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By Teddy Adarna Corruption in the Philippines did not begin as a scandal. It began as a survival tactic under colonizers. It matured into a strategy under dictators. It perfected itself into a system under democracy. Today, it is no longer a crime hiding in shadows. It is architecture. We are born into it. Schooled by it. Employed by it. Taxed by it. We do not merely live with corruption, we live inside its design. Once, corruption was bribery at the edges of power. Now, it is power itself. Once, a thief hid from the people. Now, he campaigns in daylight. Once, public office was duty. Now, it is a franchise. Every regime promises reform. Every regime inherits the same machine, and instead of dismantling it, they learn how to drive it better. The plunder grows more sophisticated. The language grows more polished. The theft grows quieter. And the people grow more tired. We are told we are resilient. But resilience has become a weapon used against us. Instead of building industries, we ex...

"The Philippine government has turned into a crime syndicate." ~Ed Alunan Marcos—A Burden to the Philippines Every day that Marcos remains in power is an added burden to the Philippines. There is no vision, no firm leadership, and no genuine fight against corruption. Instead of fixing the system, he protects his circle. Instead of addressing national problems, he creates new ones. The country deserves a leader who works, not one who excuses, evades, and weakens our institutions. Under this presidency, progress slows while corruption thrives—and the Filipino people carry the cost.The nation is left directionless—vulnerable to abuse of power, economic stagnation, and a growing sense of hopelessness. Good leadership lifts a nation; weak leadership drags it down. Sadly, under this presidency, the burden grows heavier each day.

By Rob Rances THERE’S HOPE FOR A PEOPLE LIVING UNDER AN OPPRESSIVE RULER… Because God intervenes.  Throughout Scripture, one truth rises again and again. God never abandons His people under unjust kings.  When rulers become oppressive, corrupt, or violent, God does not stay silent. He steps into history, intervenes in impossible moments, and vindicates those who trust in Him. It has always been this way. From Egypt to Babylon, from wicked kings to hostile empires, the story of God is the story of a faithful Defender who knows exactly how to deal with those who abuse power. WHEN RULERS OPPRESS, GOD RISES. In Egypt, Pharaoh hardened his heart, but God broke the power of the greatest empire of its time to free His people. In Canaan, rulers mocked the God of Israel, but God toppled cities and idols that stood against His truth. In the time of the Judges, every time wicked leaders rose, God raised deliverers—Deborah, Gideon, Samson—to shatter oppression and restore justice. Under...

By Doc. Allan Botuyan How Davao City got a modern P3.2-Billion Bucana Bridge at NO COST to the national government.  🇵🇭It is a Donation, Not a Debt ​No Repayment: Unlike a loan from the World Bank, Japan (JICA), or even other Chinese banks, the Philippine government does not have to pay this money back. It is a GIFT (Official Development Assistance or ODA). 🇵🇭​No Interest: Since there is no principal debt, there is no interest accumulating over time. It does not add to the national debt of the Philippines. The arrangement that made the Bucana Bridge "basically free" for the Philippines was structured through a specific diplomatic and financial instrument called an "Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation."   ​This wasn't a standard business deal; it was a government-to-government transaction designed so that no money ever needed to leave the Philippine treasury for the construction. ​Here is the "Architecture of the Deal" explaining how it ...

The "last" I hope... Jose Alejandrino “I hope the other members of the Supreme Court share Justice Lazaro’s thinking because the SC is the last bastion of hope for the Filipino people. The executive and legislative branches have shown themselves, with a few exceptions, not to be worthy of being the servants of the people corrupted by greed, power, and ambition. If the SC falls to the same temptation, there is no longer a future for the country.”

How Mindanao serves as a gateway to the Pacific By Don Luman-ag  4 December 2025 Geographical position: Mindanao's eastern coastline directly faces the Pacific Ocean. Provinces like Davao Oriental are explicitly described as "the Davao Region's gateway to the Pacific," and Surigao del Norte is situated at the "rim of the Asian continental shelf" facing the vast Pacific Ocean. Infrastructure for trade: Major hubs like Davao City and Cagayan de Oro have significant infrastructure for international trade. The Davao International Airport and a network of seaports in Davao, as well as the Port of Cagayan de Oro and the Mindanao Container Terminal, facilitate the movement of goods. Trade and commerce: These ports are vital for the region's agricultural exports, such as bananas, pineapples, and cacao, and also serve as major platforms for international trade connecting the Philippines to the broader Asia-Pacific region. Connectivity: Beyond trade, this location...

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By Caloy Bueno What does the 'Marcos bane' actually represent for the Filipino?   Perhaps it is a form of unrelenting punishment ~ imposed across political, economic, social, cultural, psychological, and all other plausible human traits comprising the collectively damaged consciousness of a people that suffered colonial subjugation (not just once, but twice in succession) ~ without experiencing the cathartic release of having truly won and deserved true independence from continual oppression and subjugation (across the very same human traits that were 'civilized' upon us by our 'superiors,' foreigners and local/native elites alike).   How come?!   Because up to this day and age, our people still feel within the core of their being the dead weight of unworthiness to be able to enjoy and benefit from any kind of freedom. We are still compelled by our centuries-old bowed backs to acknowledge our collective inferiority to 'superior' beings (particularly thos...

By Caloy Bueno After President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, Sr. declared martial law in 1972 to indefinitely extend his stay in office (his second and last term, according to the 1935 Constitution), he then imposed his kind of "rule of law" through absolute military domination over civilian institutions, and ultimately even the people's sovereign will. It certainly was not democratic governance at all ~ it was authoritarian rule, which still later became fully autocratic and dictatorial. However, it seemingly was tolerated by the Filipino people then; mostly because there had been no choice possible, other than meek acceptance of it ~ if only to avoid harassment (or worse) from the military that operated martial rule under Marcos.   While martial law was supposedly only a temporary/limited "fix" in duration (to quickly address and neutralize the 'clear and present danger' to the state), it was subsequently lifted years later through a return to civil govern...