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Tigsik ko an mga nagsasapo nin makukulog, Ta sa mga kamatean, kahilangan uminabot, Humagad na tawad asin sa Diyos dumulok, Siya sana makakabulong sa indo nanggayod. Tigsik ko an mga hobenes, mga estudyante, Na an iba sa inda nagigin na mga bayolente Nangungulog, manggagadan na an mga ini, Siisay dapat basulon sa siring na nangyayari? Tigsik ko an mga nadadalan sa celfon o sa t v, Sa mga makaurag na drama, sa mga teleserye. Maraot na epekto sa isipan an mga nangyayari, Kaya dapat pillion an mga hihilingon na pasali. Tigsik ko, mga magurang na nagsasakripisyo, Naduman sa ibang nasyon para magtrabaho, Para sa pamilya tangani an buhay umasenso, Makaheherak kun napapasala kan mga plano. Tigsik ko an mga paagi ni satanas sa mga tawo, Tangani dakol an makaibahan niya sa impyerno. Mga gadget ginagamit na makapandaya nin todo, Dahil sa celfon, nalilingawan an Diyos na tutuo.

By Jordan Domingo with the Bicol Mail Reportorial Team THE Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has warned of a heightened possibility of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions at Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon following a significant increase in volcanic activity. In an advisory issued Tuesday, Phivolcs reported that 109 volcanic earthquakes were recorded since midnight, with nearly all classified as volcano-tectonic events caused by the fracturing of rocks beneath the volcano's shallow structure. The agency also observed weak to moderate degassing, while sulfur dioxide emissions remained low at 50 tonnes per day based on measurements taken on July 21. According to Phivolcs, the combination of increased seismic activity and gas emission suggests ongoing shallow hydrothermal or tectonic processes beneath the volcano that could trigger sudden steam-driven eruptions from any of Bulusan’s summit vents. Bulusan remains under Alert Level 1, indicating low-level unrest. However, the agency emphasized that the recent spike in volcanic earthquakes signals an increased likelihood of phreatic eruptions. As a precaution, Phivolcs reiterated that the four-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) remains off-limits to the public and advised aircraft to avoid flying close to the volcano's summit. Residents are likewise urged to remain alert within the two-kilometer Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the volcano's south-eastern sector, where hazards such as pyroclastic density currents, ballistic fragments, rockfalls, avalanches, and ashfall may occur. Communities located south of the volcano and those situated downwind are advised to prepare for possible ashfall should a phreatic eruption take place, with particular attention given to vulnerable groups, including senior citizens, pregnant women, infants, and individuals with existing medical conditions. Phivolcs also cautioned residents living near valleys and river channels to remain vigilant for sediment-laden stream flows and lahars that could develop during heavy rains following an eruption.

By Paulo DS Papa A grieving mother is seeking accountability following the death of her son, a government maintenance worker who was electrocuted while on duty along Maharlika Highway in Barangay San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur. Elsa Sales, 50, of Zone 7, Austria Village, Barangay Carolina, Naga City, is demanding answers over the death of her son, Melvin Sales, 25, who died during a roadside clearing operation on Monday afternoon, July 27. At around 3:00 p.m., Melvin was removing tree branches that had been cut during a clearing operation conducted by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Police reports said that the death of the 25-year-old contractual employee of the DPWH, identified as Melvin, happened while he was participating in a roadside clearing operation in front of the Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA). A newly cut tree branch fell onto an electrical wire. The impact caused the wire to snap and wrap around the victim, resulting in his electrocution. Personnel from the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO) were initially unable to approach the victim because the wire remained live and the victim had caught fire. Once the area was declared safe, responders assessed the victim and declared him lifeless. His mother questioned the alleged lack of coordination between the DPWH and the Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (Casureco II) before the operation was carried out. “The power should have been shut off before the clearing operation began, just as they always do whenever similar work is conducted in our area,” Sales said during an interview. She described her son as kind, dependable, and always willing to help others, especially during times of hardship. Casureco II spokesperson Rinner Bucay confirmed that there had been a lack of communication, stressing that coordination between agencies should always be maintained before any work is undertaken near power lines. He said the electrocution of the DPWH worker was reported to the cooperative only after the incident had already occurred. Bucay emphasized that proper coordination is essential before conducting any activity near energized power lines. “Electricity can always be restored, but a person’s life cannot be replaced,” he said.

By Jason B. Neola THE Sangguniang Panlungsod on Tuesday, July 28, held a joint public hearing to identify possible measures that could help ease the burden of soaring electricity costs being paid by consumers served by the Camarines Sur II Electric Cooperative (CASURECO II). The hearing was jointly conducted by the committees on Public Utilities, Consumer Protection, Environment and Energy, and Ways and Means. City Councilor Nathan Sergio said the four committees are considering drafting a resolution urging the national government to defer or remove charges currently being passed on to consumers through their monthly electricity bills. The proposed resolution will be transmitted to the Office of the President and to the House of Representatives through the office of Congressman Nelson Legacion in support of legislative measures aimed at lowering electricity costs. The move comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his fifth State of the Nation Address on July 27, called for the removal of system loss charges and the corresponding value-added tax (VAT) from consumers' electricity bills. The proposal also seeks amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA). During the hearing, Engr. Edgardo R. Piamonte, acting general manager and project supervisor of CASURECO II, explained that the increase in electricity rates is largely driven by the higher cost of power generation, which has been affected by the continuing conflict in the Middle East. Piamonte clarified that the charges being collected by CASURECO II are those allowed by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), stressing that the cooperative merely passes on the cost of electricity purchased from power suppliers. The hearing also tackled complaints regarding the implementation of power disconnections for consumers who fail to settle their monthly bills. Former City Councilor Joe Grageda appealed to CASURECO II to relax its "one bill, one month" policy, under which consumers may face penalties or service disconnection for failing to pay a single monthly billing within the prescribed period. City Councilor Allan Reiz Macaraig expressed support for the President's proposal to amend EPIRA and said consumers themselves could also help reduce electricity losses by practicing energy conservation, including switching off streetlights when they are no longer needed. Macaraig likewise proposed exploring the use of embedded or roof-integrated solar power as an alternative energy source for Naga City. He said he is studying the possibility of sourcing electricity from a solar facility in neighboring Calabanga through CASURECO II. If realized, he said, the project could provide consumers with lower electricity rates compared to power purchased from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which currently contributes to electricity costs of about P13 per kilowatt-hour. He added that he is studying the legal and regulatory requirements, including the necessary ordinances and agreements with concerned local government units. City Councilor Jessie Albeus also urged the national government to remove the VAT imposed on electricity bills, saying the tax only adds to the financial burden of consumers already paying high generation charges. He said government assistance programs would have greater impact if excessive taxes and charges on electricity were reduced, allowing more families to benefit from lower utility expenses. Albeus also suggested that the cost of missionary electrification—government-mandated power service for remote and off-grid communities—should be shouldered by the national government instead of being passed on to consumers through their electricity bills. System loss refers to electricity lost during transmission and distribution due to technical losses or illegal activities such as electricity pilferage. Existing laws, including EPIRA and Republic Act No. 7832, allow distribution utilities to recover a portion of these losses from consumers through system loss charges reflected in monthly electricity bills. The city council said the proposed resolution aims to support national efforts to reduce electricity costs by removing or deferring charges that can be absorbed by the government, thereby providing relief to power consumers.

SCHOOLS are supposed to be the safest places for children after their own homes. They are where young minds are shaped, values are formed, friendships are built, and dreams begin to take flight. Yet recent events have cast a dark shadow over that ideal, raising a disturbing question that every parent now has reason to ask: What is happening to our schools? The heart-breaking death of an eight-year-old girl in Davao City is the latest reminder that our classrooms are no longer immune from violence. The child allegedly suffered repeated blows to the head from a classmate during an altercation inside their public school. Investigators are also looking into reports that she had been kicked, punched, and elbowed before she later died from traumatic brain injury. The grief of her mother was made even more heart-breaking by her refusal to blame anyone. “They are only children,” she said. Her remarkable forgiveness deserves admiration. But her compassion must not keep the nation from confronting a painful reality: no parent should ever lose a child because of violence inside a school. Sadly, this tragedy is not an isolated case. Just weeks earlier, the country witnessed the horrifying school shooting in Tacloban City that claimed the lives of three students and injured about 20 others. It was one of the deadliest attacks ever recorded inside a Philippine educational institution, prompting authorities to investigate the role of violent online content and graphic video games in influencing the young suspects. In Quezon City, classes at Bagong Silangan High School were suspended after a bomb threat spread panic among students and teachers. Batangas City Integrated High School also halted classes after an online school shooting threat surfaced on social media. Across the country, hoax bomb scares, fake suspension announcements, and malicious online posts have repeatedly disrupted classes and forced emergency responders into action. Bullying, despite the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013, continues to torment thousands of Filipino learners. Every year, videos emerge showing students beating classmates, humiliating younger pupils, recording assaults on mobile phones, and posting them online for amusement. Many more cases remain hidden because victims are too frightened or too ashamed to speak. Violence inside schools is no longer limited to fights between students. There have been reports of learners bringing knives and other deadly weapons onto campuses. Teachers have also become victims of threats and physical assaults. In other instances, educators themselves have faced sanctions for abusing students under their care. These incidents, though different in nature, point to the same disturbing conclusion: respect, discipline, and empathy are steadily eroding inside environments meant to cultivate them. Recognizing these dangers, the Department of Education has strengthened its Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment. Bomb threats, possession of deadly weapons, and other grave offenses now carry stiffer penalties, including suspension, denial of readmission, exclusion from school, and possible criminal prosecution. These are necessary measures, but they address the consequences more than the causes. The roots of the problem run much deeper. Many children today spend more hours on social media than in meaningful conversations with their families. They are exposed daily to violent videos, cyberbullying, online harassment, and content that normalizes aggression. It is therefore understandable why the Philippine National Police is studying Australia's restrictions on minors' access to social media following discussions during the recent ASEANAPOL conference. Whether such a policy is appropriate for the Philippines deserves careful debate, but the proposal itself reflects growing concern over the influence of the digital world on young minds. Still, technology alone is not the enemy. Parents cannot delegate character formation entirely to schools. Schools cannot expect families to shoulder the burden alone. Teachers cannot monitor every child without adequate support from administrators, guidance counsellors, and the community. Protecting children requires a partnership among families, educators, government, and society itself. Installing CCTV cameras in classrooms may help determine what happened after an incident occurs. But cameras cannot teach kindness. They cannot instill respect. They cannot stop a bully before the first punch is thrown or comfort a child who suffers in silence. Education is not measured solely by test scores or graduation rates. It is measured by the kind of people our schools help produce. If our children are learning fear instead of respect, cruelty instead of compassion, and violence instead of self-control, then we are failing in our most fundamental mission. Every child deserves to enter school confident that he or she will return home safe. Every parent deserves the peace of mind that the classroom is a place of learning—not of fear. Schools should be sanctuaries where children discover knowledge, character, and hope. When those sanctuaries become places of violence and insecurity, the entire nation must pause and ask what kind of future we are building. The answer will not be found in stricter rules alone, nor in surveillance cameras or harsher punishments. It will be found in restoring the values that schools and families are meant to teach together—respect, discipline, responsibility, compassion, and the sanctity of every child's life. Only then can our schools truly become sanctuaries once again.

Wait — former House Speaker Martin Romualdez is under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman regarding a multi-billion-peso flood-control corruption scandal? That news immediately brought back memories. I remember something about Martin Romualdez and floods. It was late 2024, shortly after the floodwaters from Typhoon Kristine had subsided. My colleagues and I joined massive crowds packing the Jesse M. Robredo (JMR) Coliseum in Naga City. We were there to receive a government cash payout intended for typhoon victims. Naturally, I was eager to get my hands on some financial relief. The distribution was managed by DSWD personnel, including a female staffer onstage who was barking out instructions that, with all due respect, were thoroughly confusing. Compounding the chaos was the stifling heat from poor ventilation and a campaign-style jingle blasting on loop through the sound system. At first, I didn't pay much attention, but the endless repetition forced the lyrics into my head: “Martin, Martin Romualdez…” Followed by a line or two extolling his virtues as a public servant. To the composer's credit, it was undeniably catchy. You could have organized a dance contest around it. It had all the hallmarks of an election campaign song—the only thing missing was an explicit "Vote for Martin Romualdez." When we arrived, the venue was already overflowing, and people were still streaming in. Rows of staffers sat at tables ready to hand out cash, but the distribution was held up for an opening program. Local political figures took turns at the mic—former Mayor Legacion, former Congressman Bordado, and if memory serves, former Congressman (now fugitive) Zaldy Co. In their speeches, they all subtly dropped hints that Romualdez would make a fine President of the Philippines. Finally, the grand sponsor himself spoke. Speaker Romualdez took the stage, professing his deep love for Bicolanos and his desire to help us. (Okay, okay—just show us the money.) It was government money, of course, but optically, Romualdez was framed as the benevolent benefactor easing our suffering. Fast forward to today, and he—along with other lawmakers and DPWH officials—is under investigation for a massive flood-control corruption scandal. Talk about irony. Who knows? Maybe that cash distribution was just a down payment to console flood victims for the very infrastructure failure that put us underwater in the first place. Speaking of systemic irony, I'm still waiting for "system loss" charges to be scrapped from my electric bill. A few weeks ago, over coffee, I was venting to friends about my outrageously high CASURECO bill. I complained that I barely got ₱200 in change from an ₱8,000 payment. To my dismay, my friends revealed they were being charged ₱9,000 to ₱10,000. It turned out I actually had it easy. As it happens, this practice of passing system losses on to consumers is explicitly baked into the law—specifically the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001 (EPIRA / R.A. 9136) alongside the Anti-Electricity Pilferage Act (R.A. 7832). Under this framework, distribution utilities and electric cooperatives are permitted to charge consumers for: Technical Loss: Electricity naturally lost as heat or resistance through power lines and transformers, and Non-Technical Loss: Commercial losses resulting from power theft, illegal jumpers, meter tampering, or billing errors. We, the paying consumers, are subsidizing electricity stolen by others and lost in transit. And who was the principal author who shepherded EPIRA through Congress? None other than former House Speaker Arnulfo "Noli" Fuentebella, patriarch of Partido’s Fuentebella clan, during his tenure as Chairman of the House Committee on Energy. You can't entirely blame the legislators of 2001. The central premise of EPIRA was that transitioning away from a state-run monopoly to a deregulated, competitive market would boost efficiency and dramatically lower power costs. Yet decades later, a law enacted to reduce electricity prices has directly institutionalized high power bills. Talk about irony. The President called on Congress to pass tax relief measures for low- to middle-income earners and small businesses. Yet, the President proposing tax exemptions possesses a well-documented history with the tax code himself: a 1995 RTC conviction, a 1997 Court of Appeals ruling upholding his failure to file income tax returns, and the high-profile 2022 Supreme Court disqualification petitions. Talk about irony. Some commentators have called this the "worst SONA ever." I beg to differ. I have lived through SONAs that were little more than petty attacks against political opponents, punctuated by routine profanity, or capped off with a victory lap over the frnchise denial of the nation's largest broadcast network. This recent one was, at the very least, a decent SONA. Proverbs 26:27 "If anyone digs a pit, they will fall into it; if anyone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them."

Last July 22, I wrote a column entitled “Nakuryente.” I never imagined that barely a week later, electricity would become one of the most applauded issues in President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s fifth State of the Nation Address (SONA). The title “Nakuryente” was inspired by our own experience. At our family’s store in Canaman, our monthly electric bill suddenly jumped from around ₱5,000 to more than ₱14,000, even though the business was not yet operating at full capacity. I remember staring at the bill and asking myself the same question that millions of Filipinos probably ask every month: Why are we paying for so many charges beyond the electricity we actually consume? Generation charge. Transmission charge. Distribution charge. Systems loss. Universal charge. Taxes. VAT. The list seemed endless. I even wondered whether this was still partly the lingering effect of global fuel price volatility brought about by conflicts in the Middle East. So when President Marcos declared, “Sa aking palagay, panahon na para tanggalin na natin ang systems loss na pinapasa sa consumer,” I could not help but smile. Half-jokingly, I wondered whether someone in Malacañang had read my previous column. Of course, that is unlikely. But it was reassuring to hear the President articulate what ordinary consumers have long been saying. Under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), consumers shoulder allowable systems losses, including technical losses and certain non-technical losses arising from electricity theft, faulty meters, and distribution inefficiencies. He called for the amendment of the EPIRA law. It is no surprise that this proposal drew the loudest and longest applause of the SONA. Because I was attending meetings on the day of the SONA, I watched the entire speech only later that evening. Unlike previous years, I listened from beginning to end—not because I had to, but because I genuinely wanted to know where the country was heading during the remaining two years of this administration. The following day, curiosity got the better of me. I telephoned friends from different political persuasions, including some who had actively supported Leni Robredo and Isko Moreno in 2022. To my surprise, many rated the SONA between eight and ten. They did not necessarily become Marcos supporters overnight. Rather, they appreciated that the speech dealt with problems they themselves confront every day—electricity, floods, healthcare, food prices, and government services. I found the President’s opening particularly striking. His call to hold accountable officials involved in anomalous flood-control projects resonated with me because Bicolanos know too well what recurring floods mean. His declaration “I am not the president of my family and friends,” a statement that drew a big round of applause became a dramatic moment of the SONA. This was underscored when he mentioned that criminal cases are now being filed in the Ombudsman against his own cousin, the former House Speaker, for the flood control projects. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is, undeniably, the son of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., whose regime remains one of the most controversial periods in Philippine history. However, a son should not automatically bear responsibility for the actions of his father. As one of my friends remarked, “Let us give him the opportunity to be his own man.” Ultimately, he should be judged by his own leadership and governance and be held accountable for this own promises. I appreciated the commitments to streamline government transactions, improve healthcare, support farmers, strengthen technical-vocational education, modernise infrastructure, and expand digital government services. While he avoided discussing the ongoing ICC proceedings and the Senate impeachment trial, he reminded the nation that he is “President not only of my family and friends, but of the Filipino people.” His announcement about launching the country’s first rocket into space was equally symbolic. It reflected a nation that aspires to harness science and technology—from artificial intelligence to renewable energy, including solar, wind, ocean, geothermal, and even nuclear power—for national development. Still, every SONA has its plus-es and negas. For me, the biggest nega was not what the President said but what he left unsaid. Industrialisation was never presented as the country’s central economic strategy. Neither was comprehensive land reform. Without a deliberate effort to build stronger Filipino industries, we risk remaining dependent on imports, overseas remittances, and the service sector instead of creating productive jobs and a more self-reliant economy. The speech ended with Pax Silica, the administration’s flagship AI and advanced manufacturing initiative. Like many Filipinos, I find the vision exciting. Yet I also have questions. Will it genuinely create quality jobs? Can our fragile power grid support massive AI data centres? Will local communities benefit, or will they simply bear the environmental and social costs? Above all, will it become the beginning of genuine Philippine industrialisation, or merely another investment project that looks impressive on paper? As I finished watching the replay of the SONA that evening, I counted new promises made. Now comes the biggest challenge—turning words into action. As before, let us continue, to be vigilant and remain critically engaged, as citizens who hope that the next electric bill will be lower, the next flood less devastating, and the next generation will inherit a truly self-reliant industrialized Philippines.

The reviews have been pouring in ever since The Odyssey hit theaters last week. Some have called it Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece. Others found it visually stunning but emotionally hollow. One comment making the rounds online simply read: “Three hours. Zero bathroom breaks. Zero regrets.” Whether the film deserves the praise—or the criticism—is a discussion for movie reviewers. What interests me is something far more remarkable. How is it that a story first told nearly three thousand years ago can still fill theaters, dominate social media, and divide audiences in 2026? Most stories disappear quietly. A novel becomes a bestseller, only to gather dust on a forgotten shelf a decade later. A blockbuster dominates the box office one summer and is barely mentioned a few years afterward. Every year gives us new heroes, new villains, new worlds to explore. Yet only a handful survive long enough to become part of our collective memory. The Odyssey is one of them. It has outlived kingdoms, empires, languages, religions, and every form of storytelling imaginable. It has been recited by poets, studied in classrooms, adapted for the stage, reimagined in novels, transformed into television, and now brought back to the big screen for yet another generation. That raises an interesting question. What makes a story immortal? Certainly not unanimous praise. If the internet has proven anything over the past week, it is that even a celebrated adaptation can divide audiences. Some viewers walked out convinced they had witnessed a cinematic achievement. Others wondered what all the fuss was about. Perhaps that is exactly the point. A classic is not a story that everyone agrees on. A classic is a story every generation insists on arguing about. The greatest stories are not preserved because they are beyond criticism. They survive because they remain worth discussing. Think about the stories that refuse to disappear. The Odyssey. Shakespeare’s plays. Sherlock Holmes. Dracula. Even Batman. Each generation reshapes them. Directors change the setting. Writers reinterpret the characters. Audiences discover new meanings that earlier generations may never have noticed. The stories evolve—not because their foundations are weak, but because they are strong enough to support new ways of seeing them. Perhaps that is why so few modern stories become classics. We often confuse popularity with permanence. A film can break box-office records and still be forgotten within a decade. A novel can dominate bestseller lists only to fade when the next publishing sensation arrives. Success measures a moment. Immortality measures endurance. And endurance cannot be manufactured by marketing campaigns or glowing reviews. It has to be earned, one generation at a time. People often define a classic as something everyone should read. I think a better definition is: A classic is a story that outlives the reasons it was first told. That is no small achievement. Three thousand years ago, someone gathered listeners around a storyteller to hear the adventures of a man trying to find his way home. Today, people gather in air-conditioned cinemas to hear the same story through a different voice and a different lens. The technology has changed. The audience has changed. The world has changed. Yet somehow, the story still knows exactly where to find us.

Vice President Sara Duterte stands before the Senate not as a candidate, not as a political rival, and not as the daughter of a former President, but as an impeached constitutional officer. That distinction is not merely descriptive. It is constitutional. The House of Representatives has exercised its constitutional power to impeach and has transmitted four Articles of Impeachment to the Senate. Its role has now changed. Through its designated prosecutors, the House must present evidence in support of the Articles of Impeachment. The Senate’s role has also changed. No longer acting solely as a legislative body, it now sits as an impeachment court, entrusted with determining whether the prosecution has proven any of the Articles of Impeachment in accordance with the Constitution. The Vice President must answer the charges. -Did she betray the public trust? -Did she unlawfully misuse confidential or public funds? -Did she misuse the powers entrusted to her office? -Did her conduct constitute impeachable offenses under the Constitution? These are the questions now before the Senate. The House must prove its case. The Vice President must answer it. The Senate must decide it. That is the constitutional trial now before the Filipino people. Outside the Senate chamber, the proceedings will inevitably be viewed through political lenses. Supporters will proclaim innocence. Critics will argue for conviction. Commentators will count votes long before the final vote is taken. Inside the impeachment court, however, the Constitution demands a different discipline. The prosecution must prove. The defense must rebut. The Senate must judge. evidence—not public opinion—must control the outcome. The Numbers Game Every impeachment trial eventually becomes a numbers game. This one is no exception. The Constitution requires the concurrence of two-thirds of all the Members of the Senate—sixteen votes—to convict an impeached Vice President. If the present circumstances remain unchanged, not every senator will be able to participate in that vote. Three senators are presently unable to do so. Another remains in hiding while the subject of efforts to enforce an International Criminal Court arrest warrant and therefore cannot reasonably be expected to appear without risking arrest. The constitutional requirement, however, does not change. Sixteen votes are still required. That leaves the prosecution with virtually no margin for error. The political arithmetic will dominate headlines. Every senator’s vote will be counted. Every absence will be analyzed. Every procedural ruling will be scrutinized for its possible effect upon the final tally. Yet impeachment was never intended to be decided by arithmetic alone. The framers of the Constitution deliberately established a demanding threshold because removing a nationally elected constitutional officer is among the gravest powers entrusted to the Republic. The challenge before the Senate is therefore not simply to produce sixteen votes. It is to produce sixteen constitutionally defensible votes. That distinction may ultimately become the lasting legacy of this trial. This proceeding is unprecedented. Never before in Philippine history has a Vice President been impeached by the House of Representatives and brought before the Senate for trial. Whatever verdict is eventually rendered, this impeachment will become part of the constitutional history of the Philippines. Future generations will examine not only the outcome. They will examine the process. They will ask whether the House prosecuted fairly. Whether the defense received due process. Whether the Senate faithfully discharged its constitutional duty. And whether, at a defining moment in our constitutional history, the Republic proved itself worthy of the Constitution it promised to uphold. The verdict will determine the future of one Vice President. The conduct of this trial may help define the constitutional future of the Republic.

Sa irarom kan Article 344 kan Revised Penal Code, an kasong adultery dai puwedeng magpadagos kun an reklamo bako mismo naifile kan naagrabyadong agom. Sa sarong bagong desisyon, Chua-Chiba vs Chiba and Llona, piglinaw liwat kan Korte Suprema na dai sapat na an kaso ifile kan authorized representative. An pagfile kan reklamo sa adultery sarong personal na karapatan na dai puwedeng ipasa sa ibang tawo. Base sa Korte Suprema, an legal requirement na ini pigtakda kan batas bilang konsiderasyon sa naagrabyadong agom, ta posibleng mas pilion niyang tioson na sana an nangyaring paglapastangan sa saiyang dignidad kaysa mag-atubang sa kasusupgan asin eskandalo na kaakibat kan pampublikong paglitis. An simbag na ini para sana sa pankagabsan na impormasyon asin dai dapat ituring na legal advice para sa partikular na kaso. Kung may mga kahaputan, mag email sa ihapotkiattorney@gmail.com.

By Rhadz Barcia DAYS before the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., former Vice President and now Naga City Mayor Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo praised several programs and projects of the Marcos administration, particularly those benefiting Naga City. Speaking to reporters in an interview, Robredo said she looks forward not only to hearing the President’s accomplishments over the past year but also his priorities and programs for the remainder of his term. She emphasized that the national government has implemented several significant initiatives in Naga City, although many residents remain unaware of them. “Yon hinihintay natin, ‘yong report ng mga ginawa ng government in the past. We are interested in the President’s programs and projects in the next two years. Many don’t know that Naga is the recipient of many programs of the government,” Robredo said. Robredo cited the national government’s housing initiatives through the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), including the Rental Housing and Modular Shelter Unit programs. She also highlighted the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) Oplan Kontra Baha, under which Naga City was selected as the pilot area for the flood-control program. She noted that flooding remains one of Naga’s most pressing concerns, not only because of its rapid urbanization but also because the city serves as a catch basin for floodwaters from surrounding municipalities. “Madami din ang hindi nakakaalam na marami ang ginagawa ng pamahalaan. Halimbawa ang Naga, marami tayong programa. Ginawa tayong pilot ng DPWH sa Oplan Kontra Baha. Malaking problema ng Naga ang baha. Sa housing, ang dami nating nakuha sa DHSUD because malaki ang problema natin sa housing because of urbanization. Parang pinalaki ng government ang LGSF coverage,” Robredo said. (Many people are unaware of the numerous initiatives the government is undertaking. Take Naga, for instance—we have many programs. We were selected by the DPWH as a pilot area for Oplan Kontra Baha because flooding is a major concern in the city. We also secured substantial housing assistance from the DHSUD because urbanization has created a significant housing shortage. It also appears that the government has expanded the coverage of the Local Government Support Fund.) Looking ahead, Robredo expressed hope that the national government would further expand the coverage of the Local Government Support Fund (LGSF). She said the broader implementation of the program has made government assistance more accessible to local government units. “Sana naagahan ang pag-launch ng LGSF. Parang pinalaki nila ang LGSF. Dati kasi ang hirap mag-apply, mahirap mag-access,” Robredo said. (I wish the expanded LGSF had been launched earlier. It seems they have broadened its coverage. Before, it was difficult to apply for and access the program.) Among the initiatives she cited was the LGSF, under which barangays reportedly receive at least P200,000 annually. According to Robredo, P100,000 may be used for operational requirements, including sound systems, closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, and solar panels, while the remaining P100,000 is intended to support five graduating college students selected as presidential scholars. Robredo also said Naga City received P32 million in rice assistance through the LGSF, which will be distributed to low-income families. “Sobrang laking bagay ang innovation na ‘to. To make LGSF more accessible to all LGUs kasi ang daming pangangailangan ng LGUs,” Robredo said. (This innovation is a big help because it makes the LGSF more accessible to all local government units, which have many needs.) She added that wider access to the LGSF has enabled local government units to implement projects and deliver assistance more effectively. “Ang wish namin sana lalo pa itong mag-expand, lalo sa mga hirap na lugar. Sana mabigyan ng mas malaking share sa LGSF kasi sila ang dependent sa national government,” Robredo said. (We hope the program expands further, especially to areas facing greater challenges. We also hope they receive a larger share of the LGSF because they are more dependent on the national government.) On February 21, 2026, President Marcos visited Naga City to inspect the DPWH’s Oplan Kontra Baha flood-control projects, during which he announced that Naga would serve as the pilot area for the initiative. Robredo, who ran against Marcos in the 2022 presidential election, accompanied the President during the inspection of Sagop Creek in Barangay Triangulo. During the visit, Marcos emphasized that his trip to Naga was focused on strengthening public service and disaster resilience in the Bicol Region, one of the country’s most disaster-prone areas, rather than on politics. He also reiterated the national government’s commitment to long-term flood mitigation efforts in the region.