Rep. Omar Duterte urges Filipinos to stand up for their rights

 

REP. Omar Duterte (second from left). (FB)

By Ivy Tejano

DAVAO CITY – Davao City second district Rep. Omar Vincent Duterte called on Filipinos on Thursday, Sept. 11, to stand up for their rights and hold government officials accountable while defending the Duterte family against what he described as long standing political attacks.

In The Hague, where he and his siblings, acting Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte II and Isabelle Duterte, hope to visit their grandfather, former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, Rep. Omar said public officials are answerable to the people who entrusted them with power.

“The Filipino people are clamoring for answers. If you think some officials act as if they are untouchable, there are no untouchables,” Rep. Omar said. “If you feel they no longer prioritize the Filipino people, fight for your rights. You all have the right to protest and to demand what is just.”

Rep. Omar said allegations against their family are not new, recalling that accusations were hurled as far back as the Arroyo administration and continued through the Aquino years. He added that they are still throwing issues at their name, even under the Marcos administration.

He responded to critics who continue to connect national controversies to the Duterte family, including the ongoing probe on flood control projects. As for his father, Rep. Paolo Duterte, Rep. Omar said people can visit Davao City and the concerned offices and see the projects themselves.

 “There are no ghost projects. The funds allocated to the first district were used for the projects intended for the people, and that has been our family’s legacy since the former President Duterte’s time—build, build, build,” Rep. Omar said.

He said that there is a certain absurdity in connecting every issue to them and that he believes that trolls or false claims can no longer mislead the Filipino people. He said everyone is looking for accountability, for the real source of the country’s problems—and everyone knows who that is.

Rep. Omar acknowledged the support extended to his grandfather, saying many Filipinos continue to stand by former President Duterte as he faces proceedings before the International Criminal Court.

“The people are hurt that, until now, former President Duterte is here in The Hague. All they wish is for him to come home, especially at his age,” Rep. Omar said, adding that the Duterte family is deeply grateful for everyone’s prayers and support.

TUPAD: A lifeline for the jobless

 

By Manila Bulletin

Published Sep 13, 2025 12:05 am

 | 

Updated Sep 12, 2025 06:23 pm

Copy Link

X

Facebook

Whatsapp

A job—even one that lasts only a few days—can mean the difference between food on the table or going to bed with an empty stomach for many Filipino families. In a country where poverty remains widespread, work—however temporary—offers dignity, security, and a crucial lifeline. With unemployment rate at 3.7 percent as of June 2025 (around 1.95 million Filipinos without jobs), the need for inclusive, accessible employment programs is an urgent concern.

The Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) program plays a vital role in addressing this. By offering short-term, community-based employment to those most in need, TUPAD provides displaced and disadvantaged individuals a chance to earn, contribute, and survive—especially during times of crisis or economic downturn.

DOLE is pushing to institutionalize TUPAD—transforming it from a temporary emergency response initiative into a permanent, fully funded government program. This move has the potential to become a transformative engine for social inclusion and sustainable development.

TUPAD is more than just a stopgap. It’s a program that has helped millions of Filipinos put food on their tables through dignified, though temporary, work. These projects—ranging from street cleaning, reforestation, irrigation repair, to the beautification of tourism spots—are tailored to each locality’s needs.

But TUPAD has its critics—and rightly so.

Some legislators and citizens have pointed out a troubling pattern: TUPAD beneficiaries standing idle, pretending to work just to complete the required number of days. This perception—often summarized in the phrase, “nagtatambay lang para kumita”— gives the program a bad name, and threatens to delegitimize its noble intent. It also has drawn attention to the program’s weaknesses in monitoring, implementation, and accountability, especially at the barangay level.

Still, this should not be a reason to scrap or downscale the program. Instead, it should fuel a stronger push for reform and more intelligent execution.

DOLE must ensure that every TUPAD beneficiary is actually performing meaningful work. This requires a clear set of deliverables, tighter project supervision, and a national tracking system. The Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) has recommended a TUPAD Information Management System (TIMS), which would contain beneficiary records, project outcomes, and real-time monitoring tools. This is not only feasible but essential in the age of digital governance.

“Institutionalizing the TUPAD program is a good initiative for workers’ welfare and protection,” PIDS senior research fellow Connie B. Dacuycuy said, commenting on House Bill (HB) No. 86.

Additionally, reforms should include incentives for partner organizations that go beyond providing temporary jobs and actually absorb workers into permanent roles. This would expand TUPAD from a band-aid solution to a true stepping stone to long-term employment.

Critics also rightly argue that TUPAD work often involves low-skilled, manual labor, such as sweeping streets or clearing debris. To address this, the program must diversify the types of jobs it offers. Skilled workers—such as electricians, artisans, IT technicians, or community health aides—should be engaged in tasks that match their qualifications. PIDS has also suggested involving social enterprises as co-partners to provide more sustainable, socially responsible employment.

In an economy still recovering from the ripple effects of the pandemic and inflation, Filipinos need more than empty promises; they need access to work that gives dignity, income, and purpose.

The future of TUPAD lies in its ability to evolve—from a reactive emergency fund to a proactive job creation mechanism. With proper reforms, oversight, and expanded partnerships, TUPAD can become a cornerstone of inclusive labor policy, not just a quick fix.

 

PAGASA warns of heavy rains over VisMin, parts of Southern Luzon this weekend due to LPA

A low-pressure area (LPA) spotted 540 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur will likely bring “significant rainfall” over the Visayas, Mindanao, and parts of Southern Luzon this weekend, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned on Friday, Sept. 12. Read more

 

PSEi dipped despite lower US inflation

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) dipped on the last trading day of the week as the market continued to trade sideways despite lower-than-expected United States (US) inflation. The main index shed 17.68 points, or 0.29 percent, to close at 6,109.21 on Friday, Sept. 12. Read more

The perfection of Christian morality

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

TO be upfront about this point, it is when we do everything for the glory of God when we can truly achieve the perfection of Christian morality. Our human acts should not just be done to pursue a purely natural goal, no matter how legitimate it is, as in being interested only in achieving efficiency, effectiveness, profitability, etc. It should all be done for the glory of God.

Aside from the matter of our human acts, which should in itself be in accordance to God’s laws, the intention of our human acts plays a crucial role. With it, we can determine whether we are truly good and moral, or are simply playing around, playing the game of hypocrisy, appearing righteous when we truly are not.

We know that with our intention, we can direct our acts to God, following what was once indicated by St. Paul, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever else you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31) That’s how our acts become good, or moral. Otherwise, they are bad, or at least dangerous.

This is so, since God, being the Creator, is the standard for everything. And more than the standard, he is, in fact, the very substance of what is good, true and beautiful, what is fair and just, what is perfection itself.

             

Nothing is good, true and beautiful, nothing is fair and just, nothing is perfect if it is not done with God and for God. In short, we need to refer all our acts to God. We have to make this affirmation very clear in our mind and do everything to make that ideal a reality.

It is actually when we do everything for the glory of God that we achieve the best condition of our life, where we can find peace and joy despite the challenges, trials and the possibility of committing mistakes in our life. It is when we do everything for the glory of God that we can work better.

We should see to it that we have the proper intention in all our human acts, avoiding simply being casual or cavalier about this responsibility. We can easily play around with it, since intentions are almost invariably hidden from public knowledge. We are urged to be most sincere in directing our intentions properly.

We can easily fall into hypocrisy and deception, doing what can appear good externally but is not internally, since we could refuse giving glory to God, which is the proper intention to have, and instead feed and stir our vanity, pride, greed, lust, etc.

We need to actively purify our intentions, since we have to contend with many spoilers in this regard these days. In fact, we just have to look around and see how openly opposed many people are of directing their intentions to God.

We really need to train ourselves to make God the beginning and end, the Alpha and Omega, of all our thoughts, words and deeds. We need to rectify our intentions and keep that rectitude all the way to the consummation of those intentions.

This will indeed require a lot of discipline. Very often we are simply dominated by worldly values, like efficiency, profitability, practicability, etc., which if not inspired by love for God will always fall short of what is proper to us.

Given our unreliable condition, rectifying and purifying our intentions should be a constant concern of ours if we truly are interested in achieving the perfection of Christian morality.

In the end, the perfection of Christian morality is when we do things with God and for God. And that means we do things with God’s grace, identifying ourselves fully with him.

Life Becomes Peaceful When You ✨🩷

 Life Becomes Peaceful When You ✨🩷

• Let go of what you can’t control.💫

• Stop seeking validation from others.💫

• Practice gratitude every day.💫

• Set boundaries and protect your energy.💫

• Focus on the present, not the past or future.💫

• Accept that not everything needs a reaction.💫

• Choose peace over drama.💫

• Forgive, but don’t forget the lesson.💫

• Prioritize your mental and physical well-being.💫

Sorrow vs. sadness

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

ON the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows, liturgically celebrated on September 15 that immediately follows the celebration of the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, we are reminded, with the help of Our Lady, about the distinction between sorrow and sadness that can befall us anytime.

It is important that we know this distinction so that we would also know how to handle these two conditions that definitely can significantly affect our lives. First of all, we should realize that we are meant to be joyful always, irrespective of how things go. And this can only take place if we truly are with Christ who said:

“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.” (Jn 15,10-11)

We need to see to it that we manage to be with joy, the joy of Christ, especially when we encounter the unavoidable suffering in this life. Joy is actually what is proper to us. This is where the distinction between sadness and sorrow can be made.

St. Thomas Aquinas once said that “sadness is a vice caused by a disordered self-love, and this self-love is not a special vice, but the general root of the vices.” We need to distinguish it from sorrow which is a kind of low feeling over the loss of someone or something or over some negative and difficult conditions that we can have. But it’s a low feeling that does not take away the joy of being with Christ.

That is why there can still be joy in suffering, in the cross, if we only know how to be with Christ in those situations. This is when we can be in sorrow but not in sadness. The former still has joy while the latter has lost it. With Christ, and with Our Lady who fully identified herself with her Son, we can manage to find meaning and the assurance of redemption, in suffering and all the way to death. We can still manage to have joy.

The challenge for us is how to be with Christ and with our Lady whenever we encounter difficulties and other negative conditions in our life. Yes, we can find joy in suffering only if we identify ourselves with Christ. With him, suffering becomes an act of selfless love that can take on anything. With him, suffering loses its purely negative and painful character, and assumes the happy salvific character.

We need to process this truth of our faith thoroughly, always asking for God’s grace and training all our powers and faculties to adapt to this reality. That’s why Christ told us clearly that if we want to follow him, we simply have to deny ourselves, carry the cross and follow him. There’s no other formula, given our wounded human condition.

This self-denial and carrying of Christ’s cross will enable us to see that suffering is obviously the consequence of all our sins—ours and those of others. Embracing suffering the way Christ embraced his cross unites our suffering with the redemptive suffering of Christ. 

Our motive for it is like that of Christ. It’s the desire to conquer that suffering and ultimately our death through his death and resurrection. It’s obeying God’s will just like Christ obeyed his Father’s will. “Not my will but yours be done.”

This is where we can be in sorrow but not in sadness.

Manila's A Mano rises to the world's top 50

 

Local pizzeria earns global acclaim for its faithful Italian flavors

By Feliciano Rodriguez III

Published Sep 10, 2025 09:11 am 

A Mano, a homegrown Italian restaurant in Manila, has climbed the global ladder of pizza greatness. At the 2025 edition of the 50 Top Pizza Awards, the restaurant ranked 49th in the world, a leap from its 70th place finish the year before.

The recognition adds to a string of honors. Earlier this year, A Mano took the 7th spot in the 50 Top Pizza Asia-Pacific list, up from 12th in 2024. It also won the Pastificio di Martino Award in 2024, which celebrates the best pasta program in the world. “To perfection,” is how co-director Albert Sapere of 50 Top Pizza described the winners of that prize. A MANO also claimed the same award in the Asia-Pacific region last year.

Founded in 2019 by Amado Forés, A Mano has built its reputation on fresh, faithful Italian cooking crafted by Filipino hands. Amado, who also serves as CEO of AF Hospitality, said the rise in ranking is a tribute to the team’s dedication. “It’s an immense honor for us to be part of 50 Top Pizza. Rising from the 70th to the 49th spot is a feat I attribute to our hardworking team — expertly made by Filipino hands, consistently producing world-class quality — and it motivates us to keep innovating while staying true to serving fresh and faithful Italian,” Amado said in a press statement.

Amado Forés at the 50 Top Pizza stage

The 50 Top Pizza guide is considered the most influential of its kind, with rankings determined by food critics, experts, and industry professionals across the world. The awards celebrate excellence in pizza-making, whether rooted in tradition or pushing toward modern styles.

AF Hospitality, the group behind A Mano, also manages restaurants such as Ramen Ron and Steak & Frice. Since July 2025, the company has carried on the legacy of the late Chef Margarita Forés, taking stewardship of her well-loved brands including Lusso, Grace Park, Margarita Florals, and Cibo.

Forés said the recognition is a reminder of what the restaurant strives for. A Mano expressed gratitude to the 50 Top Pizza organization and to loyal guests who continue to support its pursuit of authentic Italian flavors made with the finest ingredients.

Chef Jonathan Redoblado, Amado Forés, and Chef Erick Marron

Is the Internet Worth Saving?

By Carl Javier

Published Sep 12, 2025 08:06 am

From https://siglaresearch.org/

I’m not sure how you feel, but after a quarter century of being chronically online I’m tired of the internet. Most days it’s a lot of drivel, toxicity, and negative emotion. Sometimes I put my phone down after scrolling my feeds and I feel icky. 

Maybe I am an old man screaming at clouds, reminiscing about the early days of the internet when we believed in “sharing economies”, the power of social networks (before social media of course), when we saw message boards, blogs, and micro-blogging as democratizing forces, timelines meant to help you keep in touch with your friends as opposed to endless algorithmically-driven feeds; honestly I could go on.  

In my “shakes fist at today’s internet” despair, I stumbled upon a post on IG from Sigla Research Center that advocated for the potential of online spaces. It gave me hope, providing a way forward for online engagement. 

My feelings are valid

I got to sit down with Ferdinand Sanchez II, the Head of Public Engagement at Sigla and a researcher on disinformation and deliberative democracy. He explained that, “Sigla is a third space for various sectors like academics, activists, civil society organizations, and even the public,” where the goal is to “reflect on our current socio-political realities and work collectively toward a flourishing and healthy public sphere...” 

Ferdinand Sanchez II, Head of Public Engagement at Sigla

This public sphere of course includes the entirety of the internet where we feel so much divisiveness and what we can easily call an unhealthy public square, rife with disinformation, toxic attacks based on identity politics, and more. Alongside that behavior is the increasing prevalence of AI slop. Thanks to all these factors, you’re more likely to see boosted posts, ads, and triggering posts from strangers than you are posts from your actual friends. 

These things also contribute to real people posting less. Your post gets no traction because it doesn’t feed the algorithm. And if it does get traction, you run the risk of drawing the ire of the crowd, who could hate on anyone for anything at this point. Ferdz acknowledges that he hears this a lot, that there is a “palpable anxiety when it comes to posting online” because of anticipated reactions from other people. So why risk posting and engaging if you might get mobbed? So what happens is that people are posting less, and if they do post, they are mostly talking within their own silos or echo chambers. 

As Sanchez explains, “...now we're more polarized communities or societies where just one word would trigger a lot of things, right?” But he believes the challenge is to "pause and reflect and engage,” and to avoid “dehumanizing others or trying to disregard others just because they hold a different viewpoint than us.”  

He explains,  "I guess that's how the internet reflects our everyday society…all the expectations, the cultural norms are bounced into these…spaces…And it's because of the way it is framed or structured,...The platforms or the algorithms incentivize” emotional and vitriolic things.

So why stay online?

From https://siglaresearch.org/

If it’s so toxic there, if everything makes us feel so awful, then why hang around? Sanchez reminds me that the internet isn’t some monolithic thing, “It’s still man-made” so it can be reclaimed. 

In the syllabus that Sigla has created, which focuses on disinformation, their last lesson is on the ongoing potential of online spaces. For example, he points to LGBTQ+ communities who have used platforms to connect in ways that conservative societies offline would not allow. 

The main way we make the internet better is understanding our agency. I was ready to quit because I felt I had no power. But Fedz tells me, “We can reclaim, we need to recognize what’s working and criticize what’s not working.” He says one thing that we can see working is user moderation in spaces like Reddit. 

He says we need to reimagine technology, “not for profit, not for human exploitation, but in ways that are centered on our needs.” He invites us to imagine a rebuilt internet where “each and every one of us has a voice and everyone has a stake.” We both end with the idea that a good internet culture doesn't polarize, but serves as a space where societies can flourish.

PAGASA warns of heavy rains over VisMin, parts of Southern Luzon this weekend due to LPA

By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz

Published Sep 12, 2025 08:53 am   

A low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) will likely bring “significant rainfall” over the Visayas, Mindanao, and parts of Southern Luzon this weekend, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned on Friday, Sept. 12.

As of 3 a.m., the LPA was spotted 540 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

Its trough or extension is already bringing scattered rains and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Oriental.

“Although its chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours remains low, we are not discounting the possibility of intensification beyond that period,” PAGASA weather specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia said.

She explained that PAGASA is monitoring two possible scenarios: the weather disturbance may cross the Visayas and Mindanao as an LPA, or it may strengthen into a tropical cyclone before reaching land.

Regardless of its development, the LPA is expected to bring significant rainfall to affected areas this weekend, de la Cruz-Galicia said.

In addition, the easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean, may continue to affect Aurora and Quezon, bringing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and the rest of the Visayas may also experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, while localized thunderstorms are likely over the rest of Mindanao.

PAGASA urged the public to stay alert for possible flash floods and landslides, especially during moderate to heavy rainfall or severe thunderstorms.

These thunderstorms typically last up to three hours and may bring intense rain, strong winds, lightning, and sometimes hail.