BY ALEX ALAGON
I don’t know how true the collective noun is, but a gathering of baboons is supposedly called a congress. That or whatever, I’ve no complaints. I know myself as an easy-going and willing kind of guy who would rather not rock the boat and instead accept anything. They be apes, chimps, orangutans, or gorillas, our distant cousins, they say. I’ve no fights with any of them.
But tagging their social grouping and calling it a congress? Not only does that hit closer to home, it’s grossly unfair… to them. They’ve done nothing to be put in the same category as some of our own collection of lying and thieving representatives and senators.
As my son and I parked one morning at McDonald’s Mintal he casually asked how come the roadway, every time we drive by, noticeably appears to be slowly disintegrating with each day.
That’s the thing, anak, I began. Let’s just suppose we have a hypothetical budget of P10 million allocated for a length of road somewhere. Recent as well as past investigations show, if you deduct from the total of that money already-apportioned percentages for some local politicians, several officials of the government agency involved, the contractor etc., all that remains of the original budget is what will be used for the actual construction.
Then, in order to cope with that depleted budget, the only way now is to use cheaper or sub-standard materials. Sadly, the usual excuses of floods and rains as the main causes of disrepair that we see may be partly true, but the real cause can be traced to the downgraded quality of the project, with its cut budget. That’s corruption for you.
It’s not like that new space rock hurtling toward our planet. On the contrary, in our country, it must have made landfall a long time ago. My generation’s first brush with corruption, I’m guessing, must have come during the first edition of Marcos, with propaganda on media already hitting hard and exposing a dirty spot here and there. Tagalog komiks, for instance, were only too eager to highlight illegal practices and portray dirty politicians. Not a direct exposure, but just enough to make a rough sketch.
However, we fail to recognize that little versions of it exist in our day-to-day. Gaining favors, for one, which is built-in into our psyche, is a lesser 0.1 version. Others, you have to see for yourself, using only the criteria of 1.) Is it rightful, and 2.) Does it only benefit you?
On the way home, I spotted a long line of tricycles and other smaller public transports parked by the side of the road leading up to our subdivision, with their drivers watching intently what’s up ahead. As though on cue, I looked down at my phone on my lap to read an FB shoutout: warning – checkpoint in Uraya.
So many things to glean from this. For one, those drivers by the road, I’m willing to bet, must either be lacking their licenses or official certificates of registration, and they’re waiting for the cops to leave.
Clearly lawbreakers these are, kolorum, in local-speak. The FB warning also indicates, not only is this type of lawbreaking tolerated, but there’s already a system to it. Now, going back to our cries of putting an end to corruption in government, I know our little 0.1 isn’t up to the level of those billion-peso burglars, but where do you think they started from?
- Baste seeks to make DOJ secretary accountable over FPRRD’s arrest
ACTING Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte filed a disbarment complaint against Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro for the arrest and the alleged kidnapping of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
The complaint, filed on Thursday, Oct. 2, named both cabinet officials, along with other high-ranking government officials, for their alleged roles in the “illegal arrest and extra-judicial rendition” of the former President to The Hague, Netherlands.
Duterte’s lawyer, Atty. Israelito Torreon filed the disbarment complaint, accusing the officials of violating the Philippine Constitution and the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for lawyers.
In an interview with the media, Torreon confirmed the nature of the case without detailing specifics, stating it is “related to the kidnapping as well as expulsion of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte towards The Hague, Netherlands.”
The complaint named as respondents Remulla, Teodoro, DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty, and Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon.
The younger Duterte maintained that the circumstances surrounding the arrest and transfer of the former President to the International Criminal Court (ICC) constitute grave breaches of law and professional ethical standards.
Remulla has a pending application for the Office of the Ombudsman position following the retirement of former Associate Justice Samuel Martires on July 27, 2025. The Judicial Bar Council, which shortlists the names, requires that the applicant must have no pending cases to be considered for the post.
SENATORS on Wednesday adopted a resolution formally appealing to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to place former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte under house arrest, citing humanitarian concerns regarding his advanced age and deteriorating health.
Senate Resolution No. 28 (also referred to as SRN 144 in public records) was passed with a commanding vote of 15 affirmative, 3 negative, and 2 abstentions during a plenary session on Oct. 1, 2025, urging the ICC to provide relief while Duterte faces trial for alleged crimes against humanity.
The resolution, jointly introduced by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri and Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, specifically requests the ICC to designate a qualified physician to assess the former president’s medical condition.
They said that a house arrest or similar arrangement can be considered if continued detention would compromise his health.
In sponsoring the measure, Zubiri stressed that the resolution aligned with the government’s long-standing tradition of assisting Filipinos facing legal challenges overseas.
Several senators spoke in support of the measure, framing it as an issue of compassion and national solidarity:
Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who served as the PNP chief under the Duterte administration, urged his colleagues to set aside political differences and unite behind the resolution, describing the former president as his “second father.”
Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go appealed to ensure that Duterte is not deprived of the chance to spend the remainder of his life in his homeland.
Senator Imee Marcos called for the resolution’s adoption by invoking “humanitarian compassion and judicial mercy.”
Senator Rodante Marcoleta echoed this sentiment, appealing for the swift adoption of the resolution to uphold compassion alongside justice, though he affirmed that legal proceedings must continue.
Not an Exoneration
While expressing full support for the house arrest appeal, Senator Jinggoy Estrada clarified that the resolution should be viewed strictly as a humanitarian measure and does not absolve Duterte of the allegations before the court.
He urged his colleagues to view the measure as a humanitarian appeal, aligned with the Senate’s tradition of aiding Filipinos in legal distress abroad.
The adoption of the Senate resolution comes as Duterte’s legal team has already been pursuing requests before the ICC, citing the former leader’s purported cognitive and health issues to argue for interim release or an indefinite adjournment of proceedings.
The Senate’s move represents a formal, non-binding political appeal from a coequal branch of government to the international body.
Photo courtesy of Senator Migz Zubiri Facebook page
VICE PRESIDENT Sara Z. Duterte issued a message of sincere prayer and sympathy to the residents of Cebu and other parts of the Visayas region following a recent earthquake.
In her statement, released on Wednesday night, the Vice President addressed the pain and hardship being faced by the affected communities, offering comfort amid the tragedy.
“To my brothers and sisters in Cebu and other islands in the Visayas,” the Vice President wrote, “I extend my heartfelt prayer and sympathy to all affected by the earthquake that rocked the Visayas.”
Acknowledging the deep impact of the disaster, Vice President Duterte urged the victims not to lose hope, stating that their resilience should serve as a source of strength and inspiration for everyone.
The Vice President stressed that she and her family are “fervently praying for your safety,” particularly as the region continues to experience aftershocks.
The message specifically asked for comfort for those who have lost loved ones and for relief and strength for families coping with property damage.
“May you find strength in one another,” she concluded, “and may the legendary Visayan warmth and resilience shine through amidst this deep sorrow.”
The office of the Vice President (OVP) has extended its deepest condolences to the victims of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck the provinces of Cebu and Leyte on the night of Sept. 30, and announced the immediate mobilization of its regional offices to deliver assistance.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, the city government of Davao deploys relief and aid teams to Cebu province on Thursday, October 2, following the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the province on September 30.
Moreover, the death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Cebu has risen to 72, according to the latest figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) released Thursday morning, October 2, at 8:30 a.m.
Authorities also reported that at least 294 people were injured during the quake, which caused widespread damage across the province. Emergency response teams and ambulances have been deployed to affected areas as search and rescue efforts continue.
THE CITY government will sign a memorandum of agreement with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and Davao Light and Power Company to provide electrician skills training under Project Barangay Electrician Skills Training (BEST).
The 21st City Council approved an ordinance on Tuesday authorizing the city mayor to sign the agreement with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. and Davao Light and Power Company on the said project.
Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Reputation Enhancement Department head, said the project is a community-based training program to equip beneficiaries on basic electrician skills.
Davao Light has partnered with the city government through Peace 911 to identify the beneficiaries for the project.
The training will prioritize former rebels or their family members upon the recommendation of the barangays.
“During our consultative meeting, we found that one of the needs of the FRs is skills training, so being in the power industry, the electrician skills training is what we can offer,” Edillon said in an interview during the 21st City Council regular session on Tuesday.
Aside from FRs, the farm workers are also considered beneficiaries to augment their livelihood during the off-cropping season.
“One of the objectives of the project is to ensure there are barangay-based skilled electricians in far-flung communities so that there are home-grown skilled workers the community can tap,” Edillon said.
The project is in cooperation with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority XI, which will provide the training and assessment afterwards.
Following the assessment, the beneficiaries will be able to secure a National Certificate II and be ready for employment.
“If they secure the NC II they are ready for employment or do freelancing to augment their livelihood,” he said.
The Aboitiz Foundation earmarked P1.5 million for the project to train 60 beneficiaries for three batches. Project BEST already produced 168 TESDA-certified electricians when it launched in 2012, but stopped during the pandemic.
Photo courtesy of Aboitiz Foundation on e.Lab project
By Arlene Joy C. Dumigsi (The SpEd Torch)
The 21st Davao City Council through Councilor Atty. Antoinette “Petite” Principe penned a resolution to recognize the International achievements of young mathletes and science whiz from the Davao City Special School (DCSS) who recently represented our city and country in the International Equilibrium Science Olympiad (IESO) and the Philippine International Mathematical Olympiad (PhiMO) 2025 held last September 19-22, 2025.
“ The City Government of Davao is truly honored to celebrate this great joy and pride of global excellence , competence and representation made by five young, gifted scholars who won one gold award and six silver awards in their respective grade level category,” said Councilor Principe.
The City Government of Davao with the Department of Education celebrates the achievements of the youth and for continually empowering the future leaders and innovators of the city. The International Equilibrium Science Olympiad (IESO) Finals 2025 winners are Escleto, Daenerys Remfort – Silver (Coaches Charyna Reginaldo Sarsar S. Drogo & Raceme Vegloure Tayag); Magalong, Jesugel Jamir – Silver (Coach Arlene Joy Catubig Dumigsi); Tripoli, Dalreek Sven – Gold, Podium Finisher, 1st Runner Up (Coach Sheila Mae Pansoy); Escleto, Danielle Lakshmi – Silver (Coach Sheila Mae Pansoy)
Additionally, the Philippine International Math Olympiad (PhiMO) Finalists are Duron, Mikhael Jacob – Silver (Coach Sir Nahtaniel Pablico, and Dr Paulino Angga); Tripoli, Dalreek Sven – Silver (Coach Sir Nahtaniel Pablico, and Dr Paulino Angga); Escleto, Danielle Lakshmi – Silver (Coach Dr Paulino Angga)
“ I am very happy and grateful for the support of the City Council through Atty. Antoinette Principe and we are looking forward for a productive results for the next competition. My deepest gratitude as well, to the untiring efforts of the coaches, the support and cooperation of the parents of these young and smart learners of DCSS,” Principal Maria Ligaya R. Romero said.
The DCSS Math and Science team are preparing for another international contest come October and November this year.
Photos by MaRe Escleto
MANILA — Salesforce, the world’s leading AI CRM, today announced that Globe Business, the enterprise arm of Globe Telecom Inc., a leading telecom and digital solutions provider in the Philippines, is leveraging the power of Salesforce’s deeply unified platform. The collaboration aims to deliver personalized insights and recommendations throughout the entire customer experience journey, from acquiring new customers to providing customer support.
Following the adoption of a comprehensive suite of solutions, including Service Cloud, Sales Cloud, and Einstein for Service, Salesforce has helped Globe Business reduce its overall customer service workload by 34 percent. This frees up employees to focus on more complex, high-value customer interactions.
Globe Business has also piloted Agentforce, the agentic layer of the Salesforce Platform, to equip its sales teams in the field with instant access to critical, specific, and relevant customer data, enabling them to better understand, anticipate, and address customer needs.
Transforming customer service with service cloud and AI
Harnessing automation and AI, Globe Business has reduced the volume of manual tasks. This allows its employees to deliver faster, more effective, and personalized support to their customers.
With Service Cloud, Agentforce, and Einstein for Service, incoming emails from customers are automatically triaged and classified using AI and routed to the right team for resolution. Customer service representatives are also leveraging generative AI capabilities embedded in the platform to respond to emails and request more information to classify and assign cases accurately.
Following the deployment, Globe Business successfully reduced the volume of customer support tickets by 28 percent by eliminating duplicate cases in the system, lowering the manual workload of its technical support services team by 34 percent. A standout 80% of cases are now accurately classified by intent – what the customer is seeking help for.
“Salesforce has become a pivotal part of our customer experience strategy, enabling our teams to move beyond manual tasks and focus on truly understanding and connecting with our customers,” said KD Dizon, Head of Globe Business. “We will continue transforming with AI to deliver exceptional and personalized experiences. Seeking customer feedback and being transparent about our use of AI is important to our strategy and keeping customers at the heart of our business.”
“Customer expectations in the telecommunications industry have never been higher, especially in the areas of speed and service quality. Globe Business is leading the charge in the Philippines by embracing AI as a core driver of its transformation journey. We are committed to empowering trailblazers like Globe Business with the AI advantage to shape the future of customer and business innovation,” said Abraham Cuevas, Regional Vice President and Country Manager, Philippines, Salesforce.
The Philippines is at a pivotal moment in its digital journey. Demand for speed, reliability, and reach is more urgent than ever. It’s clear that traditional infrastructure models can no longer carry the weight of what the country aspires to become: a regional hub for connectivity, cloud, and content. The problem isn’t ambition; it’s coordination. The very networks meant to connect people and ideas are often built in silos, but solo runs won’t win the future. It will be shaped by ecosystems that share, scale, and build together.
This vision of shared infrastructure sat at the heart of a breakout session during the 2025 Globe Business G Summit. The session, “Unlocking Powerful Connections to Fuel the Future of Philippine Infrastructure,” convened industry leaders to challenge the status quo. The objective was to co-envision a country where fiber grids, data centers, and cable systems no longer compete for territory. They issued a call for the industry to work in sync to serve the nation at scale.
Globe Business’ Wholesale Division, through Vice President Cocoy Claravall, outlined this strategy in motion. From new Festoon loops in Luzon to expanded subsea capacity via the Philippine Domestic Submarine Cable Network (PDSCN) and Asia Link Cable, Globe presented a roadmap that places reach and transparency at the core. Central to this strategy is the Managed Optical Fiber Network (MOFN), a model that allows hyperscalers and carriers to tailor their connections without losing the benefits of a managed service. ProAssure, a proactive platform designed to preempt issues before they affect customers, was also discussed as part of this shift toward more intelligent and accountable infrastructure.
“Our role has expanded. We’re no longer just connecting endpoints anymore,” said Claravall. “We’re enabling ecosystems from subsea to cloud, from enterprise to end user. And that means building infrastructure that’s flexible and future-ready.”
Ciena’s Head of Sales Engineering in ASEAN, Kian Soon Wong brought a technical lens to the discussion, demonstrating how MOFN and Managed Spectrum enable customers to move beyond fixed contracts and build networks to scale as needed around real needs. The model empowers clients to choose their own equipment, monitor network health in real time, and scale on demand, all while the operator handles the heavy lifting of deployment and maintenance.
“MOFN is about balance,” Wong explained. “It gives customers control without the operational burden, and gives operators like Globe a way to deliver more agile services. It’s a collaboration model—not just a tech solution.”
From the data center side, STT GDC Philippines CEO Carlo Malana spoke of how the country is gaining traction as a hyperscale destination. He pointed to STT GDC’s Cavite and Fairview campuses as proof points for hyperscalers looking to deploy AI and cloud workloads in-country.
“The runway is long and the momentum is building,” Malana said. “Philippine infrastructure is no longer aspirational, it’s operational. The question now is how we scale that responsibly and fast enough to meet demand.”
For Globe, the role of a telco is no longer just to connect, it’s to co-create. KD Dizon, Head of Globe Business, emphasized that this is not just a commercial opportunity but a national one.
“Infrastructure is more than physical assets, it’s about trust, alignment, and the will to build beyond our individual interests,” Dizon said. “If we want real digital progress in the Philippines, we need to co-create the grid that will carry it.”
The session closed with a Disruptor Dialogue featuring Claravall, Wong, Malana, and Globe’s Janice Ortega. The conversation dug deeper into what it would take for the Philippines to compete in a world shaped by AI and real-time applications: seamless interconnection, policy alignment, and joint investments across multiple players.
The message was clear: this is no longer a one-player game. Infrastructure must now be approached as a shared national grid. And the Philippines, with the proper coordination, is ready to lead it.
IN LINE with its advocacy of promoting safer roads in the country, the Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association, Inc. (MDPPA) recently held two major road safety seminars reflecting the organization’s long-standing commitment to building a culture of responsible riding through education and community partnership.
Last August 15, MDPPA teamed up with the Mandaluyong City-based Shigi Shigi Riders Club, Inc., to conduct a road safety seminar and poster-making contest at the Highway Hills Integrated High School in Mandaluyong City.
The seminar gathered 146 attendees, composed of students from Grades 8 to 12, offering a comprehensive discussion on key topics such as safe driving practices, personal and vehicle safety, pedestrian awareness, road courtesy, and understanding traffic rules and road infrastructure.
“Teaching road safety at a young age is critical because it lays the foundation for responsible behavior on the road. By reaching students as early as high school, we can influence not just how they move through traffic today but also how they will drive, ride, and walk safely in the future. It’s about shaping a generation that values caution, respect, and awareness as everyday habits,” said Richard Victoria, road safety advocate and MDPPA Road Safety Committee secretary.
Aside from the seminar, the event also encouraged student participation and creativity through a poster-making contest that reinforced the seminar’s core message. Through the learning session, MDPPA aimed to instill road safety awareness at an early age and shape a new generation of road users grounded in accountability and shared responsibility.
MDPPA held another seminar last August 24, this time bringing its road safety advocacy to Cavite as part of the 2025 anniversary celebration of Motorsiklo Xklusibo’s “Walang Mintis sa Disisais.” Held at Megaworld Maple Grove in General Trias, the road safety talk focused on real-world issues faced by motorcycle riders, including the most neglected traffic signs, intersection etiquette, and the importance of wearing proper helmets.
“Sometimes, it’s the little things we overlook that put us most at risk,” said Victoria. “Many riders miss important traffic signs or forget how to navigate intersections safely, even if they’ve been riding for years. That’s why we focus on real-world issues like these during our seminars, which beginner and veteran riders alike encounter every day but may not always pay attention to.”
To make it more engaging and rewarding for the attendees, who consisted of motorcycle enthusiasts and other stakeholders in the industry, the event also featured exclusive deals and rider-friendly treats that highlighted the close-knit and vibrant riding community in the country. These included booths by various motorcycle brands, manufacturers, and dealers, as well as test rides for some of the newest motorcycle models in the market currently.
These seminars are the latest in a series of knowledge-sharing engagements held in partnership with various motorcycle stakeholders from all over the country and are part of MDPPA’s wider initiative to promote rider education as a key pillar of road safety.
For more than 50 years now, MDPPA has been at the forefront of advocating safer roads through awareness campaigns, public engagement, and education-based outreach programs. As the landscape of mobility continues to evolve, with more motorcycles on the road and new challenges such as dense traffic, distracted driving, and climate-related hazards, to name a few, the need for consistent rider education becomes even more urgent.
By equipping riders with knowledge that addresses both long-standing and emerging road issues, MDPPA ensures that safety remains a shared responsibility across generations and communities. These efforts are not just about following rules but are also about saving lives and creating a culture where every road user is empowered to make better, safer choices.
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