By Farah G. Decano   THE Dagupan City Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) has begun its term with remarkable promise. New members quickly immersed themselves in committee hearings, an early sign of diligence. Given each councilor’s monthly income of at least P107,208.00 plus allowances, Dagupeños rightfully expect substantial results for every vote…

By Farah G. Decano    THE Philippine judiciary is safeguarded by two dedicated bodies established by the Supreme Court through Administrative Order 185-A-2018: the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) and the Corruption Prevention and Investigation Office (CPIO). The JIB oversees misconduct and integrity issues concerning judges and court personnel, regardless of…

By Farah G. Decano   BEFORE Torrens Title to real properties can be transferred through succession, donation, or sale, the government must first authorize the transfer. This requires the payment of taxes – estate, donor’s, or capital gains – to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).  Documentary stamp taxes are…

By Farah G. Decano   SENATOR Chiz Escudero is widely regarded as a staunch Marcos loyalist. Even during his time at the UP College of Law, he made no secret of his admiration for the deposed dictator, Ferdinand E. Marcos. This stance is understandable, considering his father served as the…

By Farah G. Decano   TITO Ermin, please accept my mea culpa. As a former legislator, I regret that I was not able to pass a resolution to honor your father, Ermin Garcia Sr.’s, profound heroism. While you never sought his recognition, I take full responsibility for this oversight –…

By Farah G. Decano PRESIDENT Bongbong Marcos has already named some of his re-appointees as of this writing. He has re-appointed Secretary Ralph Recto of the Department of Finance and Secretary Amenah Pangandaman of the Department of Budget; transferred Secretary Popo Lotilla from the Department of Energy to the Department…

By Farah G. Decano   BEFORE the public cries this slogan once more, President Bongbong Marcos made an anticipatory remedial move. He dismissed his cabinet secretaries, allegedly due to the disappointing performance of his candidates in the recent elections. Some opinion writers suggest that he acted rashly, seeking a scapegoat…

By Farah G. Decano   “PAKURONG” is a Pangasinan word which literally means “to allow the crawling of a person, animal, or thing.”   Nowadays, the term refers to goods or money furtively given to the electorate at least hours before the voting process stars in exchange for the candidates’ names included in…

By Farah G. Decano    “TRUST your gut,” the saying goes – that subtle, nagging feeling, the instinctual nudge that guides decisions without logical explanation. In Filipino, it’s called “kutob,” a rapid flash of unease or certainty. Have you ever felt an inexplicable aversion to someone, a feeling that defied…

By Farah G. Decano   IT has been seven years since my father had passed on. I cannot help but be reminded of his last moments on earth, how ephemeral life is, and how tough that “final” battle was. My two older sisters took care of my father during that…