Month: November 2025
Peace fuels economic momentum in this BARMM coastal town
DATU BLAH T. SINSUAT, Maguindanao del Norte – Long known as the fishing capital of Maguindanao del Norte, this quiet seaside town is now drawing an unusual wave of attention: investors are coming, business groups are asking questions, and regional leaders are beginning to see it as a model of what peace can deliver in
Weekend Reflection: This Broken Society Needs More Than Reform — It Needs Christ
It is tempting to believe that what our society needs is simply better laws, stronger institutions, or stricter accountability measures in a time when corruption is no longer shocking but expected, when public service has turned into self-service, and when moral decay is masked by political theatrics. These are necessary, yes—but they are not enough.
Peaceful BARMM Seaside Town Draws Interest, Emerging Investment Hub
Maguindanao del Norte – Datu Blah Sinsuat, the most peaceful seaside town in Maguindanao del Norte, is emerging as a new investment hub in BARMM. Local leaders, business groups, and parliament members credit its strong peace and security situation for attracting investors. Datu Blah Sinsuat (DBS), touted by police and business leaders as one of
The Perils of a “Peace” That Penalizes the Weak — Trump’s 28-Point Peace Plan and the Lessons for Small States
The recently revealed 28-point peace plan, reportedly backed by Donald Trump, for ending the war between Russia and Ukraine offers a deeply unsettling vision. Rather than a restoration of Ukrainian sovereignty, it proposes a structural compromise that heavily favors Russia and places Ukraine in a subordinate, vulnerable position. Trump’s Ukraine-Russia peace plan presents itself as
Darul Ifta bans coffee made from animal excrement, cites impurity under Islamic law
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay – The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta, the highest Islamic advisory body in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), has issued a religious ruling (fatwa) declaring coffee made from beans extracted from animal dung as haram or forbidden for Muslims. In a statement released this week through its official social media pages,
BARMM leaders sign manifesto backing Marcos amid corruption allegations
COTABATO CITY, Philippines (Nov. 22, 2025) — The chief minister of the Bangsamoro region and five provincial governors signed a manifesto Wednesday expressing support for President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. amid what they described as unfounded corruption controversies surrounding his administration. The statement was signed by Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Chief Minister
Zamboanga Sibugay wetland earns global conservation status as new EAAFP Flyway Network Site
IPIL, ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY – The Sibugay Wetland Nature Reserve has achieved another major environmental milestone after being named the newest East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP) Flyway Network Site (EAAF 160) — a recognition that places the province at the forefront of international migratory bird conservation. The conferment was announced on November 10 during the 12th
NEWS ANALYSIS: How Traditional Media Can Survive The Social Media Age
The rise of Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X has reshaped the information landscape, threatening traditional news organizations whose business models once relied on print circulation and linear advertising. Today, audiences consume news in seconds, not minutes, and attention is a scarce commodity. Contrary to the narrative of decline, however, traditional media is not doomed. It
NGCP lifts yellow alert over Visayas grid as power supply stabilizes
MANILA, Philippines – The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) lifted the yellow alert over the Visayas grid on Thursday, November 20, after available generation capacity improved and operating margins returned to safe levels. As of 1 pm, the Visayas grid had 3,044 megawatts (MW) of available capacity against a projected 2,325 MW demand,
Gunmen attack church in Nigeria, escalate pressure on Tinubu government
Gunmen killed at least two people and kidnapped pastor, along with several worshippers, after they stormed a church on Tuesday evening in Eruku, a town in central Nigeria’s Kwara State, local police and witnesses said on Wednesday. The assault comes just days after a separate incident in which 25 schoolgirls were abducted from a boarding
OPINION: A GOVERNMENT IN CONSTANT MOTION — OR CONSTANT UNCERTAINTY?
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s lighthearted remark at the 2025 Bagong Bayani Awards — joking that his wife, First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, might soon join the Cabinet — would have been harmless banter in another time. But in a government marked by frequent reshuffles, the joke lands differently. It becomes less a playful aside and
RICE, RISK, AND A RISING EPIDEMIC: WHY THE PHILIPPINES IS CONFRONTING A DIABETES CRISIS
The Philippines, a nation where every meal feels incomplete without a cup—or two—of steamed white rice, is facing a growing health dilemma: the rapid rise of type-2 diabetes. Doctors and public health experts say the country’s deep cultural attachment to rice, especially refined white rice, is partly fueling the surge. The numbers tell an alarming
