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Senator Jinggoy Estrada on Thursday filed his counter-affidavit before the Department of Justice (DOJ) in response to a plunder complaint linked to allegedly anomalous flood control projects. Estrada did not issue a statement, but his lawyer Bianca Soriano confirmed to reporters that the counter-affidavit had been submitted in connection with the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) …

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has appointed outgoing Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco as Presidential Adviser for Sustainable and Resilient Communities, Malacañang announced last week. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the newly created role aims to strengthen the implementation of priority national programs at the local level, particularly as communities confront increasing climate-related threats. Castro explained that the appointment comes …

The rehabilitation of Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) is now 60 percent complete, according to Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon. After inspecting the project site on Thursday, Dizon said the first phase of the rehabilitation has reached the 60-percent milestone roughly three months after construction began in December 2025. “The project is now 60 percent (complete) since it started …

A measure seeking to expand digital payments in government transactions has moved closer to approval after it passed second reading at the House of Representatives of the Philippines on Wednesday night. House Bill No. 8468, also known as the eBayad Act, aims to institutionalize safe and efficient digital payment systems for transactions involving government agencies and merchants. Under the proposed …

The Philippine Navy and Globalport Terminals Inc. (GTI) have signed a memorandum of agreement aimed at creating an affiliated reserve unit within the port operator to support national defense efforts. According to the Navy, the agreement was formalized last week at Naval Station Jose Andrada in Manila. The memorandum was signed by PN chief Jose Ma. Ambrosio Ezpeleta and GTI …

PRESIDENT Marcos is determined to resolve all anomalous flood control projects, including filing of cases against erring government officials before the Office of the Ombudsman. This was stressed by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon during his special appearance at the Kapihan ng Samahang Plaridel at the Rizal Park Hotel along T.M. Kalaw Ave., Manila on …

When confronted by a crisis, the Philippine government’s default response has become predictable: dole out cash. In the midst of a surge in fuel prices, it is called a fuel subsidy. When typhoons and floods strike, it becomes a cash grant. For poor households, there is the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Those facing emergencies can turn to Assistance to …

The Philippine Constitution of 1987 contains a provision the directs the Legislative Department to pass an anti-political  dynasty measure. Article !!, Section 26 provides: The State shall guarantee  equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be provided by law. After nearly four decades of existence, the Philippine Congress had not yet passed the measure mandated …

While President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. travelled to New York to lobby the United Nations for a non-permanent seat at the powerful United Nations Security Council, events at home paint a troubling portrait of a nation slowly but clearly spiraling out of control. In the Philippine Senate, public attention is consumed by a political feud between Panfilo Lacson and Rodante Marcoleta, trading accusations about campaign donations and political ethics. Such spectacles …

REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The Philippine Oil Deregulation Law, enacted in 1998, was supposed to usher in competition and efficiency. Instead, it has become a straitjacket for government response to fuel price spikes. Lawmakers themselves now admit that deregulation complicates intervention, yet they stop short of repealing it. This raises a fundamental question: if Congress cannot act to ease the burden …