(Last of two parts) In congressional districts, cities and municipalities, some dynasties—the Apostols of Leyte, the Felixes of Cainta, Rizal, and the Eusebios of Pasig City—were also dislodged from their perch by neophytes. The octogenarian Sergio Apostol lost to businessman Henry Ong in the congressional race in Leyte’s second district in 2016. It was an...
(First of two parts) Some dynasties fade away from politics and public consciousness due to lack of successors, defeats to emerging clans or even “erosion of narrative.” Once among the who’s who in Philippine politics for decades, the Laurels are now a “defunct” dynasty. The Aquinos and Osmeñas are dormant but are also close to...
The devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar last March 28 and successive mild tremors in the Philippines have made many Filipinos fearful of the possibility of the “Big One.” The earthquake in Myanmar had its epicenter near Mandalay, its second largest city. United Nations aid officials put the latest casualty figures at 3,354 people killed...
Talks of political dynasties in Baguio began well before city politicians filed their certificates of candidacy (COC). During the official launch of the Alyansa ng Nagkakaisang Mamamayan (ANIM) in Manila on Aug. 24, 2024, Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong declared that political dynasties will have no place in Baguio. “Iba kasi sa Baguio eh. Alam mo,...
Filipinos could only vote in 1907, and only men were allowed to do so. Filipinos in the United States were permitted suffrage after World War II in 1946. But the Cordillerans who joined the St. Louis Fair in Missouri in 1904 were the first to cast their votes. That being an election year in the...
There is much debate concerning the uses of AI, but there is also something to be said about how it can be employed to make tuberculosis (TB) screening faster, more efficient, and more accessible, especially in the Philippines, which is flagged by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 10 “high-burden” countries in...
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla defended on Thursday the government’s action to surrender former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) and acknowledged that it was the first such incident in the country’s history. “It’s a case of first impression. This has never happened in our history,” Remulla said of the decision of...
Filipino musicians and foreign artists will be “jamming” in a May 25 concert organized by the Atin Ito Coalition for its third civilian mission to the West Philippine Sea, convenors announced on Monday. “This May 25 we will sail again, carrying the message of peace and solidarity with the powerful use of music. And through...
After the chartered Lear jet carrying Rodrigo Duterte finally took off from Manila late Tuesday night for The Hague in the Netherlands, a former senator and a human rights lawyer predicted that his departure would be for good. In The Hague, the 79-year-old former president will face charges of crimes against humanity before the International...
Former president Rodrigo Duterte was arrested and is now in police custody soon after he arrived in Manila from Hong Kong on Tuesday morning in connection with an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and served by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol). Duterte is charged with crimes against humanity at the...
