Seventeen relatives of Luis “Chavit” Singson’s political clan ran in local races in Ilocos Sur province in northern Luzon with a little more than 700,000 people. Although one lost her bid, the Singsons occupy the seats of governor, vice governor, provincial board members, district representatives, city and municipal officials. Six others were nominees in the...
Category: Politics
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What to know so far about the courtesy resignations of Marcos Cabinet members
When he called for members of his Cabinet on May 22 to each submit a courtesy resignation, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said: “The people have spoken, and they expect results—not politics, not excuses. We hear them, and we will act.” “It’s time to realign government with the people’s expectations,” the press release from the Presidential News...
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How the Bam-Kiko win alters the landscape of the Senate
All eyes will be on Senators-elect Benigno “Bam” Aquino III and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan when the Senate tries impeached Vice President Sara Duterte over a string of charges arising from her alleged misuse of government funds. The re-entry of Aquino and Pangilinan will alter the dynamics in the 24-member chamber that will need the votes...
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Comelec proclaims 52 party-list groups, suspends Duterte Youth and BH due to pending cases
Only 52 party-list groups were proclaimed on May 19 by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), which decided to suspend the proclamation of two others, including Duterte Youth, because of pending disqualification cases against them. Comelec Chair George Erwin Garcia announced that 54 party-list groups won seats in the House of Representatives in the May 12...
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Kontra Daya flags the automated election system used on Election Day
All was not well in the automated election system on Election Day 2025, according to the poll watchdog Kontra Daya. Toward the 7 p.m. close of polling precincts nationwide on Monday, May 12, Kontra Daya said the errors in the automated counting machines (ACM) accounted for most of the problems encountered in the midterm polls....
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In Ilocandia, land of ‘mega’ dynasties, Chavit Singson has 23 relatives running for office
Some of the biggest names in Philippine politics come from the Ilocos region, including the Marcos political clan of Ilocos Norte. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is now the country’s 17th president. He was elected in May 2022 in one of the biggest political comebacks in history. It came nearly four decades after a bloodless people’s revolt...
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In Bicol, political clans aiding victims backed projects blamed for flooding
Bicol, home to the majestic Mount Mayon, is among the country’s most disaster-prone regions. It is regularly battered by storms and other calamities that test the resilience of its people year after year. Rogelio Barajas, a resident of Legazpi City in Albay for over five decades, will never forget how Typhoon “Reming” (international name: Durian)...
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AI fakery rises, but cheapfakes still rule the race
AI-manipulated videos and audio have emerged as a growing disinformation tactic ahead of Monday’s midterm elections—more frequent, more targeted and more deceptive. Despite their rise, simpler manipulations, or shallowfakes, remain the more widespread threat, continuing to dominate the misinformation landscape flagged by fact-checkers. Out of 35 unique altered claims identified by partners of the fact-checking coalition Tsek.ph during the Feb....
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Phantom banks, shaky claims undercut viral report on Marcos gold
Documents circulating online that purport to expose a $100-billion money laundering scheme involving the Marcos family’s alleged 350 metric tons of gold are riddled with red flags including references to fictitious banks, dubious account numbers, and formatting anomalies inconsistent with how illicit wealth is typically hidden. Screenshots of the documents accompanied a report that first...
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When voters say ‘enough’: Dynasties in Leyte, Cainta and Pasig fall from power
(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...