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Continue reading →: Budget Battles: PMA and PNPA’s Inclusion in Education Sparks Constitutional ShowdownBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 8, 2025 WHEN does funding education become a constitutional gray area? By including the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) and Philippine National Police Academy (PNPA) under the education sector in the 2025 budget, the Philippine government may have crossed that line. Supporters applaud this…
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Continue reading →: Sabah Revisited: Untangling Historical Claims and Legal Complexities in the Carpenter-Kiram Treaty DebateBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 7, 2024 SABAH: Ground Zero for the combustible mix of history, law, and geopolitics. At the heart of this contention lies the 1915 Carpenter-Kiram Treaty, now thrust back into the spotlight by Abraham Idjirani, convenor and spokesperson of the newly created Mindanao and…
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Continue reading →: Discount Denied: Addressing Gaps in Senior and PWD Rights EnforcementBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 7, 2025 BENEATH the promise of discounts and exemptions lies a hard truth: many Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are still fighting for their rights at checkout counters. As former Senator Kiko Pangilinan and House Speaker Martin Romualdez push for stricter enforcement, the spotlight…
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Continue reading →: The ₱6.7-Billion Lifeline: Can Cagayan de Oro Escape a Waterless Future?By Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 6, 2025 ₱6.7 BILLION. That’s the price tag of survival for Cagayan de Oro City’s water system—a staggering sum that underscores the severity of a looming crisis. As Interim General Manager Fermin Jarales warns, this isn’t just a budget issue; it’s a battle…
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Continue reading →: Philippine Economy 2024: A Mirage of Growth or a Path to Prosperity?By Louis ‘Barok‘ C Biraogo — January 5, 2025 LIKE a phoenix rising, the Philippine economy has soared to a 5.8% growth in 2024, leaving regional giants like Indonesia and China in its wake. Yet, as Secretary Arsenio Balisacan paints this glowing portrait, the fine print of this ‘economic miracle’…
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Continue reading →: Andres on Accountability: How the DOJ Plans to Tackle Crimes Against HumanityBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 5, 2025 BEHIND the headlines of high-profile extrajudicial killings lie unanswered questions and lives cut short. Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres’s bold vow to consult all involved—from witnesses to key resource persons—signals a long-overdue reckoning. Cases like the murder of former PCSO board secretary…
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Continue reading →: From Unity to Division: Marcos and Duterte’s Rift Shapes a New NSC OrderBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 4, 2025 WITH a sweeping reorganization of the National Security Council (NSC), President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. has stirred the pot of Philippine politics. The exclusion of the Vice President and former presidents from the council raises eyebrows—and alarm bells. Is this a…
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Continue reading →: Budget Deception or Strategic Allocation? Teachers Take on the Government Over Education FundingBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 3, 2025 IS THE Philippine government betraying its promise to prioritize education? The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) thinks so. Armed with a bold legal challenge, they’re calling out what they see as a glaring misrepresentation of the 2025 budget’s compliance with the Constitution.…
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Continue reading →: Ceza vs. Pogo Ban: Navigating the Legal and Economic CrossroadsBy Louis ‘Barok‘ C. Biraogo — January 3, 2025 DEFYING the President’s mandate, the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (Ceza) boldly claims immunity from Executive Order No. 74’s sweeping ban on Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos). At the heart of this audacious stance lies a legal labyrinth carved by Republic Act…
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Continue reading →: 2024: The Year Philippine Politics Reached Peak SurrealismIN THE pandemonium that is 2024, the Philippines has rebranded democracy into a high-stakes reality show: ‘Who Wants to Be a Scapegoat?’ The GMA Integrated News Year-End Report doubles as an instruction manual for surviving a plot twist every six hours. Think The Hunger Games—but with more press conferences and…






