The Provincial Capitol has a receiving stamp. It lacks a red pen, thus we are lending them ours. Councilor Jose Maria “Nene” Dela Llana wrote to Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. on September 24. He wants a government employee named Nereo Lujan disciplined. Before the discipline starts, someone has to check the homework. We asked two
September 29, 2026
Philippine politics has a well-worn playbook, tucked somewhere between “faking a neck brace” and “suddenly needing a wheelchair.” It’s the miraculous, eleventh-hour recantation. One day, you’re a hardened former Marine boldly testifying about hauling literal suitcases of flood control kickbacks to the mansions of the country’s political elite. The next day, you’re suddenly struck by a
August 25, 2026
The anti-epal era has arrived in Iloilo, and its first suspect is the most common name in the province. Lawyer Josiah David Quising has asked the Department of the Interior and Local Government to investigate Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu over “TLC ni Inday,” the city’s livelihood program for small vendors, mostly women. His theory,
June 2, 2026
Flying economy from Manila to Iloilo is already an exercise in endurance. Passengers must contend with cramped legroom, recycled air, and the existential dread of delayed baggage. But for local chief executives, the real turbulence begins when national officials are spotted in the aisle. Enter Anilao Mayor Ma. Teresa Debuque and DILG Undersecretary Jed Patrick
June 1, 2026
The PNP, in its eternal search for relevance, has discovered engagement metrics. Word in the ranks is that personnel are now being asked — not formally, of course, never formally — to like, share, and comment on the official PNP posts. Hashtags are involved. #PNP is one of them. There may be others. One imagines
April 28, 2026
There is a question this story refuses to leave alone, and we deserve an answer to it. A 40-year-old man identified only as Lloyd was arrested for the April 14 ambush in Pavia that killed Goldilocks plant manager Divine, 32, and wounded human resource officer Shane, 28. According to Iloilo Police Provincial Office chief Col.
April 27, 2026
Before My Way became a karaoke jump-scare, it was just a song. Then Filipinos got hold of it, handed someone a mic, added a bit of beer and too much confidence, and suddenly it became a full-contact sport. That is what makes Daily Guardian founding publisher Lemuel Fernandez’s take so good. He understood that My
March 21, 2026
“Insecurity is a loud stick in a quiet river. It pokes at the silt because it cannot handle the reflection staring back from the surface.” The river was quiet. Former Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, granted executive clemency by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in January 2025, had his Ombudsman penalties lifted and his eligibility to run
March 19, 2026
There are days when Iloilo City Hall feels less like a legislative chamber and more like a small royal court that accidentally wandered into a public building. Everybody is dressed for governance. Everybody says the right words about service. And then somebody opens his mouth and suddenly the whole room sounds like a family group
March 18, 2026
(This article was edited to correct the name and designation of Vice Mayor Love Baronda) The Iloilo City Council apparently declined to honor Vice Mayor Love Baronda — you know, the woman who just became the first Visayan and first female National Chairperson of the National Movement of Young Legislators, which is genuinely a big
March 13, 2026
The Philippines is handing PHP 1.19 trillion to local governments in 2026. That’s the biggest fiscal transfer in our history. Let that sink in. Before the Mandanas-Garcia ruling, LGUs were getting around PHP 695 billion in 2021. A year later, it jumped to roughly PHP 960 billion. And now we’ve blown past the trillion-peso mark.
February 28, 2026
There is a glaring disconnect in the narrative coming out of City Hall. On one hand, we are sold the image of Iloilo City as an economic powerhouse – the “6th richest” in the country with assets north of PHP 50 billion. On the other, we are told by City Councilor Rex Marcus Sarabia that
February 10, 2026