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REALPOLITIKBy Benjie Alejandro The release of the United States of America’s 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS) has stirred debate across the IndoPacific, especially in countries like the Philippines that stand at the crossroads of alliance commitments and the demand for selfreliance. At its core, the NDS calls for a “denial defense along the First Island Chain,” meant to deter adversaries by strengthening …

LOVE FOR ALL​By: Virginia Rodriguez President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has promised to prioritize education for the rest of his term and build 40,000 new classrooms by 2028 to address the shortage in public schools. He has directed Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon to speed up construction and complete unfinished school building projects across the country. When Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed …

By Tracy Cabrera Civic groups have for the longest time lambasted China’s incursion ito our seas, stressing that there are moments when a nation must speak plainly and so in this occasion, it is only proper that Filipinos verbalize what is truth and reality. In a statement, civic leader Dr. Jose Antonio Goitia, chairman emeritus of the Alyansa ng Bantay …

Malacañang reiterated President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s firm stand that those behind alleged irregularities in flood control projects must be held to account, even as he leaves the investigation in the hands of independent and mandated institutions. At a Palace press briefing last week, Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Press Officer Claire Castro said the President continues to respect the ongoing …

Former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. will remain behind bars in the Payatas prison facility after the Sandiganbayan denied his bid to be transferred to the custodial center at Camp Crame. More significantly, the anti-graft court has sustained the sufficiency of the non-bailable charge of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents filed by the Office of the …

National Food Authority (NFA) Administrator Larry Lacson has thrown his support behind proposed amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), saying the changes are crucial to protecting farmers, consumers, and the broader rice industry. Speaking on Friday during the groundbreaking ceremony for a modernized NFA warehouse, Lacson said the agency is pushing for the restoration of its market intervention powers, …

Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in South Korea are set to receive higher wages this year following the approval of a 2.9 percent increase in the country’s minimum wage effective January 1. In a statement released Friday, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) said the adjustment will benefit 25,606 Filipino workers employed under South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS) who are …

Senate President Vicente Sotto III on Friday dismissed speculation of an impending leadership shakeup in the Senate, saying recent tensions stemmed from disputes over committee assignments and procedural issues—not dissatisfaction with the Senate presidency. Speaking during a virtual briefing, Sotto said concerns raised by some senators revolved largely around committee control, a situation that escalated following the removal of Sen. …

The public is being urged to stay alert as authorities warn of a spike in increasingly sophisticated “love scams” ahead of Valentine’s Day, with criminal syndicates now using artificial intelligence and advanced digital tools to deceive victims. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian issued the warning on Friday following an advisory from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), which has flagged a …

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has stepped up intelligence operations nationwide to track down and dismantle illegal cigarette factories believed to be operating across several regions. In a statement Friday, the PNP said it is conducting simultaneous intelligence validation following reports that at least 10 illegal cigarette factories are currently active in different parts of the country. “We cannot allow …