Growing up, I was taught that Jose Rizal was irresistible to women. In time, I learned the names of Segunda Katigbak, Leonor Rivera, O-sei (or Usui Seiko), and Josephine Bracken. I believed Rizal to be a heartthrob in his day, that is, until I came across his correspondence and diaries. Going back to these primary […]... Keep on reading: Rizal, jilted suitor
There was a time when love was simple. It was walking beside my dad and instinctively holding his arm, like nothing bad could happen as long as I stayed close enough. It was lying in bed as a child and knowing that if I felt scared, or if I was about to cry, I could […]... Keep on reading: The arms that hold and shape us
Last week, I guided my COMM 85 class through small group discussions. COMM 85, Issues in Science Communication, uses the philosophy, sociology, and nature of science to critique how science is covered and reported. We don’t assume that simply giving correct information will solve problems. Instead, we examine the world that surrounds the many different […]... Keep on reading: The books that bind
On Feb. 7, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a community journalist from Leyte, marks her sixth year in detention—an incarceration that rights and media groups strongly believe stems from her work as a journalist. As a radio broadcaster, Frenchie reported on the lives of farmers, urban poor communities, and disaster survivors in Eastern Visayas—stories rarely covered by […]... Keep on reading: When Journalism is Treated as Terrorism
Manila Bulletin Headline for today, February 11, 2026. Grab a copy at your favorite newsstand today or read it all on our website at You can follow us on X @manilabulletin, Instagram: @manilabulletin, Threads: @manilabulletin
Here are the lotto draw results of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) for Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Check these out. READ MORE: Lotto draw results, February 9, 2026 Lotto draw results, February 8, 2026 PCSO Lotto games The PCSO holds five 6-pick number games, the Lotto 6/42, MegaLotto 6/45, SuperLotto 6/49 GrandLotto 6/55 and […]... Keep on reading: Lotto draw results, February 10, 2026
MANILA, Philippines – Net foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into the Philippines fell more modestly last November, even as the economy navigated a host of domestic and global headwinds, pushing year-to-date gains past the central bank’s projection for 2025. Latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed FDI inflows outpaced outflows by $897 […]... Keep on reading: FDI net inflow breaches $7B, beats BSP ’25 goal
MANILA, Philippines – Bank lending expanded at its slowest pace in nearly two years in December 2025, underscoring the limits of the central bank’s power to revive confidence that has been weighed down by an unresolved, high-profile graft scandal and the absence of a clear recovery in government spending. Latest data from the Bangko Sentral […]... Keep on reading: Philippine bank loan growth slid to 22-mo low in December 2025
MANILA, Philippines – Private wealth investors are heading into 2026 with a more disciplined and opportunity-driven approach to asset allocation, as selective risk-taking and diversification take precedence over broad market bets, according to Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. (Metrobank). In a recent note, Metrobank said high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients are becoming more deliberate about where […]... Keep on reading: Metrobank sees private wealth investors turning choosier in 2026
MANILA, Philippines – The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has penalized Global Dominion Financing Inc. for engaging in unfair and abusive debt collection practices. This reinforces the regulator’s push to strengthen consumer protection in the financial sector. READ: sec-acts-vs-predatory-lenders-eyes-rate-caps In an order dated Jan. 28, the SEC’s Financing and Lending Companies Department (FLCD) found the […]... Keep on reading: Global Dominion fined for abusive debt collection
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ newly signed critical minerals agreement with the United States is expected to generate benefits beyond mining. Prospective investments are seen extending to power generation, logistics and chemical handling. In a statement on Tuesday, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said the accord adopts a “whole-of-government” approach aimed at strengthening […]... Keep on reading: Critical minerals deal benefit goes beyond mining
Over the years, I’ve sat across the table from many people who would easily qualify as wealthy—successful entrepreneurs, senior executives and families with businesses, properties and investments that most people only read about. Their balance sheets are solid. Their lifestyles are secure. On paper, they’ve already “won.” And every now and then, someone asks a […]... Keep on reading: Why the wealthy still use life insurance
JOSE de Venecia, the country’s longest-serving post-war speaker of the House of Representatives and the architect of the so-called “Rainbow Coalition,” has passed away at the age of 89, his family said Tuesday. In a statement, they said de Venecia devoted his life to public service as a journalist, diplomat, entrepreneur, legislator, speaker of the House, and global advocate for peace. “He served seven terms in the House of Representatives, five of them as speaker — the longest-serving speaker in the postwar Congress — during which he championed landmark legislation that transformed the Philippine economy, strengthened democratic institutions, and uplifted millions of Filipino families, including overseas workers,” they said. They also lauded his efforts in pursuing dialogue “at moments when peace efforts were difficult and often unpopular,” such as the agreements with the Moro National Liberation Front and the Reform the Armed Forces Movement. Born in Dagupan, Pangasinan on Dec. 26, 1936, de Venecia was a student journalist during his college years at the Ateneo de Manila University, later becoming a Manila Bureau chief of the Pan-Asia Newspaper Alliance and also becoming a co-founder of the Radio Philippines Network alongside James Lindenberg. De Venecia was also an economic press counselor of the Philippine Embassy in Saigon, where he conceived the dollar remittance program for overseas Filipino workers. He first became a lawmaker in 1969 but this was cut short in 1972 when martial law was declared. He returned in 1987 and ran for three successive terms, becoming speaker in 1992. During his time as speaker, de Venecia created the so-called “Rainbow Coalition,” which convened different political parties such as the Laban ng Demokratiko Pilipino, Nationalist People’s Coalition and the Lakas-National Union of Christian Democrats, which he co-founded with former president Fidel Ramos. Some of the bills that de Venecia authored include the Dollar Remittance Program, the Bases Conversion and Development Act, the Build-Operate-Transfer Law, the Philippine Economic Zone Act, and the New Central Bank Act. De Venecia ran for president in 1998 under the Lakas-NUCD-UMDP-Kampi coalition, with Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as his running mate, but he lost to then-vice president Joseph Estrada. He returned to politics in 2001 after Estrada’s resignation. He was again elected speaker in 2001, creating another coalition called the “Sunshine Coalition,” but resigned in 2008 after his son, Joey de Venecia, was involved in the NBN-ZTE scandal. Lakas president and former speaker Martin Romualdez said that de Venecia was more than just a public servant, but a statesman in the truest sense of the word. “He possessed the rare gift of seeing far beyond the horizon, and even rarer, the wisdom to bring others with him. As one of the founding fathers of Lakas — then popularly known as Lakas-NUCD — he helped build not just a political party, but a national movement rooted in unity, peace, and inclusive leadership,” Romualdez said. Speaker Faustino Dy III said de Venecia was a “respected statesman whose vision helped shape modern Philippine democracy and whose leadership left an enduring imprint on the institution he once led.” “His life of public service was marked by intellect, courage, and an undeniable devotion to the Filipino people,” Dy added. Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez honored de Venecia in a Facebook post, describing him as the “foremost son of Dagupan.” Fernandez said that during the 1990 Northern Luzon Earthquake, it was de Venecia who stood firmly for the city. “Through his leadership and authorship of the necessary national funding, he became the principal architect of our rehabilitation, recovery, and renewed rise. Because of him, Dagupan did not simply rebuild — we rose stronger,” Fernandez said. De Venecia is survived by his wife, current Pangasinan 4th District Rep. Gina Vera Perez-de Venecia, and five children, including Joey de Venecia and Christopher “Toff” de Venecia. One of his daughters, KC de Venecia, died in a house fire in 2004. Architect of modern Dagupan De Venecia was both a national power broker and the man widely credited for rebuilding and modernizing his hometown of Dagupan City, Pangasinan after its darkest hour. His most enduring local legacy emerged after the 7.7 magnitude Luzon earthquake of July 16, 1990, which devastated Dagupan through widespread liquefaction that sank buildings, crippled roads, and displaced thousands of families. As Pangasinan’s congressman, he led the passage of the P10-billion Earthquake Rehabilitation Fund, ensuring that Dagupan — one of the worst-hit cities — received a large share of the emergency reconstruction budget. Through this fund and the international development assistance he helped secure, major infrastructure such as the Magsaysay Bridge, road networks, and public facilities were rebuilt in just two years, restoring economic life to the city. For transforming disaster into a catalyst for modernization, de Venecia earned the title “Architect of Modern Dagupan.” Dagupan Mayor Belen Fernandez paid tribute to him as the leader who stood for the city during its “darkest hour,” calling him its “foremost son.” De Venecia leaves behind a legacy that blends statesmanship, political power, reform, controversy, and deep loyalty to Dagupan. To his supporters, he was the man who rebuilt a broken city and strengthened Congress. To critics, he was a central figure in one of the most turbulent political eras of the Arroyo years. His story remains inseparable from the history of Dagupan City and from the broader narrative of Philippine democracy and governance.
PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. approved 21 bills as part of the priority measures of the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), including the proposal to abolish travel tax, Malacañang said Tuesday. Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said Marcos met with the Ledac on Tuesday to discuss the priority bills that he wanted to be passed by June. Castro said that among the approved priority measures were the Travel Tax Abolition, Expanded Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act of 2026, Fake News and Digital Disinformation and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Elections. She said priority proposals were designed to improve the quality of life for Filipinos, enhance social protection, and promote transparency and accountability in government. “Overall, the president was pleased and satisfied with the priority bills that are expected to be passed before June this year,” Castro said during a press conference. The other priority legislative measures include the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Law; Citizen Access and Disclosure of Expenditures for National Accountability; Independent People’s Commission Act; and the Party-List System Reform Act. The rest of the priority proposed laws are the Amendments to the Bank Deposits Secrecy Law/Banking Reform for Integrity, Good Governance, Honesty, and Transparency Act; Right to Information Act; Amendments to the Coconut Farmers and Industry Trust Fund Act; Amendments to the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program Act; Amendments to the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act; Amendments to the Government Assistance to Students and Teachers in Private Education Act; Classroom-Building Acceleration Program Act; and the National Center for Geriatric Health. Also included in the priority measures are the Waste-to-Energy Bill/Waste Treatment Technology Act; Amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act-Energy Regulatory Commission Strengthening Bill; Amendments to the Rice Tariffication Law/Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment Act; Department of Water Resources; and Estate Tax Amnesty. In supporting the passage of the travel tax abolition bill, Castro said Marcos said Filipinos did not only travel for leisure, but also for work and for emergency cases. She said 50 percent of the levy goes to the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority’s (Tieza) infrastructure projects, 40 percent goes to educational assistance and scholarships, and 10 percent is used to promote culture and heritage. “The abolition of the travel tax is a priority bill of the president to help boost the country’s tourism industry,” Castro said. “The president believes that this will further ease the burden on our tourists and on our fellow Filipinos who travel. As for the details — such as how much revenue would be lost and how much additional funding would be allocated to Tieza — these have not yet been discussed, since the bill has yet to be drafted and is still only being treated as a priority measure,” she added. On concerns that abolishing the travel tax could reduce funding for education and tourism promotions, Castro said the government would cover any funding gaps through the national budget, once the proposed bill is enacted. Castro said economic managers discussed the measure’s potential benefits, particularly in easing travel costs, but noted that details on revenue impact would be tackled once the bill is drafted. During the Ledac meeting, Marcos also sought updates on the proposed anti-political dynasty law, which he wanted enacted at the soonest possible time. “According to Sen. Risa Hontiveros, who was among those who attended the meeting this morning, the Senate has already begun conducting public consultations on the matter, starting in Pasig City. They are also scheduled to hold consultations in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao,” Castro said. Speaker Faustino Dy III said the House would likewise conduct nationwide consultations, she added. Meanwhile, Castro assured the public that the measure on combating fake news and digital disinformation would not hinder freedom of speech. “The president only said that this should be balanced, because it might encroach on freedom of expression, and that there must be a clear definition of what we mean by fake news and disinformation,” she said. “The president will not allow any form of freedom of expression or freedom of speech of our fellow citizens to be trampled upon,” she added.
BAGUIO CITY — Flood control cases pending at the Office of the Ombudsman were getting ripe, and the agency is preparing for “the big push,” Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla said on Tuesday. “The next few months will be exciting. There will be a lot of work done,” Remulla said in a press conference after he spoke at the office’s strategic planning conference in the Camp John Hay Convention Center. “We’re preparing for the big push. We’ll have a big push because the cases are getting ripe,” he said in Filipino and English. The Office of the Ombudsman has already filed flood control cases before the Sandiganbayan. In November 2025, the Ombudsman charged former lawmaker Zaldy Co and other persons — including former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Mimaropa — before the anti-graft court in connection with an anomalous road dike construction project in Oriental Mindoro. The case docketed as SB-25-CRM-0039, which was filed for alleged violation of Section 3(e) of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act against multiple people, was raffled off to the Sandiganbayan’s Fifth Division. Others accused in this case are Gerald Pacanan, Gene Ryan Altea, Ruben Santos Jr., Dominic Serrano, Juliet Calvo, Dennis Abagon, Montrexis Tamayo, Lerma Cayco, Felisardo Casuno, and Timojen Sacar who were all from the DPWH Mimaropa at the time material to the case. Also among the accused were people who, based on the charge sheet, were from Sunwest: Aderma Angelie Alcazar, Cesar Buenaventura, Consuelo Aldon, Noel Yap Cao, and Anthony Ngo. The case for alleged malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents, which was docketed as SB-25-CRM-0041, went to the court’s Sixth Division. SB-25-CRM-0040, a case against Co for alleged violation of Section 3(h) of the anti-graft law, was raffled off to the court’s Seventh Division. Co, who has been in hiding abroad since July 2025, has denied the charges. In January 2026, the Office of the Ombudsman filed a graft case (which went to the Sandiganbayan Fourth Division) and a malversation through falsification case (which went to the court’s Third Division) against former senator Bong Revilla and six other persons in connection with an alleged ghost project in Pandi, Bulacan. The six others were Brice Hernandez, Jaypee Mendoza, Arjay Domasig, Emelita Juat, Juanito Mendoza, and Christina Mae Pineda. “All investigations at the Office of the Ombudsman are ongoing — there are many. And our coordination with the DOJ (Department of Justice), which is continuously investigating everything, is continuous,” Remulla said. “You will just see that. I do not want to say anymore who. When it is filed, then you ask me,” he added. “This office will not soften with time. It will sharpen. We will become more precise, more disciplined, and more deliberate in our work,” Remulla said. “At the right time, we will present to you a comprehensive digitization plan designed to strengthen transparency and accountability across all our operations. Digitization will protect the integrity of our records, ensure that timeliness and deadlines are visible and enforced and we can flag the delays before they become inordinate,” he said. He added that he will call for a full inventory of the cases in the office. The office’s Internal Affairs Board will also be reconstituted under new and clearer guidelines, he said. Cabral files Remulla also said his office is looking into the files of the late DPWH undersecretary Catalina Cabral, who died under mysterious circumstances after she was linked to the flood control bribery scandal. In December, the office got custody of Cabral’s computer. “Unfortunately, there was something we could not see in the files,” Remulla said. “So what we did was to go to the cloud. [...] So we got the record from the cloud. That’s all I can say about it.” “We’re still investigating everything,” he said. In December 2025, the Office of the Ombudsman said the Cabral files were just one part of the investigation.
SEN. Panfilo Lacson said that while the language in the draft Blue Ribbon Committee report on “ghost” flood control projects has been “softened,” the substance remains unchanged. The senator said the report still recommends legal action against Sens. Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, and Joel Villanueva for allegedly receiving commissions from the flood control budget. In an earlier version of the draft report, the committee recommended the three senators be “charged” with plunder and violations of anti-graft laws. In the current version, “charged” has been replaced with “to undergo preliminary investigation,” said Lacson, chairman of the panel tasked with investigating government anomalies. “In layman’s terms, when you say ‘charged,’ it seems it is already filed in the court,” the Senate president pro tempore said in a mix of Filipino and English. “So, we just specified that instead of using the word ‘charged’ or ‘to be charged,’ [it is] to undergo preliminary investigation, fact-finding investigation, or case buildup.” “My bottom line is: I would not report out something that I don’t believe in,” Lacson added. Asked to comment on observations that other personalities should have been included in the list, Lacson said, “If they have such suggestions, they should present evidence.” “It is easy to say, ‘Why was this person not here?’ or ‘Why was this person included?’ Where is the evidence?” he said. “We go by the evidence gathered during the Blue Ribbon Committee investigation. We cannot go beyond that, and we cannot fall short of the evidence presented.” Lacson added that fellow senators should “help in crafting the report instead of simply criticizing it.” The senator expressed confidence that he could secure the 11 signatures required to present the report to the plenary. Lacson also noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was not among those recommended for investigation. “Because he is an impeachable officer,” Lacson said. “And the impeachment complaint against him before the House of Representatives has been dismissed.”
Inquirer 
Manila Bulletin News 
The Manila Times