physical abuse. While we cannot know the truth of this private matter, this narrative throws a glaring spotlight on…
By Eva C. Visperas THERE are days in local governance that leave you quietly hopeful, and there are days that leave you unsettled. Last week in Pangasinan, we experienced both—and the contrast could not have been sharper. I was in Calasiao on August 29, standing among local officials, transport…
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