Davao City councilors are looking at strengthening the penalties and enforcement mechanisms in the proposed ordinance against illicit tobacco and vapor products, with discussions emphasizing that illegal trade should not be treated merely as a minor violation comparable to ordinary anti-smoking offenses. The issue was raised during the latest committee deliberations on the proposed Davao…
The Senate recently passed on Second Reading a bill offering incentives to private developers to build affordable rental units for poor and low‑income families. Sponsored by Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Senate Bill No. 2507, passed Wednesday, gives life to the Constitution’s mandate to government and the private sector to work together in addressing the country’s…
“Unprecedented events occur regularly—be prepared”. – Seth Klarman With all the Philippine economic indicators going haywire – rising inflation, depreciating peso, increasing fuel prices, worsening unemployment/underemployment, etc – how financially secure and confident are you to face life’s uncertainties such as job loss, unexpected medical expenses, natural calamities, pre-mature death and bad investments? Whether we…
The presence of Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte in the impeachment trial reveals the disparity of knowledge in governance between him, members of the Senate and lawyers of the prosecution. Without him and anyone in that Senate hall knowing what the prosecution did was to project the image of yet another Duterte sibling that…
DAVAO CITY – Davao City is targeting to complete its proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) facility by 2028 to 2029, with the project expected to generate about 13 megawatts of electricity, a city official said on Friday. Speaking at Isyu Karon at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Councilor Temujin Ocampo, chairperson of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources,…
Speaking of demeanor, it was San Juan Rep. and prosecutor Bel Zamora whose courtroom disposition was put in the spotlight. Later, it was the turn of Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte. I will not dignify any allusion to sexism simply because the subject was a woman and in another day is a man. They were not…
In an impeachment trial, the public deserves more than dramatic announcements, unexpected withdrawals, and unanswered questions. It deserves evidence, transparency, and accountability. The latest development in the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has raised a troubling question: Are those entrusted with pursuing accountability fully conscious of their responsibility to the Filipino people? On…
An ordinary citizen’s plea for the rule of law I am not a lawyer, nor a constitutional expert. I am simply an ordinary Filipino who believes that when political arguments become too loud and confusing, there is one fundamental document we should return to: the 1987 Constitution. The recent controversies surrounding the impeachment proceedings have…
In a quick trip to Cabiao, Nueva Ecija last July and seeing the vast tracks of idle land, I called up my friend, Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III, to consider a unique project which would generate Solar Power while producing High-Value Vegetables in Photovoltaic Greenhouses in Agrarian Reform Communities all over the country. Conrad’s…
Photo courtesy: CIO * DepEd has budget but City Gov’t builds more classrooms DAVAO CITY — Davao City continues to face a classroom shortage of more than 4,000, prompting efforts to accelerate school construction and address documentation issues that delay the use of public funds. The Department of Education (DepEd) data from 2025 showed the extent of…
