OF TREES AND FOREST In 1992, I reluctantly decided to run for the lone congressional seat in the then-district of Las Piñas-Muntinlupa. My introduction to politics came when my father-in-law, Congressman Filemon Celestino Aguilar, fell ill. As the May 1992 elections neared, people were busy...
The Senate formally honored BINI on Wednesday, May 6, after adopting a resolution recognizing the group’s historic appearance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California last month. During the plenary session, senators welcomed the eight-member P-pop act as they approved Senate...
Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson on Wednesday, May 6, said more pieces of evidence may be submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman as part of an ongoing inquiry into alleged irregularities in public works projects. Lacson disclosed that aside from previously discussed matters,...
Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Tuesday, May 5, reiterated anew why he decided not to sign the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee 's partial committee report, which he called “unfinished” and lacking collective judgment. In a manifestation, Marcoleta asked if Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo...
Amid heated discussions around the Senate Blue Ribbon panel’s partial committee report on Tuesday, May 5, an unexpected offer of praise was made by Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III to Senator Erwin Tulfo for his grasp of parliamentary procedure. This was after Tulfo stated that he...
OF TREES AND FOREST In school, when we were kids, we were presented with a magnificent, almost divine image of Mayon Volcano. In our textbooks, Mayon is often described in superlatives. Rising 2,463 meters above Albay, its near-perfect cone shape has made it one of the most recognizable natural...
Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III says the Senate will conduct a pre-trial should the House of Representatives transmit the articles of impeachment against Vice President Sara Duterte, drawing from lessons learned during past proceedings. In a radio interview over DZBB on Monday, May 4,...
If an impeached official resigns while his or her trial in the Senate is underway, legal uncertainties emerge—particularly on whether the case becomes moot or if disqualification from future office remains on the table. Based on the impeachment primer from the University of the Philippines...
Despite Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto III 's intention to convene the impeachment court at once, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo "Ping" Lacson said on Saturday, May 2, that the trial proper for respondent Vice President Sara Duterte may not begin until June. Lacson said that it...
OF TREES AND FOREST I have seen the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) Social Weather Survey of March 24-31, 2026 which found that 50 percent of adult Filipinos felt that their lives got worse, 26 percent said it was the same, and 23 percent saying it got better, compared to twelve months ago....
OF TREES AND FOREST Going to the movies is no longer the automatic weekend ritual it once was, even though cinemas have never looked—or sounded—better. Box office revenues remain disappointing, not just in the country but globally, as more and more audiences turn to streaming screens at home. A...
DAVAO CITY – Davao City Rep. Paolo Duterte on Tuesday, April 7, questioned Senate President Vicente "Tito" Sotto 's sudden support for a proposed joint oil exploration between the Philippines and China. In a statement, Duterte said he respects Sotto "as a fraternal brother" and urged him...
