THE Philippine economy grew by 2.8% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2026, driven primarily by strong domestic household consumption and services, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority. The government’s economic growth target for this year is set at 5 to 6%, taking into account the heightened oil crisis. This was the
May 27, 2026
IN slang lingo, Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano may soon be dropped like a “hot potato” because of a national embarrassment that the Senate suffered following a coup that catapulted him to the top post. The leadership coup saw Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano toppling predecessor Vicente “Tito” Sotto III by a
May 25, 2026
A news report quoted Pope Leo XIV speaking on cremation in a homily. “Cremation is permitted,” he said, “but the ashes must be treated with reverence and dignity. Ashes should be placed in a sacred place in a cemetery or columbarium.” It’s a reiteration of a Vatican decree authorized by his predecessor,
May 22, 2026
NEWLY-MINTED Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, to my mind, is worried over another leadership change that might enable his predecessor, Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto, to regain the Senate presidency. For the record, it would make him the shortest-serving Senate head, since it has only been one week since May 11 when he
May 18, 2026
AS I was writing this yesterday, the mainstream media would not confirm the word of mouth that Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa had escaped the police dragnet that would have arrested him in compliance with an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. Did he escape with
May 15, 2026
TWO events tethered us to our TV sets last Monday: the live coverage of the impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte at the House of Representatives and the coup that saw Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano take over from Vicente “Tito” Sotto as Senate president. Strange as it seems, both exercises of suffrage
May 13, 2026
MY niece Lenny – having spent elementary to secondary levels in private schools – asked me why we (referring to her mother and us her mom’s siblings) had studied in public schools during our time. I frankly told the young girl that since our own parents were not as affluent as her
May 11, 2026
THE announcement of Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo that she would not seek the presidency in 2028 should derail the mind-conditioning political surveys pitting her against Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio for President in 2028. The surveys also showcase Senator Raffy Tulfo as another frontliner. Since it’s only Inday Sara who has declared
May 8, 2026
IN my previous column, I expressed strong belief that if she decides to run again for President, now Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo would win, since she had been deprived of that position because of the questionable win of the “uniteam” of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio
May 6, 2026
TWO entertainment celebrities – Sharon Cuneta and Vice Ganda — have publicly urged Naga City Mayor Leni Robredo to reconsider running again for president in 2028 despite her announced decision to remain focused on re-election for mayor. “Please reconsider,” Sharon asked her in an Instagram post. Why not? Such a rerun could
May 4, 2026
AUSTRALIA, the “country down under,” has an estimated 3.9 million users of prohibited drugs, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). But drug abuse is not considered a serious crime but a disease calling for medical attention. In fact, medicinal marijuana is legal with a doctor’s prescription. Simple possession
May 1, 2026
AT age 25, the Daily Guardian has earned a unique niche in community journalism. It is one of the two Iloilo City-based daily newspapers that have survived the test of time while blending with online media. I doff my hat to the persistent founder and editor-in-chief of this paper — Lemuel Fernandez
April 29, 2026