#TWenty: TomasinoWeb’s year-end 2022 special
A letter from the editor
The previous year was not as optimistic as we thought it would be. We entered 2022 with a strong faith but slowly, as months passed by, our hope for a brighter future was shaken. Dealing with another year of existential crisis coupled with the fear of uncertainty, most of us felt like we were just going in circles. A never ending cycle of mishaps and a very few fortunes.
The last 12 months were a critical juncture in the country’s history. With more than two years into the pandemic, the 2022 national elections became a pivotal factor in defining if a virus-free Philippine society was still attainable. As the usual names and some new faces competed for the highest seat of the land, Filipinos saw last May’s polls as their ticket to the promised land.
But when the late dictator’s son claimed victory, the hope to grasp good governance seemed to have been blurred. More than three decades after their family was ousted by the people, the country saw itself in full circle. Over 31 million — if the number was correct — Filipinos last elections had widely opened their arms and embraced the return of those who did our country wrong.
We thought that having another Marcos in office was already too much of a burden. But unfortunately, it was just the start of something worse.
With the continuous increase in the prices of goods, shortage of basic commodities, and plummeting peso-dollar exchange rate, Filipino families struggled this year. Once again, everyone was forced to endure and be resilient to make ends meet while those in the government were just mishandling the education sector’s funds.
2022 was a crucial time for the Philippine press as well. As our battle against targeted disinformation, historical revisionism, and propaganda strengthened, journalists became more vulnerable to dangers and threats. The killing of broadcaster Percy Lapid showed everyone that no journalist is safe, not even those from the Metro.
These are just some of the things that transpired this year. Surely, some of us might think that we will never see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. Our faith in humanity was constantly tested in this chapter. Even me, there were times that my intrusive thoughts tried to get the best of me — the idea that this would be our constant state became too plausible to disregard.
But then again, just like what Heraclitus said, the only constant thing in this world is change. This year may not have been favorable for us, but who knows? Maybe the approaching 2023 will be our year. Our year where genuine freedom will flourish, human rights will be championed, and our voice will prevail.
Congratulations for making it this far, dear reader. May we not lose our drive to serve the Filipino people.
For now, let’s take a moment and look back to this year’s biggest moments that made it to #TWenty: TomasinoWeb’s year-end special.
May we all find our path to achieving real unity.
Tungo sa malayang lipunan,
Justine Xyrah Garcia
Executive Editor
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20. Democracy at stake in the 2022 nat’l elex
The Philippine national elections have brought the son of a late dictator to power, holding democracy on the line.
With more than 65.7 million local and 1.8 million overseas Filipino registered voters, the country recorded a ‘historic’ registration numbers which showed the Filipinos desire to participate in the electoral process.
Former president Rodrigo Duterte left the office with a brutal reputation. His signature war on drugs also left thousands of people dead and their families seeking justice. Not only were people killed during the drug war, but also because of the former strongman’s mishandling of the pandemic. With this, 10 candidates battled to replace him from the spot.
A widow-human rights lawyer and a son of a late dictator having the desire of being the 17th president of the Philippines as their common denominator, stood out among the 10 running candidates. Leonor “Leni” Robredo took the second spot in the race while Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos took the frontline.
Elections amid pandemic
In the midst of an ongoing pandemic, the country held its national elections last May 9. The nation’s democracy has been tested through the years while being the oldest democratic country in Southeast Asia. The pandemic added more strain on democracy and market establishments.
The world watched the Philippines commence a critical event in its history, crossing the crucial roads of electing a new set of leaders to steer the country’s wheel into economic recovery and growth and a possible democratic re-establishment.
Marcos win being a controversy
After Ferdinand Marcos Sr. was elected president for the second time in 1969, he then declared Martial Law three years later. He claimed that it was a necessary step to save the country against communists. He ran the country for the next 14 years as a dictator leaving thousands of deaths on statistics.
The Filipinos were enraged not only because of the killings but also due to the corruption that the Marcos family has committed. While the nation suffered from poverty, their family embezzled billions of dollars and lived wealthily.
Many have been worried about the election of Marcos Jr. as the nation’s president as this could be a new era of repression, judicial impunity, historical suppression, corruption, and significant decline in economy and democracy. — Mary Jade Gale Jadormio
19. Ukraine-Russia Conflict
On Feb. 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” against Ukraine claiming to “protect its people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide” referring to the alleged claims of Russian-backed separatists in the Donbas region.
The Russian army then advanced not only in the Donbas region but also within Ukraine, capturing key cities including some areas of their capital Kiev.
As of writing, there are 7,000 civilian casualties in the conflict according to the United Nations, but experts said the number might be higher. (RELATED: World leaders condemn the Russian aggression.)
In a Christmas message on Sunday, Dec. 25, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called Ukrainians to have “patience” and be faithful hours after a wave of Russian strikes in the city of Kherson which killed at least 10 people.
“We can feel the traditional Spirit of Christmas differently. Dinner at the family table cannot be so tasty and warm…There may be empty chairs around it. And our houses and streets can’t be so bright. And Christmas bells can ring not so loudly and inspiringly. Through air raid sirens, or even worse — gunshots and explosions,” he said.
“And even in total darkness — we will find each other — to hug each other tightly. And if there is no heat, we will give a big hug to warm each other,” he added.
In their Christmas day messages, religious leaders, which include Pope Francis and Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, also called for the end of the war in Ukraine. — Ian Patrick Laqui
18. UAAP S85 Recap: Road to General Title
As the UAAP returned to a full sporting calendar since the pandemic began, UST is on track to capture its sixth-consecutive general championship title. The collegiate league contained a total of 60 events across 21 sports. With the first semester of sports done, Thomasian athletes in the seniors and juniors divisions have already combined for 13 championships out of 31 events.
The 13 championships are in seven sports. Some have kept their reign of dynasty alive, some have made history, some have been eager for redemption while most have been fueled by the hardships that they faced, especially during the pandemic because these athletes, whether their sport was included in the sporting calendar or not, continued to prepare for the season.
Golden doubles were bagged in the senior division of beach volley, junior divisions of judo, and swimming. Meanwhile, in the return of athletics, the Female Tracksters reclaimed their throne after losing in Season 81, while the Girls bagged their first-ever title. In taekwondo, a dynasty was cut off while kept alive in another as the Female Tiger Jins dethroned National U on what was supposed to be their fifth straight while the juniors claimed its fourth consecutive. Similar to table tennis, the Male Tiger Paddlers claimed their third straight while the girls denied DLSZ of a back-to-back title. Another dynasty was kept unscathed as the Male Golden Judokas kept its five-year reign. Lastly, a back-to-back title for men’s chess.
These 31 events included the much-anticipated cheerdance competition and men’s basketball tournament. The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe left the crowd in awe with a Lady Gaga-themed performance which bagged them the Bronze last Dec. 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena. This ended the squad’s curse of having a five-year podium drought and finishing fourth in the last three years.
In basketball, the Growling Tigers ended up at the bottom with a 1–13 finish. Prior to the start of the season, the Tigers had last-minute lineup losses as Kean Baclaan transferred to National University, while Sherwin Concepcion and Bryan Santos were deemed ineligible to play as per UAAP age restrictions. It was also newly-appointed Coach Bal David’s first time coaching at the collegiate level.
In the upcoming second half of the UAAP having 29 events left, Thomasian athletes look to win more championships and secure podium finishes to bring the General Championship crown back to España for the sixth-straight year. Volleyball is deemed the most-awaited event among the second-semester sports, where Eya Laure is set to lead the Golden Tigresses. — Joie Frances Timbas
17. Angat Buhay NGO
Following the results of the historic 2022 national elections, former vice president Leni Robredo aimed to continue the wave that her campaign started.
On May 13, just four days after the elections, Robredo and her senatorial slate, along with a throng of volunteers and supporters, gathered together at the Ateneo de Manila University for a thanksgiving event. The event started with a holy mass, and continued with performances from volunteer artists, speeches from the campaign’s supporters, and video presentations that recapped highlights of the campaign season. And speaking of highlights, one stood out the most: Robredo announcing the launch of the non-governmental organization Angat Buhay.
On July 1, Robredo formally launched Angat Buhay Inc. at the Leni-Kiko Volunteer Center in Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. The two-day street and art festival featured performances from volunteer artists, food and merchandise stalls, and a preview of the “pink museum” where supporters can also buy their fellow supporters’ artworks.
Robredo emphasized four key areas of the Angat Buhay program: Angat Kalusugan which focuses on food and health security for all, Angat Edukasyon which aims to build more classrooms and strengthen community learning hubs; an initiative Robredo started when she was still in office, disaster relief programs, and community engagement to help volunteers start their own initiatives.
As an NGO, Angat Buhay has since then provided aid and rescue for typhoon victims in the country, built schools, learning hubs, and dormitories, turned over business start-ups to create more jobs in many communities, and built the “Museo ng Pag-asa,” the home for creations of volunteer artists during Robredo’s campaign, “a symbol of genuine volunteerism and bayanihan.”
It is undeniable that defeat was collectively felt among Robredo’s supporters after election day, but the former vice president emphasized that after feeling all the grief, this can be channeled into something that can create real change after. And the former vice president offered not only her supporters, but also the Filipino people the Angat Buhay NGO. — Mharla Francesca Santiano
16. UST’s international university ranking
The University’s performance for the 2023 rankings landed on mixed outcomes among global academic panels.
UST remained to be the only Philippine university to ever achieve a five-star rating in the 2023 Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Asia University Rankings in November. The five-star rating is the second-highest merit in the QS Stars system.
Moreover, the University ranked as the fourth higher educational institution in the Philippines and 175th overall in Asia in the London-based education consultancy firm.
UST’s performance has consistently improved annually in the QS Asia University rankings. The University ranked 177th in the QS Asia Rankings 2022, previously at the 186th spot in 2021.
The QS appraises higher education institutions based on several key indicators: university’s academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty to student ratio, citations per faculty, international student ratio, and international faculty ratio.
Meanwhile, the University failed to secure a spot in the 2023 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings. UST was granted a “Reporter” status instead.
In the 2023 World University Rankings, UST’s “Reporter” status was attributed to the failure of meeting the yearly publication threshold requirement in order to secure a rank.
The participating universities’ ranks were determined based on teaching (the learning environment), research (volume, income, and reputation), citations (research influence), industry income (knowledge transfer), and international outlook (staff, students, research). — Angela Gabrielle M. Atejera
15. Return of pre-pandemic concerts
After two silent years, the live concert scene finally made its return this year. With pandemic restrictions loosening up, the Philippines has reopened its doors to local and foreign performers. From Western artists to K-pop groups, the country has welcomed a number of international acts this year. These include Billie Eilish, NCT 127, SEVENTEEN, Maroon 5, and various 88rising artists.
There are still some restrictions in place, such as the mandatory wearing of masks and bringing of vaccination cards, but this didn’t take away any of the magical concert experience. From the energetic screams, flashing lights, and spectacular performances, Filipino concertgoers and their beloved artists were able to revive the magic of live concerts.
However, the return of pre-pandemic concerts was met with shortcomings. Live Nation Philippines, the events company that organized some of the concerts held this year, received criticisms for its incompetence. In particular, Live Nation’s handling of SEVENTEEN’s ‘Be The Sun’ concerts has been plagued with several issues.
One of these issues is the unauthorized selling of tickets for SEVENTEEN’s ‘Be The Sun’ Manila concert, wherein perpetrators were able to obtain tickets to the concert ahead of its scheduled sale. Another issue is the unjust overpricing of tickets for ‘Be The Sun’ Bulacan, SEVENTEEN’s second concert in the country this year which was held in the Philippine Arena. Due to the larger venue size of the Philippine Arena, Filipino CARATs expected the ticket prices to be much lower than the ticket prices for the previous concert, ‘Be The Sun’ Manila — but they turned out to be much higher.
The worst of Live Nation’s incompetence was yet to come. Last Dec. 17, the day of ‘Be The Sun’ Bulacan, CARATs went through a disastrous queueing experience. According to several CARATs, the queue lines were extremely disorganized as there were no arrows or indicators to guide them on where the lines start and end. Moreover, Live Nation’s staff were too limited and unresponsive to provide assistance. As a result, CARATs had to endure hours of hassle and exhaustion — some even fainted due to extreme stress.
With all these issues, Filipinos have been worried about future concerts to be hosted by Live Nation. The company is slated to host the concerts of K-pop groups ITZY, BLACKPINK, and TREASURE next year. — Andrei Miguel Hermosa
14. Start of limited face-to-face classes
It has been more than two years since the country was struck with global distress. The COVID-19 pandemic conjured government officials to suspend work and schools of different levels.
Since March 2020, the country has experienced many outbreaks and surges of different variants. And even though many brands of vaccines are now available to the general public, the Philippines still remains one of the countries in the world to have difficulties in directing full face-to-face classes.
In spite of all the cases, Vice President Duterte issued an order along with the Department of Education Order 34, s. 2022, stating that by Nov. 2, every school, whether public or private, must have switched to five days of in-person classes. The schools’ transition was given plentiful time and thus far, more than 32,000 schools have started physical classes. This is being implemented while different health and safety protocols are observed with the fact that some children and teachers have not yet been vaccinated.
This adjustment, however, is met with critical remarks. COVID-19 is not the lone problem in the Philippines, some schools are unfit for physical classes in order to abide by the health protocols. Some families are stowed on by misfortune, which, in addition to living expenses, shall add on the burden of school and transportation expenses. Moreover, teachers have felt under appreciated for the unjust wage due to the addition of risks and liabilities that the pandemic has brought.
Aside from these social matters, the Philippines remains a disaster-prone country. Many typhoons and natural phenomena have caused setbacks in the return of students.
As COVID-19 continues to lurk around the world, many people have grown weary of the two dimensions that the screens of children portray. Though, many cracks within the four walls and corners of the classroom hinder many students from feeling the hospitality that it once gave. — John Alfred Fernandez
13. First on-site Paskuhan festivities begin after pandemic hiatus
On Oct. 14, the Office of the Secretary-General announced that after two years of hiatus, this year’s Paskuhan festivities will now return in-person with a theme of “Pananabik, Pagbabalik, Panunumbalik.”
In keeping with its plan of luring students back to campus gradually, the University restricted participation in Paskuhan festivities to current students, alumni, and its stakeholders.
During Agape, UST Rector, Fr. Richard Ang, O.P. emphasized in his remarks that a Thomasian’s desire to return to campus to fulfill their obligations and be at one with the community spurred after a two-year break due to the pandemic.
“Sa ating pagbabalik sa nakasanayang mga gawain sa pamantasan, higit nating nauunawaan ang kahalagahan ng ating malalim na ugnayan sa isa’t isa at sa pamantasan,” Ang said.
Around 6:30 p.m. of the same day, the 70-foot tall Christmas tree at the UST Grandstand and other lights surrounding the whole campus were lit. The University was also illuminated by a fireworks display in Plaza Mayor.
Moreover, three main performers, Adie, Mayonnaise, and Lola Amour along with four guest artists, three Thomasian bands, and supposedly 12 dance performances were featured in the Paskuhan 2022 Concert.
The Paskuhan Concert was then followed by a six-minute pyromusical show, marking the end of Paskuhan 2022 festivities.
According to Lords Hernandez, University security supervisor, about 34,000 attended the Agape on Dec. 2 and more than 51,000 Thomasians attended Paskuhan 2022 Concert last Dec. 19.
However, as anticipation for the resumption of in-person Paskuhan festivities grew, concerns of security breach, selling of Agape food stubs, reported cases of alleged identity fraud as a result of lending IDs or student QR codes and sentiments expressing dismay of some Thomasians also increased. (RELATED: UST to heighten Paskuhan security measures following alleged Agape breach issues and UST dance troupes express dismay on asynchronous Paskuhan pre-band act)
Prior to the Paskuhan festivities, the University successfully held on-site activities including back-to-back Baccalaureate masses for UST graduates last June followed by the annual Thomasian Welcome Walk and Homecoming in August and UAAP Season 85 Kickoff party. — Alexandria Grace Magno
12. Shortage of onion, salt, and other basic goods
The Philippines is currently faced with a record-high inflation of 8% in November brought by soaring food prices and other commodities.
Oil prices were first to take a direct hit by global inflation as an aftermath of the Ukraine-Russia war. In the country, gasoline was sold at 81.85 pesos per liter in mid-March.
The rise in local food prices and non-alcoholic beverages were blamed on the possible “spillover effect” of typhoons that affected the country this year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
In December, red onion prices drew flak online as it skyrocketed to P700 per kilogram which is twice more expensive in the previous month. This stemmed from the increased demand for red onions and insufficient supply after the yellow onion shortage that happened in late July.
Onions are used in many viands of Filipino cuisine and demands are expected to heighten amidst the holiday season.
However, the Department of Agriculture (DA) announced that there were no plans to allow further onion imports for the rest of the year after reasoning out that the harvest season is already expected to begin in January 2023.
Moreover, Chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture Sen. Cynthia Villar faced bad press for saying that she “can live without onions” after a briefing on soaring red onion prices.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the administration saw smuggled onions as a driving factor of the price hike and plans to bring it back into the market.
Marcos, who also sits as the current DA chief, pinned the suggested retail price (SRP) at P250 and seeks to impose fines and jail time for non-compliance.
Local supply of garlic, salt, and poultry products also suffered from rising prices as early as August.
To offset food inflation and increase affordability, Marcos Jr. has approved the recommendation to extend the reduced tariff rates on select agricultural products until the remainder of the year.
11. Filipino athletes dominate international stage in 2022
With a series of hindrances that struck international sports competitions at the time of the pandemic, events returned to their pre-pandemic ways and Filipino athletes continued to shine on the international stage.
The Philippine women’s football team began the year with a nail biting 4–3 win on penalties over Chinese Taipei in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup that saw them book the nation’s first-ever FIFA World Cup ticket last January in Pune, India. The Philippines almost came through in the 2019 iteration of the tournament, but ultimately lost to South Korea in the match for the last Asian berth.
With the win, the Filipinas also qualified for the SEA Games, clinching a third-place finish for the first time in 37 years with a 2–1 victory over Myanmar in Vietnam last May. In the 2019 SEA Games, Myanmar previously denied the Filipinas a bronze medal on their home turf.
The Filipinas solidified their legacy as queens of Southeast Asian football after winning the 2022 AFF Women’s Championship with a 3–0 stomp on Thailand at the Rizal Memorial Stadium last July. Their 2022 win was a long time coming following the Filipinas’ fourth-place finish in the 2019 AFF Women’s Championship. Sarina Bolden lifted the most decorated Filipinas squad as she was heralded as the top goalscorer with eight.
Hidilyn Diaz, the first-ever Filipino to bring home an Olympic gold medal, bagged three golds in the World Weightlifting Championship as she accounted for a total lift of 207kg to outlast Colombia’s Rosalba Morales and Mexican Ana Gabriela Lopez. She previously reigned in the 2017 and 2019 editions of the world championships where she bagged bronze and silver, respectively.
The 31-year-old weightlifter defended her SEA Games 55kg crown with a 92kg lift in the snatch and 114kg in the clean and jerk to grab her second consecutive gold in the regional competition. Diaz outlasted 2016 Olympic weightlifting champion Sanikun Tanasan from Thailand and Indonesia’s Natasya Beteyob.
EJ Obiena then walked away with 12 gold medals, including a statement victory over World №1 Mondo Duplantis in the Brussels Diamond League, two silvers, and three bronze medals. Despite not being a championship win for Obiena, the six-foot-two Thomasian athlete reset the Asian record at 5.94 meters en route to becoming the first pole vaulter from the continent to bag a podium finish in the World Athletics Championships in Oregon, United States last July. Obiena also won his second straight SEA Games gold with a new record of 5.40 meters in Hanoi, Vietnam last May.
All of this became possible as the 27-year-old pole vaulter and PATAFA agreed to a settlement that allowed the association to endorse Obiena in the aforementioned competitions. Obiena was previously left off the initial roster of Team Philippines in the SEA Games and was also not endorsed in the World Athletics Indoor Championships last March.
He capped the year with his best world ranking thus far at №3 beside Sweden’s Duplantis and Christopher Nilsen from the United States.
Other notable Filipino athletes are Carlos Yulo (gymnastics), Alex Eala (tennis), Junna Tsukii (karate), and Carlo Paalam (boxing). — Ernest Martin Tuazon
10. Libreng sakay
As Filipinos continuously suffered from various crises brought by the pandemic, the least the government can do is lessen their burdens by offering a free ride that goes beyond EDSA Carousel’s segregated lane.
Ever since its inception in 2020, the Libreng Sakay program has been ferrying millions of commuters all over NCR into their destinations. It eventually got adapted by other LGUs to ease their citizens’ commuting woes, expanding its aid to various parts of the country.
Although its operation became intermittent in the past months, the government upheld the program by extending EDSA Carousel’s operating hours into a 24/7 service from December 1, 2022 — December 31, 2022, to cater the increase of passengers due to the Christmas season. Moreover, commuters from various parts of Metro Manila that work on a night shift, greatly benefit from this program.
With thousands of vehicles included in LTFRB’s project, this aims to carry countless employees and students alike as they travel through the Metro. Routes that travel outside Metro Manila have also been opened to benefit passengers going to Regions 1, 2, 3, and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region).
On the other hand, Libreng Sakay shall also ensure the drivers’ compensation and salaries as issues regarding this have been raised these past few months.
However, with the threat of privatization looming above EDSA Carousel, it is a dreadful sign for commuters as free rides will no longer be available starting Jan. 1. Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista announced on Wednesday, Dec. 28, the department’s plan to privatize the busway as private companies start bidding for its possession in the first quarter of 2023. — Steven Sanajan
9. House approves revival of mandatory ROTC
More than 20 years after its abolishment in response to public outrage after the killing of Thomasian Mark Welson Chua by his fellow cadets, the House of Representatives rushed the passage of the National Citizens Service Training Program (NCSTP) Act.
Certified urgent by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. along with the controversial Maharlika Investment Fund bill, lawmakers voted 276–4 with one abstention, to pass the NCSTP Act on the third reading just hours after they passed the measure on the second reading.
House Bill №6687 aims to repeal the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Act of 2001 and replace it with NCSTP which requires students to complete 240 hours of cadet training during their first two years in college.
According to Marcos Jr. in his letter to cousin and principal author of the bill House Speaker Martin Romualdez, the said new program shall “address the need to enhance the capacity of our citizens to mobilize and perform their constitutional duty to render personal military or civil service.”
While the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps program will still be optional, NCSTP will take the place of the current National Service Training Program.
As critics called the NCSTP a rebranding of ROTC, the notion of mandating the said program for students in an effort to purportedly instill a sense of patriotism has drawn controversy due to allegations of abuse.
Several progressive groups such as the College Editors Guild of the Philippines and Kabataan Partylist warned that NCSTP will further campus militarization in schools and will only give military forces “overwhelming authority” over students.
Citing the majority’s support for the bill, Sen. Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa believes that the Senate will swiftly pass the measure in early 2023. — Kurt Alec Mira
8. Typhoons continue to hit PH
A total of 18 typhoons have struck the Philippines this year, including a super typhoon that left thousands of families devastated.
According to the state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the first typhoon recorded in the country for this year was Tropical Storm Agaton in April while the latest is Rosal.
Among these typhoons, Bagyong Paeng had the highest number of casualties last November with a death toll of 164 and a damage cost of approximately P14 billion based on the last situational report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council for the said tropical cyclone. Around P7 billion from the cost of damage is reported for the agricultural sector.
After the onslaught of Paeng, the University of Santo Tomas, through its Simbahayan Community Development Office, conducted a donation drive to help those affected by the typhoon.
Meanwhile, 12 deaths have been recorded for Super Typhoon Karding which hit the country in September with a damage cost of P3 billion for agriculture.
On average, typhoons occur in the Philippines 16 times annually.
Earlier this year, a PAGASA expert warned of stronger typhoons following the scientist protests last April due to global warming.
Marcelino Villafuerte, Scientist I for PAGASA, noted that the global temperature is now 1.2 degrees celsius warmer compared to the pre-industrial times, which caused a rise in sea levels, prolonging of dry season, and intensification of flood-causing storms.
“Dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng temperatura sa ating atmospera [at dagat], fuels po iyon sa development and further intensifications ng bagyo. So asahan po natin na kapag patuloy na tumaas ang temperatura ng dagat, mas mararanasan po natin iyong malalakas na bagyo,” Villafuerte said during the #LagingHandaPH press briefing on April 30. — Kaela Gabriel
7. Overpriced DepEd laptop deal
After a few years of virtual classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) purchased P2.4 billion worth of “pricey yet outdated” laptops through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM).
The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged DepEd’s purchase of nearly 39,600 Intel Celeron laptops and slammed its P58,300 per unit price as it cut off its intended teacher-beneficiaries by nearly half. In its 2021 audit report, COA stressed that the approved budget for the contract was only established at P35,046.50 per unit.
During the Senate blue ribbon committee hearing last Aug. 25, Senators questioned former DepEd undersecretary Alain Pascua as to why he agreed to the P58,300 per unit price settled by the PS-DBM.
“They put there the option for the DepEd whether to accept the lesser quantity, that’s the action slip that they have provided us, and the ICTS (Information Communications Technology) Director Abram Abanil signed that concurrence on that action slip. It was never addressed to the higher-ups of the DepEd,” Pascua explained.
Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Tolentino believed that there was a conspiracy angle regarding the purchase of overpriced laptops due to the discrepancy in the date of the memorandum of agreement, deeming the whole procurement as defective.
The blue ribbon committee conducted a speed test on DepEd-procured Dell laptops with an Intel Celeron processor, which took longer seconds to boot up compared to an HP i5 that had a similar price. The same Dell laptop that was purchased for around P58,000 was reportedly offered in retail stores and online for just approximately P22,490 and P24,022, respectively.
As of writing, the Senate report on the DepEd laptop probe will be made public after securing its final signature. — Jewyz Ann Bunyi
6. Filipinos slam DTI’s P500 Noche Buena budget
Amidst the steeping prices that have burdened the holidays of many Filipino families, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) claimed in a televised report and social media post that P500 is a sufficient budget for a family of five’s Noche Buena.
The preparations and ingredients for the traditional Filipino Christmas Eve Dinner can be possible if they are bought in bundles. The breakdown of DTI’s price guide includes:
Spaghetti bundle — P112
Salad bundle — P116.50
Pinoy pandesal — P23.50
Cheese — P41.75
Ground pork — P31.25
Hamon — P163
Online users doubted the proposal’s feasibility, expressing dissatisfaction as the items listed were not enough and not all ingredients were cited. Netizens were up for the P500 challenge by posting their own to-buy lists on social media. They also made memes to disprove or satirize the budget, daring DTI officials to show what they can fit in the P500 budget too.
Youth, labor groups and figures criticized the solution as “short-term” and “out-of-touch,” as not every ordinary Filipino can afford it. Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raoul Manuel said the “silly budget” would not be necessary if the government focused on the people’s significant economic demands, wage increases, and price controls.
DTI defended its budget list, stating it was formed out of “sincerity” and “advocacy,” while still letting Filipinos reconfigure their own lists. As of writing, they have taken down the price guide post.
By downplaying the inflation of commodities, the more it becomes increasingly defensible and inevitable, rather than solvable. — Mikaela Gabrielle de Castro
5. Peso-dollar exchange continuous dip
The Philippine peso continuously weakened against the United States dollar and set multiple new all-time low records in nearly 20 years in 2022.
The peso-dollar exchange rate, from P51:$1 earlier this year, reached P55.06 by the end of June, its worst performance since October 2005. In July, it closed at P56.06:$1, the lowest level since September 2005. In September, the peso further weakened even more as it rapidly increased from P56.77:$1 to P58.99:$1 at the end of the month. And by early October, the peso-dollar exchange rate depreciated to P59:$1, a new all-time low record for the Philippines.
Since December 2021, the exchange rate has increased by P8.00 or 15.7%. The continuous weakening of the peso against the dollar resulted from the aggressive interest hikes of the US Federal Reserve, the central bank of the US, to combat an inflationary surge. The widely anticipated change increased the target federal funds rate by 0.75%, ranging between 1.5% and 1.75%.
This increase in the peso-dollar exchange rate might have been good news for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) whose remittances come in dollars if not for the high inflation rate in the country that reached 8% last November, the highest record since November 2008.
As of writing, the peso-dollar exchange rate is at P55.39:$1, relatively lower than the all-time lowest rate in October. — Denise Julianne Pangan
4. Queen Elizabeth II dies
After a 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 on Sept. 8 (BST).
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said that “the Queen died peacefully at Balmoral” in Scotland.
Elizabeth served as the longest reigning monarch in British history with 15 appointed prime ministers since her ascension to the throne in February 1952.
Many personalities, including Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr., expressed their sympathies to the United Kingdom on the passing of the Queen.
The world mourned the death of the Queen, referring to her as a symbol of stability in times of change. (LOOK: Pope Francis sends a message of condolences to King Charles III.)
During her lying-in state at the Westminster Palace, the British public queued for miles where some stood in the line for almost 12 hours just to see the Queen’s coffin for less than 10 seconds.
Her son, the current King Charles III, was proclaimed as the sovereign on Sept. 10 at St. James’ Palace in London. Camilla, Charles’ wife, is meanwhile proclaimed as Queen Consort.
Charles’ eldest child, William, with his wife Catherine was named the Prince and Princess of Wales.
RELATED: Never mourn the empire. — Ian Patrick Laqui
3. Kamala Harris’ historic trip to Palawan
During the last day of the second-highest American official’s three-day visit to the Philippines, Kamala Harris reaffirmed and showed support for its longtime Southeast Asian ally amidst aggressive maritime tensions from the East Asian superpower.
On Tuesday, Nov. 22, the Vice President became the highest-ranking American official to step foot in the island of Palawan, the closest island of the country to the Spratly Islands. These hotly contested groups of islands are heavily fortified by the Chinese military.
Beijing claims sovereignty over the islands and nearly the entirety of the South China Sea (SCS) and has defied an international court finding that its claims are without legal foundation. Meanwhile, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam denounced Beijing’s assumptions by extending their claims to parts of the islands and the sea.
While onboard the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua, Harris delivered a speech aiming its inseparable commitment to its longtime Asian ally. Harris also spoke about how the Philippines’ arbitral victory on its maritime case in 2016 “must be respected”, while also urging parties to adhere to international rules and conventions.
Harris did not mention China by name but was obviously pertaining to the Asian superpower’s “irresponsible behavior” on the disputed waters.
Relations between the two nations notably soured during the administration of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, who abhorred the United States and was an open ally to Beijing. Washington is currently looking to strengthen its security alliance with Manila under the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who became president after being the frontrunner in the 2022 presidential elections.
The 2014 Mutual Defense Treaty, known as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), allows the US military to stockpile defense equipment at 5 Philippine bases. It also allows US troops to rotate through these military bases. The EDCA was hampered under the Duterte administration but the United States and the Philippines have expressed support for accelerating implementation, especially amidst China’s recent behavior towards Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Harris revealed at least 17 new bilateral projects before departing the Philippines, including attempts to aid areas impacted by illicit fishing. She also disclosed that the Philippines would receive additional funding to finish projects that had stagnated under the EDCA and boost the PCG, as well as near-real-time information under the Quad’s Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative. — Jerome Anhag
2. Percy Lapid slain
On Oct. 3, Percival Mabasa (Percy Lapid) was murdered at the gate of a subdivision along Aria St., Barangay Talon Dos in Las Piñas by two motorcycle-riding assailants, with the case itself still under investigation.
According to camera footage, the gunman was in a motorcycle with one other person when Percy was shot with two bullets inside his car, killing him instantly.
Many press freedom groups have cited this as an attack against press freedom, such as the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), who called on the Philippine National Police (PNP) to investigate the matter.
The PNP responded on Oct. 4 that they will form a special task force to investigate Lapid’s killing.
Joel Escorial had come out as the gunman who shot Lapid, and within the past few months, an alleged middleman named Crisanto Villamor, allegedly gave the order to kill Lapid. However, he died inside New Bilibid Prison via suffocation.
This case has also implicated suspended Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) chief Gerald Bantag, BuCor Deputy Security Officer (DSO) Ricardo Zulueta, and several others connected to Lapid’s death.
Lapid’s killing has exposed many long standing issues within the Philippine correctional system, such as inconsistent suspect data and other anomalies.
Percy Lapid was a well known radio commentator known for his scathing commentary of the government, the second journalist killed during the Marcos administration, and the third journalist to be killed in 2022. — Christine Nicole Montojo
1. Welcome to the Marcos Jr. Presidency
Within six months, Marcos Jr.’s presidency has seen record-level inflation, several natural disasters, and an overall chaotic administration despite promises for a clear policy coming into office in June.
In July, Marcos stated that the inflation rate for June was “not that high,” disagreeing with state statisticians reporting that inflation had gone up to 6.1% — continuing a trend that has only gotten worse in November, as inflation rose to 8%.
Despite being the secretary of agriculture, Marcos has yet to outline a concrete plan on how to curb inflation and strengthen the country’s agriculture sector.
Figures such as former Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez have resigned, and a lack of Cabinet heads in the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Agriculture, and Department of Defense have called the president’s claims of gathering the “best and the brightest” into question.
The DOH is currently led by Maria Rosario Vergeire, who is still officer-in-charge, with no official healthcare secretary in sight.
Despite the president’s formation of an economic team to steer the country away from recession, there has been no concrete plans on the matter.
However, the President approved of the Maharlika Investment Fund, which plans to accrue more profits of government assets for projects despite public outcry from civil society groups.
Though the president has claimed that the first 100 days has been fruitful, especially in terms of the country’s forays into the international scene, most of the major issues that he levied during his campaign have not been solved.
Even before the first 100 days of the presidency had concluded, the President was caught at the F1 Grand Rally Prix in Singapore last October, which he called the “best way to drum up business.” The head of state took his oath of office along with Vice President Sara Duterte at Malacanang palace last June 30, ushering in the start of the Marcos Jr. presidency.
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Happy New Year, Thomasians!
Let us continue to fight the good fight.
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