Recently in the city of Parañaque, three men from Pakistan were arrested by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) for selling fake medicine, according to a news report by the Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI).
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Inquirer. Some parts in boldface…
Three Pakistani men were arrested at a Parañaque City subdivision for allegedly selling counterfeit medicine, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) said on Monday.
The foreigners were tracked to a subdivision in Barangay Sun Valley on Sunday afternoon, the PDEA said in a statement.
The agency identified the arrested suspects as “Waseem,” 60; “Mohy,” 54; and “Salman,” 25.
“Seized evidence included 24 packages of Midazolam Injection IP, thousands of tablets and vials of Valium, Nalbin, NLB Injection, Bional Plus and Rivotril,” the agency detailed.
Authorities also confiscated “various counterfeit drugs such as Ibuprofen Medicol Advance, Rabies Vaccine (Human IP), Buscogast, Tuseran Forte, Testosterone Enanthate, Evitek-OCE and Provera Tablets among others,” PDEA added.
It estimated that the allegedly counterfeit medicines seized were worth an initial P120,000, but it noted that an inventory of the total quantity and value of other suspected drugs in the suspects’ possession was still ongoing.
“Non-drug items recovered included cash, accounting records, mobile phones, identification cards, passports, a barcode scanner, and machinery allegedly used in handling counterfeit drugs,” PDEA further said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that the city is getting infiltrated by foreign nationals who planned to commit criminal activities? Are there many Pakistani nationals staying within your local community right now? What do you think makes Parañaque an ideal city for illegal aliens and related criminal activities?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
After decades of hatred towards the West, killing a lot of people and empowering Islamic terrorists, the head of the Islamic terrorist state of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been eliminated during the powerful airstrikes unleashed by Israel and America, and no less than US President Donald J. Trump confirmed it, according to a Newsmax report.
Even the Islamic regime’s own official media confirmed the death of their leader. Those who are loyal to the wicked Khamenei are openly grieving while the Iranians who craved for freedom are celebrating. The dead Ayatollah ruled Iran for decades and he was clearly a mass murderer, a human rights violator and committed so many other acts of evil comparable with what other evil dictators did. Khamenei is also the 2nd dictator to fall down during this current term of President Trump.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Newsmax report. Some parts in boldface…
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint Israeli-U.S. airstrikes early Saturday, President Donald Trump said.
“Khamenei, one of the most evil people in History, is dead,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Iranian state media confirmed the Supreme Leader’s death.
“This is not only Justice for the people of Iran, but for all Great Americans, and those people from many Countries throughout the World, that have been killed or mutilated by Khamenei and his gang of bloodthirsty THUGS,” Trump continued.
“He was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump added.
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.“
The president cited reports that many Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, security, and police forces “no longer want to fight, and are looking for Immunity from us.”
“As I said last night, ‘Now they can have Immunity, later they only get Death!'” Trump wrote.
“Hopefully, the IRGC and Police will peacefully merge with the Iranian Patriots, and work together as a unit to bring back the Country to the Greatness it deserves,” he continued.
“That process should soon be starting in that, not only the death of Khamenei but the Country has been, in only one day, very much destroyed and, even, obliterated,” Trump wrote.
“The heavy and pinpoint bombing, however, will continue, uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary to achieve our objective of PEACE THROUGHOUT THE MIDDLE EAST AND, INDEED, THE WORLD!”
Previously, Newsmax correspondent Zach Anders reported that Khamenei was killed, and Newsmax later confirmed the Iranian leader’s death.
In a televised address Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel eliminated Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commanders, senior regime officials, and senior nuclear officials.
He added that in the coming days, “we will hit thousands of targets of the terror regime.”
“There are growing indications that [Khamenei] is no longer alive,” Netanyahu said, according to The Jerusalem Post. He did not provide additional details.
Netanyahu’s comments came after Israel and the U.S. launched attacks on Iranian military targets in what Israel has dubbed Operation Roaring Lion and the U.S. has called Operation Epic Fury.
Israel’s Channel 12 News reported that Netanyahu was shown an image of Khamenei’s body after Iranian authorities recovered it from his compound in Tehran, The Times of Israel reported.
Israel carried out a massive strike on the compound in the opening salvo of attacks on Iran early Saturday.
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter updated American officials that Israel had succeeded in killing Khamenei, a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel, confirming earlier reporting by Axios.
Khamenei, 86, became Iran’s highest authority in 1989 following the death of the Islamic Republic’s founder, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
Israel long viewed Khamenei as a destabilizing force in the Middle East, citing his backing for terrorist groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis.
He had been the target of several assassination attempts since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. Most notably, on June 27, 1981, a bomb exploded during a speech at a mosque in Tehran, severely injuring him and permanently paralyzing his right arm, according to The Jerusalem Post.
At this stage, the Islamic terrorist government of Iran has been severely weakened and are still operating, even vowing to keep retaliating against America and Israel. The Islamic regime already launched missiles at American facilities in Qatar, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Kuwait which only showed how evil they are and how much they disregard human life.
The Iranians who were oppressed by their government and want to be free now have new opportunities to band together again and put even more pressure on the remnants of the weakened terrorist regime. Already there are several reactions and developments that happened as a result of the currently successful (and powerful) US-Israel military operations on the terrorist state of Iran. Watch the videos below.
Let’s be clear here. Khamenei was a demon and he led the Islamic terrorist state of Iran since 1989. Many times has the demonic Ayatollah declared death to America and Israel, and he openly hated Western democracy and norms. That said, the elimination of Khamenei has opened up new opportunities for the oppressed Iranians to stand up and oppose once again the remaining Islamic government forces, and take their country back. Those loyal to Khamenei can decide if they want to keep on serving the weakened regime or surrender themselves to live on with immunity.
Will regime change happen in Iran? If it does, it will alter the balance of power in the entire Middle East and cause the remaining Islamic terrorists to stop or move out of the region.
Let me ending this post by asking you readers to pray to the Lord for victory, for the protection of the American and Israeli forces, for the safety of civilians everywhere, for the end of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran to happen soon, and for the liberation of the oppressed Iranian people. Pray to Him to also bless US President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as their respective administrations. Pray to God for more peace and stability in the Middle East.
A lot has happened so much over the past several hours. Israel and the United States attacked the Islamic terrorist state of Iran destroying several government and military sites. This was the result of the wicked Iranian government constantly refusing to make a deal with America during the rounds of negotiations they had. The Iranian government never intended to make a deal at all and all they did was wasting everyone’s time which they (and their cowardly Ayatollah) thought they were buying time for themselves.
The “no deal” tactic of the Islamic terrorist regime led to the combined Israel-America military operations against Iran. I am sure the Ayatollah and his officers are regretting their moves.
For insight, watch the speech of US President Donald Trump in the YouTube video posted below. Watch it entirely and pay close attention to the details.
Now, watch the YouTube videos below for a clear view of what happened over the past several hours. Don’t rely on the corrupted mainstream news media. You can trust TBN Israel and CBN News.
For insight, the joint US-Israeli military operations against Iran is not about total annihilation at all. It’s about crippling the wicked Islamic terrorist regime (in power since 1979) and liberating the millions of Iranian people who have long been brutalized by their own government. It is also about holding the regime accountable for its decades-long record of sponsoring terrorists, murdering people, causing regional instability, extensive human rights violations and more.
The Islamic terrorist regime has to fall down and it will be up to the freedom-hungry Iranians to band together to set up a new government and take part in reforming or modernizing their society and economy.
As mentioned earlier, so much has happened over the past several hours. The compound of Ayatollah Khameni got destroyed and according to The Jerusalem Post, the so-called supreme leader of Iran has been cut off from contact. It remains to be seen if the evil Ayatollah survived as of this writing. At the same time. It has been reported that Iran’s Defense Minister Amir Nasirzadeh and Revolutionary Guards commander Mohammed Pakpour are believed to have been killed in Israeli attacks. The headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was hit hard as well. Already, the people of Iran are celebrating the joint Israel-America strikes against the regime.
Of course, the evil regime retaliated by launching a heavy missile barrage across Israel. According to The Jerusalem Post report, there was a total of 125 missiles launched against Israel in the first barrage. 35 of those missiles entered Israel airspace while the rest were intercepted.
Going back to the pure evil of the Iranian regime, Iranian missiles were fired at Gulf Arab states in retaliation. Even Qatar – which has a government and the Islamic terrorist news network Al Jazeera – was a target of Iran. Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Bahrain were also Iranian missile targets!
Several Gulf Arab states said they were targeted by Iranian missiles on Saturday after Tehran pledged to retaliate against strikes by the United States and Israel, bringing conflict to a part of the Arab world that prides itself on relative safety.
State media in the United Arab Emirates said one person had been killed in Abu Dhabi, but gave no details.
In Qatar, a video circulating online showed the moment of impact of an Iranian missile on the Al Udeid Air Base.
Earlier, the Qatari military said in a statement that it had intercepted incoming Iranian missiles before they reached Qatari territory after “joint coordination.” Several successive waves of blasts were heard in the Qatari capital Doha.
Earlier, Kuwait, the UAE, and Jordan, all of which also have a US military presence, said they had intercepted Iranian missiles targeting their territory.
The terrorist regime of Iran did not really care about the Gulf Arab states at all! They wanted to retaliate against the Americans so much, they launched missiles at US military facilities in the Gulf Arab states completely disregarding each nation’s citizens. Not even the Islamist Qatar was spared.
With the joint American-Israeli operations against Iran ongoing, a lot could happen over the next 72 hours. Was the Ayatollah eliminated? Will the government of Iran surrender and give in to Trump’s demands to make the deal? Could Russia and China be feeling nervous as their ally Iran is crumbling under the might of America and Israel? A lot of possibilities could happen over the next few days, and I would not be surprised to see the Iranian people get liberated once the Islamic terrorist regime falls down.
Let me ending this piece by asking you readers to pray to the Lord for victory, for the protection of the American and Israeli forces, for the safety of civilians everywhere, for the fall of the Islamic terrorist regime of Iran, and for the liberation of the oppressed Iranian people.
The new 15% tariff on imports announced by US President Donald Trump after reacting to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) decision is already troubling exporters of the Philippines, according to a report by BusinessWorld.
There is concern that the new tariff may dampen the export recovery of the Philippines. It should be recalled that the American tariff on Philippine-made goods was set at 19% following the meeting between President Trump and Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. last year.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the BusinessWorld news report. Some parts in boldface…
THE United States government’s plan to impose a new 15% tariff on imports may dampen the Philippines’ export recovery and disrupt supply chains, according to analysts.
“Under a 15% tariff, there might be a disruption in the supply chain, because other countries might negotiate or diverge [to other markets],” Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said in a phone call.
“Unfortunately, our competitors here in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) are supported by their governments, but we aren’t,” he added.
Mr. Ortiz-Luis said the Philippine government must resume negotiations with its US counterparts to ensure exports remain competitive.
Philippine Institute for Development Studies Senior Research Fellow John Paolo R. Rivera said the new tariffs could dampen export recovery, especially for electronics, garments, and agricultural sectors.
“The renewed threat of a 15% global tariff signals that protectionist risks remain and could dampen export recovery if implemented, especially for semiconductors and intermediate goods integrated into US supply chains,” he said in a Viber message.
US President Donald J. Trump said he wants to impose a new 15% duty on US imports from all countries, starting Tuesday, Reuters reported. (Read related story “Asian economies weigh impact of fresh Trump tariff, uncertainties” on S1/11).
This after the US Supreme Court struck down his previous tariff program, ruling that Mr. Trump had exceeded his authority when he imposed higher tariffs under an economic emergency law.
Government officials emphasized that the US remains an important trading and investment partner.
“We will continue to engage with (the US). A stable and predictable arrangement with the US will be very beneficial to our stakeholders,” Trade Undersecretary Allan B. Gepty said in a Viber message.
Finance Secretary Frederick D. Go earlier said that the majority of the country’s exports — like semiconductors and key agricultural goods — were already exempted before the US Supreme Court’s ruling.
The US has long been the Philippines’ biggest export market. From January to December 2025, the value of Philippine exports to the US stood at $13.44 billion.
“We don’t know under what authority he (Mr. Trump) will impose those tariffs, and if these will last. We will have to wait until the dust settles to properly assess the impact of his new universal tariffs,” Foundation for Economic Freedom President Calixto V. Chikiamco said in a Viber message.
Reuters reported the new US tariffs are grounded in a separate but untested law, known as Section 122, that allows tariffs up to 15% but requires congressional approval to extend them after 150 days.
Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines President Robert M. Young said its members have been resuming talks with its US buyers.
“We have survived, for the last eight months, the US’ 19% tariff. So, I think we have to just go on with what we are doing, and we’ll try our best to just lower our price to be competitive with other ASEAN nations,” he said via telephone.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think Filipino exporters will do better with the new 15% tariff instead of the previous one set at 19%? If you are managing a company that makes products for export mainly to the United States, do you have any backup plans when dealing with new tariffs?
When was the last time you visited the Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA)? In recent times, the US-based company Cerberus Asia Pacific Investments, LLC (Cerberus) proposed to manage, operate and rehabilitate the said airport for P5.31 billion and it has been endorsed by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center. The unsolicited proposal is officially being reviewed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), according to a news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the business news article of BusinessWorld. Some parts in boldface…
THE P5.31-billion unsolicited proposal of US-based investment company Cerberus Asia Pacific Investments, LLC (Cerberus) to manage, operate, and upgrade Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA) is now being reviewed by the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) after the go signal from the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center.
“This unsolicited project was endorsed by the (PPP) Center to the IA (implementing agency) after being determined complete… The Subic Bay International Airport PPP is currently undergoing the approval process of SBMA,” the PPP Center told BusinessWorld on Tuesday.
According to the PPP Center, the SBMA will be the approving body for the project. If approved, the airport project will be under an operate-add-transfer contract arrangement.
Once the SBMA approves the project, it will begin negotiations with the project proponent. The government will then formalize the Original Proponent Status and initiate the Swiss Challenge process.
The Swiss Challenge is a process where other companies can submit better offers, but the original proponent has the right to match them.
Cerberus Capital Management is an investment firm managing approximately $65 billion in assets. Its global network of affiliates includes Cerberus Asia Pacific, which focuses on investments in logistics, infrastructure, technology, and energy.
Cerberus already operates part of a 310-hectare lot of a former South Korean-owned shipyard located west of the airport for which it had submitted an unsolicited bid.
“In theory, competitive bidding is king. In the reality of the SBIA, Cerberus is the catalyst we need. It is time to choose strategic results over procedural delays,” Rene S. Santiago, former president of the Transportation Science Society of the Philippines, said in a Viber message.
Nigel Paul C. Villarete, a senior adviser on public-private partnerships at the technical advisory group Libra Konsult, said that solicited bidding would be more feasible and faster, as it enables the government to define the contract’s parameters and coverage.
“Many of our public facilities should be operated by the private sector to attain a lot of the efficiencies that they can do, which are often difficult to attain within the government realm,” Mr. Villarete said.
For Mr. Villarete, a government-led solicited procurement process will always be preferable.
However, since an unsolicited proposal has already been submitted, the government’s role is to enter into negotiations, introduce the necessary changes and amendments, and only then present the proposal to the public for challenge, he said.
“There should be a negotiation period for the two parties to discuss any amendments required by the government before this is published for challenge,” he said.
Cerberus’ proposal covers the rehabilitation of SBIA assets and the development of new facilities to expand capacity and attract new tenants.
The company has also committed to invest “considerable financial resources” and utilize its real estate management capabilities in developing the airport.
In its proposal the company said that it will maintain the existing leases but only for the “early years” of its concession period.
“Cerberus plans to maintain the status quo of existing operations by honoring existing leases and retaining incumbent employees. In parallel, Cerberus will invest significant capital expenditure to improve SBIA’s infrastructure and operations, whilst building new hangars and storage facilities to reestablish SBIA as a major hub for commercial cargo operations and to expand SBIA’s government logistics operations,” it said.
The company added that it will monitor and evaluate airport fees to optimize SBMA’s returns under the revenue-sharing agreement, while supporting efforts to attract and manage both existing and new airport tenants.
This revenue-sharing scheme would be the determining factor if the proposed 25-year concession agreement were extended, PPP Center said.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? What is your opinion about the current state of the international airport inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone? Do you think so much more can be achieved with the Subic Bay International Airport in terms of expanding flight connectivity, attracting more tourists from overseas and paving way for more foreign commerce to enter the freeport?
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
Welcome back, 1990s arts and culture enthusiasts, video game enthusiasts and comic book collectors! Today we go back to the late-1990s to examine the launch issue of the magazine-sized comic book series titled Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine.
To put things in perspective, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the Resident Evil video games and multimedia entertainment franchise . The original Resident Evil (Japanese title: Biohazard) video game released in 1996 was arguably a major turning point in console gaming as it was an adulterated game that blended horror, action, monsters and the cinematic experience. Initially released on PlayStation, the game got released on Windows PC and the Sega Saturn, and eventually sold millions of copies worldwide while establishing a solid fanbase. Arguably, RE sparked the revival of the zombie genre in pop culture during the 1990s and contributed to new zombie-related multimedia productions in the 2000s.
Even before the release of Resident Evil 2, the number of Resident Evil fans grew and so did demand for more related stuff. Marvel Comics published a free one-shot Resident Evil comic book while Resident Evil: The Book was released in Japan.
When Resident Evil 2 was released in 1998, it became an even bigger blockbuster and resulted in even more new RE fans as gamers enjoyed playing it so much. The massive commercial success of RE2 led Capcom to approving several new Resident Evil game projects for development. Still within 1998, the licensed RE multimedia projects were released in the form of two novels and a new comic book series with a magazine format.
With those details laid down, here is a look back at Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1, published by WildStorm/Image Comics in 1998 with short stories written by Ted Adams and Kris Oprisko, and drawn by Ryan Odagawa, Carlos D’Anda and Lee Bermejo.
The cover drawn by Jim Lee.
Early stories
S.T.A.R.S. Files – Inside an office, Albert Wesker gets briefed about his next assignment in Raccoon City which has been experiencing a series of mysterious murders. The superior tells Wesker to field a S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) team to find out what is going on.
Who Are These Guys? – A scientist writes a letter to Ada Wong and reveals key details about the research of the T-Virus, including what his team has been doing and what he observed.
Dangerous Secrets – Inside the high-tech debriefing room of the S.T.A.R.S. headquarters, Chris Redfield begins a review of what happened during their mission at the mansion and what took place before they even got involved. Present are Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton.
Raccoon City – R.I.P. – A very sick and physically deteriorating man watches the news on TV at home. As the moments passed by, he begins to lose control of himself as his deteriorates. He suddenly goes out of his house and walks down the street aimlessly.
Quality
Ada Wong, the scientist and the journalist who secretly spied in a scene that happened before Resident Evil 2 started.
As already revealed on the cover of this magazine-style comic book, this is a collection of four short stories designed to provide readers insight on the lore of Resident Evil, additional portrayals of the established RE characters of the time – Chris Redfield, Barry Burton, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers, Albert Wesker, Leon Kennedy and a few supporting characters seen in the games – and, more notably, illustrated development of events that connect the first two games with each other in ways that the games themselves could not. To be clear, Resident Evil took place in July 1998 while its sequel took place in September 1998.
Without spoiling the stories, I can say that S.T.A.R.S. Files was a warm-up in the form of introducing the characters of the first RE game. Who Are These Guys? was a creepy telling of what happened behind the scenes with regards to the unethical scientific experiments that caused zombies and monsters at the mansion to happen. It has a violent ending which made one of the most popular Resident Evil characters look like a murderer (note: I’m surprised it was not controversial). Dangerous Secrets was a creative recap of what happened at the mansion (which follows the game ending involving the rescue of Jill Valentine) and S.T.A.R.S. had such futuristic office equipment to work with (it has a strong sci-fi flavor). Raccoon City – R.I.P. was the build-up of developments leading to the start of Resident Evil 2.
Clearly, the quality of the writing and artworks varied from one story to another. The writing of Who Are These Guys? really stood out nicely due to its creepy vibe and the fine way of telling the story of the scientist who wrote to Ada Wong. Dangerous Secrets also stood out with its dramatization of Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers and Barry Burton who have to move on knowing that a lot of lives were lost and lots of dirty secrets were uncovered. When it comes to the art style used on established RE characters, the zombies and monsters, fans looking for a more realistic take will end up disappointed (example: a few shots of Jill Valentine had a cartoony aesthetic). At the same time, Jim Lee’s only art of Resident Evil was the cover.
Readers looking for spectacle and moments of zombie horror will find something to enjoy here. I can confirm that the creative teams did not hold back on the violence and gore.
WildStorm did not just settle with doing their own literary take on the Resident Evil lore. They even went further by publishing an interview with Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami knowing that the fans will enjoy discovering details and revelations through the production side of the video games.
Page 1 of the interview with Mikami.
Page 2.
Going back to the first RE game of 1996, be aware that certain details in this comic book could end up lacking or feel irrelevant given the fact that this was published years before the Resident Evil remake on Nintendo GameCube was released.
Conclusion
Chris Redfield leads the post-mission review.
Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1 (1998) succeeded in what it was meant to do. It gave readers added insight to the characters and the events – including those that happened off-screen – of the 1996 video game while literally warming them up for Resident Evil 2’s illustrated events. To really enjoy this comic book magazine, it is clear that one has to play BOTH video games to gain at least a basic understanding of what happened and who is who. As it was released at a time when Resident Evil 2 was available and selling a lot of copies, this comic book adaptation turned out to be a helpful read that fans and newcomers can enjoy. It is also a reminder that the late 1990s was an exciting time to be a Resident Evil fan.
Overall, Resident Evil: The Official Comic Book Magazine #1 (1998) is recommended.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
Manila is preparing to lead a unified Southeast Asian push for a preferential trade agreement with the United States (US) following Washington’s decision to impose a 15 percent global tariff on imports.
Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said the government intends to leverage its 2026 chairship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to safeguard the region’s export competitiveness and navigate the sudden shift in American trade policy.
Roque added that the government will also raise this matter during the upcoming ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) Retreat in the coming month.
“Definitely that will be one of the topics that we will be talking about,” she told reporters on the sidelines of the ASEAN Editors and Economic Opinion Leaders Forum.
She, however, said the government has yet to formally discuss the region’s position, given that the US’ new sweeping tariffs were just announced over the weekend.
Finance Secretary Frederick Go, on the other hand, said this is an issue that all ASEAN members “love to talk about when we’re together.”
“What it made clear to us is that we have to open new markets,” said Go.
The US Supreme Court ruled on Feb. 20 that President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs implemented under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) were unconstitutional.
In the aftermath of the ruling, Trump immediately slapped a 10 percent surcharge on imports to the US, later raising it to 15 percent.
The new global tariff brings another wave of uncertainty that may undermine the exports of ASEAN members and ultimately their respective economic growth.
The Philippines is taking an active role in calling for deeper regional integration to accelerate investment flows and future-proof the region.
As ASEAN chair, Roque said a major priority is to oversee the passage and entry into force of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA).
DEFA aims to set the region’s common rules on e-commerce, digital trade, cybersecurity, digital payments, emerging technologies, and cross-border data flows.
The agreement is seen doubling the value of ASEAN’s digital economy, which is already on track to reach about $1 trillion by 2030.
“We recognize the complexity of today’s global environment—geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, supply chain shifts, and climate risks. Yet we remain confident in ASEAN’s collective strength. ASEAN bonded together is a force that cannot be ignored,” said Roque.
For the year, Roque said priorities of the ASEAN chairship also include cross-border mobility of digital talent and industrial development of semiconductors and critical minerals.
By observing the attitude of the current administration and its diplomats, the Philippines is acting as if it is a major player on international affairs and world economics. Its chairmanship of the ASEAN is the latest example of this. Clearly the Philippines is afraid of the new global tariff implemented by Trump. Filipino exporters have endured the previous 19% tariff by America. When it comes to economic growth, the Philippines has weakened achieving only 4.4% growth in 2025 and the fallout of the flood control corruption scandal is still being felt socially and economically.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the Philippines will be a very effective leader of the ASEAN this year? Do you think the Philippines is truly standing up for the economic interests of each and every Southeast Asian nation when dealing with Trump tariffs? Is the Philippines leading ASEAN to a potential embarrassment on international affairs and economics?
US President Donald Trump delivered another meaningful State of the Union Address. His speech emphasized what his administration has done, what they are working on and which direction America itself is headed.
What is very notable about this year’s speech was how Trump exposed the wickedness and unpatriotic nature of the Democrats (the Satanic Left and Islamo-Leftists). The White House issued a statement about whose side the Democrats are on.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the White House statement. Some parts in boldface…
Tonight, President Donald J. Trump delivered a historic State of the Union address before a joint session of Congress — proudly declaring the dawn of a new Golden Age after just one year of transformative leadership in his second term. In a powerful speech, President Trump highlighted unprecedented accomplishments: a fully secure border, plummeting inflation, falling gas prices and crime rates, surging stock markets and 401(k)s, massive tax relief for working Americans, and bold actions to restore peace through strength abroad.
This was a speech of renewal and resolve — yet congressional Democrats, consumed by delusional hatred and obstruction, refused to join in celebrating these victories for the American people.
Tonight, Democrats refused to applaud:
– Reaffirming “the first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.”
– The grieving families of innocent American women and children murdered by criminal illegal aliens — including the mother of Iryna Zarutska, a North Carolina woman savagely killed on public transit by a career criminal monster.
– Securing our homeland and finally ending the invasion of savage criminal illegal aliens — killers, rapists, gang members, and traffickers — with the strongest, most secure border in American history.
– Prioritizing American citizens over illegal aliens.
– Unifying against political violence.
– Inflation finally subsiding after years of Democrat-driven price shocks that crushed working families.
– Keeping violent criminals locked up.
– Lower prescription drug prices for millions of Americans.
– The decisive military action that brought indicted narcoterrorist Nicolás Maduro to justice, crippling drug cartels and liberating our hemisphere from vicious narcotrafficking terrorists.
– Protecting minor children from the horrors of irreversible sex changes.
– Gas prices dropping to multi-year lows, putting money back in Americans’ pockets.
– Law enforcement officers being respected once again after years of vilification.
– The financial futures of millions of American newborns through Trump Accounts.
– Protecting the integrity of our elections by preventing illegal aliens from undermining our democracy.
– Banning large corporations from scooping up single-family homes, ensuring they remain available for working Americans.
– Ending widespread fraud schemes — like the $19 billion Somali fraud scandal that burdened Minnesota taxpayers.
– Warrior Dividends for our great military heroes.
– Reducing the flow of deadly fentanyl across our border by a record 56% in one year.
Very clearly, the Democrats today are twisted, very woke and they do not really care about America’s own citizens and stakeholders. Too many times have the Democrats sided with illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, and other foreign criminals at the expense of the American people. The general elections of 2024 are over and yet the Democrats never changed for the better at all. They are actually worse and more toxic right now.
The Democrats love illegal immigrants/aliens, the Islamic terrorists, the scammers, the crooks, the thieves and a whole lot more evil forces. Can you imagine John F. Kennedy and Robert Kennedy being alive today (they each would be over 100-years-old had they survived) and look at their fellow Democrats? They would have been very disgusted and shocked with how much their party changed for the worse! I can imagine an elderly RFK condemning Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib as Islamic terrorists disguised as their party members.
With the YouTube videos posted below, you will not only see how disgusting Democrats really are, but also see how Trump cleverly exposed their true colors.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to Trump’s 2026 State of the Union Address? Do you think the Democrats today have any sanity remaining at all? Do the Islamists like Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib reflect your values as an American? Do you find Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Al Green the most pathetic Democrats of today?
As the month of February is about to end, Maynilad’s daily water service interruptions continue to affect Muntinlupa City, according to a Manila Bulletin news report. Recently, Maynilad was asked by the City Government to explain why the interruptions keep on happening.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of the Manila Bulletin. Some parts in boldface…
The daily water service interruptions being implemented by Maynilad Water Services have continued in Muntinlupa.
“Some areas of Las Pinas City and Muntinlupa City may experience low to no water supply starting February 24, 2026 at 12:00 pm until 7:00 pm due to variable raw water quality during the Amihan season, caused by strong winds over Laguna Lake. We are managing limited supply and will restore service as soon as conditions improve,” Maynilad announced on Feb. 24.
In a recent live broadcast on Facebook held by Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon, Maynilad representatives admitted that the company is having difficulty supplying water 24/7 to households in the city mainly because of problems that hound its treatment plants that draw raw water from the Laguna Lake.
“We need to distribute or allocate hours. We have to distribute the water because of the number of customers that we have to serve,” said Greg Antonio, speaking in Filipino, head of Maynilad’s Water Production South.
He admitted that Maynilad was currently rationing water to many areas in Muntinlupa with eight hours each in the morning, afternoon and evening. When there is no water, Maynilad said it is delivering water using tankers.
Alfred John Gallego, head of Maynilad’s Muntinlupa-Las Pinas Business Area, said the company’s treatment plant handling water from Laguna Lake was unable to cope with strong winds that generate powerful waves in the lake surface.
“We can see that wind conditions have not been favorable to us though we know it’s seasonal,” he said..“We need to protect our plant to prevent a surge of water that is not according to design.”
He said Maynilad reduces the volume of water that the treatment plant processes to avoid compromising water quality.
Gallego said that the concessionaire also gets help from other water sources, like La Mesa Dam. He did not discuss, however, whether the company is also looking at other water sources.
He also said existing pipelines of Maynilad are no longer sufficient to carry additional water volume. He added that their main source of water, Angat, is always prone to the effects of El Nino, or prolonged dry spell.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this recent development? If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, how was your experience with the water service of Maynilad? Do you think Maynilad told the truth behind the water service interruptions? Do you want to the City Government to keep on pressing Maynilad for answers and solutions? Do you think Maynilad should do refunds?
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Recently in the city of Parañaque, a Chinese national was arrested by elements of the Bureau of Immigration (BI) and the local police for identity theft, illegal activities and overstaying in the country, according to a news report by The Daily Tribune.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of The Daily Tribune. Some parts in boldface…
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Saturday reported the arrest of a Chinese national for alleged identity theft and overstaying during a raid on a condominium unit in Parañaque City.
Operatives from the BI’s Fugitive Search Unit (FSU), in coordination with the Parañaque City Police Intelligence Section and the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center (CICC), carried out the enforcement operation on 16 February at a residential unit in Barangay Tambo.
Authorities arrested Fang Li, 36, a Chinese national, following intelligence reports that she had been engaging in illicit activities and was allegedly using the identity of another Chinese citizen.
Immigration records showed that Fang last entered the Philippines in 2022 as a temporary visitor but failed to apply for any visa extension or conversion. She has since been classified as an overstaying alien.
During the operation, agents also encountered two other Chinese nationals identified as Chen Youliang, 38, and Xu Yuxiang, 39.
febXu, meanwhile, was found to be overstaying, as her last recorded visa extension expired in 2020.
BI Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado emphasized that the bureau will not tolerate attempts by foreign nationals to evade immigration laws by using false identities.
Let me end this post by asking you readers: What do you think about this recent development? If you are a resident of Parañaque, are you concerned that there could be a lot more Chinese nationals committing criminal acts while hiding in the city? What do you think makes Parañaque a hot spot of criminal activities involving Chinese nationals.
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagement, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Author Carlo Carrasco 