TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 6 May 2026) — There are weeks when the economy whispers. There are weeks when it speaks clearly. And then there are weeks like this—when it shouts. April 2026 is not just another bad inflation print.
We don’t know if it’s coincidence or intentional, since May 4 is Star Wars Day, and it’s also the day that the House Committee on Justice voted unanimously that the impeachment complaints against VP Sara Duterte have substance and need
One day, I overheard a mother and her grade school son speak, A simple choice between the colors—blue or pink. “Which color do you like?” the mother asked with care. “Blue,” the son answered, proud and aware. “But Mom… I
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 03 May) — I was not born into abstraction. I was born into place. Before I knew the word Mindanao, before geography became map or memory became sentence, I had already been claimed by water, church bells,
MindaNews / 02 May – Nineteen people died in Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19, 2026. Ten were acknowledged fighters of the New People’s Army. Nine were not. Among the nine were a 22-year-old student from the University of the
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews /01 May) — In 2017, the Inclusive Development Index was introduced to measure progress beyond the narrow confines of gross domestic product. This framework recognized that economic growth alone cannot capture the lived realities of marginalized communities.
A Peacebuilding Pastor’s Reflection on Justice, Human Dignity, and National Reconciliation DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 30 April) — The Toboso encounter in Negros Occidental, where Alyssa Alano (“Ka Kikay”), two children, and others reportedly died during a military operation, grieves
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 29 April) — There are charts that whisper. This one shouts. The latest Business Confidence Index from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas shows something more troubling than a normal dip in sentiment. It shows a break.
Growing up, I was at times reminded that the “real world” happens when I step out of the four corners of the classroom, be it on the streets, in workplaces, or beyond. But what if for some people that is
Many people are treating the UBJP accreditation fight as a technical election-law dispute. That reading is too narrow. In BARMM, this is not just about party registration requirements. It is about the political phase of a peace settlement. The first
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 26 April) — On April 19, 2026, Alyssa Alano, a 22-year-old University of the Philippines student leader, was killed in Toboso, Negros Occidental, alongside 18 others in what the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) described
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 26 April) — The latest regional accounts carry a quiet but important message: the Philippine economy is no longer just a Manila story. In 2025, all 18 regional economies posted growth. National gross domestic product (GDP)
The impeachment of Vice President Sara Duterte is a constitutional moment. It carries implications that extend well beyond national politics. For Mindanao, the region that produced her, the proceedings carry a particular weight. The island watches with acombination of pride,
It started with a double whammy, on April 22. When April 22 was supposed to be Earth Day where we are called to defend our planet, the Dutertes — Tatay Digong and VP Sara, and let’s include their diehard supporters
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 22 April) — When Fitch Ratings shifts its outlook on the Philippines to “negative,” it does not stay in the headlines. It quietly works its way into your loan, your job, and your grocery bill. What’s
PASIG CITY (MindaNews / 21 April) — Procedure is not a technical detail in peace implementation. It is where trust is either built or spent. The Bangsamoro peace process is not collapsing in one dramatic event. It is being stressed
SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 21 April) — Have you ever felt tired or unmotivated lately because of the current crisis we have to deal with? I shudder to think that it sometimes feels as though it is the price we
ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 20 April) — The child was no more than two years old, the social media post of Jad Idah, a content creator from the Philippines, indicated. The video showed a boy crying for his mother as
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 19 April) — The Strait of Hormuz was open again, they said. Then, just as quickly, it was not quite open after all. That is the trouble with crises of this kind: the headline changes faster
SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 April) — “Always find the joy.” While scrolling through the internet, I came across this tip in an opinion article that arises from the current crisis the world is facing. Interestingly, in this day and
When a house in a community catches fire,Every neighbor rushes to help.They call the firefighters.Some bring water in buckets,Using small dippers to throw water onto the flames. Everyone does whatever they can—Any help possible, they give. But why? It’s simple:
(This was the commencement speech I delivered for the graduates of St Mary’s Senior High School in Cagayan de Oro last 29 March 2026. The original title of the speech is: TODAY, YESTERDAY, TOMORROW; FLY, WALK, SWIM.) This is a special moment for
PASIG CITY (MindaNews / 17 April) – The most fragile phase of a peace process is often the one that sounds most confident in public. That is where Bangsamoro appears to be today: narrative coherence improving faster than implementation coherence.
Duterte’s Plan B is underway, given that Plan A, VP Sara, is now sliding into Plan I – impeachment, and TROs. Might as well go to Plan B, as in B as in Baste. Baste Duterte, who is the now-you-see-now-you-don’t
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 15 April) — Right after my session with my rheumatologist, I did what many Filipinos did yesterday: I lined up at a fuel station for a full tank. It was late afternoon. Traffic was still heavy.
(Delivered at the “National Solidarity Conference on Palestine and Call for Peace in the Middle East” by Dr. Mansoor Limba on 10 April 2026 at the Acacia Hotel in Davao City) First, let me greet you with the greetings of
VP Sara Duterte is of high entertainment value. Millions are taking off from their work and are glued to social media platforms to watch every step of the process of her impeachment, excitedly waiting for an explosion, particularly since she
In many Bangsamoro communities today, one question keeps coming up: Who do we follow now? The MILF led by Kagi Murad? The BARMM government led by Chief Minister Macacua? The national government through Secretary Galvez of OPAPRU?Or the datus and traditional families
(Delivered at the “National Solidarity Conference on Palestine and Call for Peace in the Middle East” by Prof. Elin Anisha Guro, CESE, Chancellor 1, Mindanao State University in Marawi City, on 10 April 2026 at the Acacia Hotel in Davao
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 12 April) — Singapore’s warning and Bam Aquino’s Senate reminder point to the same conclusion: for the Philippines, resilience in fuel, power, food, and logistics is no longer separate from national security. The New Security Map
SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews / 12 April) – For many Filipino college students today, going to school has become an extraordinary challenge, especially for those who are not privileged when it comes to financial stability. A few days ago, some of
(Keynote delivered by Mohagher Iqbal, Vice Chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and chair of the MILF Peace Implementing Panel at the “National Solidarity Conference for Palestine and Call for Peace in the Middle East” on April 10, 2026
MindaNews / 10 April – It came out on the eve of Black Saturday in the Holy Week, a short film uploaded by Cebu-based vlogger Joseph Sabello. In the past two years, Sabello has put up short films with social themes
DOHA, Qatar (MindaNews / 10 April) — Some—I hope only some, and not many—often believe that in defending the dignity and honor of one’s people and country, one must fight to the death; that blood has to be shed, must
BAOSHAN, Shanghai (MindaNews /10 April) — I have worked for the Bangsamoro peace process since 1998. I have sat with Moro rebel commanders in hidden camps, walked through evacuation centers after military operations, and listened to young soldiers confess that they
NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 10 April) – Trump’s unprovoked bombing of Iran did not devastate the target, but it has instead squeezed the economy of many countries across the globe. The immediate response of Iran to the US assault
MAKATI CITY (MindaNews / 10 April) – It’s as if the long-simmering national discourse between the pro-liberal (yellow/pink), the pro-Duterte (green) and the pro-PBBM (red) has found renewed vigor, new lexicon — even, perhaps, new fractures. But this time, the colors aren’t
MAKATI CITY (MindaNews / 09 April) – It began, as many things today do, not in the quiet of a madrasah or the measured tone of a scholarly circle, but in the speed of breaking news. No sooner had the first salvo
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 09 April) — Congratulations to team Gasolina for successfully crawling its way into people’s hearts, creating social discourse on the matters of fatherhood. There have been some who questioned the integrity of the film and said
Easter Sunday: Christ has risen.Tuesday: Gas prices have risen.Sweldo na lang nato ang wala nisaka.Y*woPara asa diay nang emergency power ni BBM?# During Holy Week, Greco Belgicacompared PRRD to Jesus.Jesus came back from the dead.Tatay Digong is still far from home.thou
PASIG CITY (MindaNews / 9 April) — As September 2026 approaches, one point should be clear: the MILF has already secured a historic political victory. The Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro stands. The Bangsamoro Organic Law stands. The Bangsamoro government
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 9 April) — In times of crisis, Filipinos have always turned to bayanihan—the spirit of solidarity and mutual help. This was vividly seen during the COVID-19 pandemic when the first community pantry appeared on Maginhawa Street
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 8 April) — By the time this column appears on Wednesday, the newest fuel-price hike will already have landed. That matters. Because by then, this is no longer a forecast, a projection, or a late-night headline
Trump’s unprovoked bombing of Iran did not devastate the target, but it has instead squeezed the economy of many countries across the globe. The immediate response of Iran to the US assault is to tighten its control of the Persian
The September 2026 BARMM parliamentary elections are being framed as a democratic milestone. That is true. But it is not the whole truth. This election is also a stress test of peace. For years, Bangsamoro politics was held together by
TAGUIG CITY (MindaNews / 05 April) — As conflict in the Middle East widens, the Vatican’s appeal for restraint is not just a moral plea. For countries like the Philippines, it is also a warning about energy insecurity, economic exposure,
NAAWAN, Misamis Oriental (MindaNews / 05 April) — Calling Easter, the third day after the crucifixion of Christ, has no scriptural basis. It is often claimed that the English name Easter derives from Ēostre, or Ostara, a goddess in the Germanic pagan tradition who
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews /02 April) — Abortion debates under neoliberalism deprive women of moral agency by isolating their choices from structural conditions, while simultaneously absolving corporations of moral responsibility for environmental toxics that cause involuntary abortions. This moral asymmetry reflects
CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 02 April) — Twelve years ago, the Government of the Philippines and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front signed the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro at Malacañang Palace — a historic accord born of nearly two
BAOSHAN, Shanghai (MindaNews / 02 April) — I have spent the better part of my adult life in the unglamorous business of dialogue. Not the kind that makes headlines in Manila or gets celebrated in Brussels. The kind that happens in
