Ivan 🇵🇭🇻🇦

M.D | Conservative, Catholic, free market enjoyer | BizDev & Policy @cirrolytix | Editor-in-Chief @ChristNewsline | Host @SITREPph

[Ivan 🇵🇭🇻🇦 @IvanAtHome]

It's amazing how so much of this play is still relevant. The idea of honor, dignity, culture and tradition being sold for profit by schemers in grey suits. Men who would squander the family's priceless heirlooms to satisfy their base desires.

Many of our politicians would rather sell this country's dignity for profit, folks. They would sell Don Lorenzo's house for self-serving interests as the Virgin Queen of these Islands watches in horror. You've seen such things just this week. They sell out our country to cheap warlords.

So much has been lost. So much has changed - for the worse. The nobility and virtues of Old Manila are long past us, mga kababayan.

Que horror!

🎶"Hindi pera ang problema
Bagaman iyon ang sabi nila
Nagtatapon sila ng pera
Sa mahjong, sa karera
Ikinakaila nila ang totoo kahit sa kanilang sarili
(Candida! Paula!)
Sinusumbatan sila ng bahay na ito
Nasisira ang kanilang pagsasaya
Habang nakikipagtsismisan
Habang nakikipagsugal
Habang nasa karerahan o jai-alai
O habang hindi sila makatulog." 🎶

[Ivan 🇵🇭🇻🇦 @IvanAtHome]

If anyone wants to know my views on Philippine politics and culture, read Nick Joaquin's "A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino" and its adaptation on stage and on film, "Ang Larawan."

It's one of the most moving works of art I've ever encountered. I recall reading it out of curiosity when I was in high-school abroad, a way to connect with my Filipino identity, and it totally captivated me, Its haunting story still sticks with me to this day and I often find myself rereading or rewatching it.

The play touches on so many themes; loss, regret, change, idealism. It always gets me emotional reflecting on it, especially seen recent events in our country's history. So much has been lost.

For me, nothing encapsulates what it means to be "Filipino" more than the fate of Candida and Paula, the tragedy that befell their family and the loss of the dignity of their old city. My entire view of this country was shaped by it, my politics' guided by a desire to return of what was taken from the sisters by uncaring fate and wicked men.

I hope everyone can give it a read or at least watch since the full movie is on YouTube at the moment, with English subtitles. I hope it touches you the way it continues to touch me.

https://t.co/AjISQYWJ7Y

[pagliacci the hated 🌝 @Slatzism]

it’s that time again

[Alighieri Umaru☧ @writriverdale]

Calling something you dislike either nazi or fascist is extremely natural slave behavior.

[Catholic Sat @CatholicSat]

Pope Leo XIV in Argentina, warns priests of the gravity of doing something they know is wrong and then justifying their actions by saying it was done for pastoral reasons.

The Pope makes the hand gesture for inverted commas (air quotes) as he says “pastoral reasons.” Watch:

[ABS-CBN News @ABSCBNNews]

UPDATE: The former driver of ex-DPWH Usec. Roberto Bernardo testified that he delivered boxes to Sen. Jinggoy Estrada on four occasions from November 2024 to June 2025.

Francisco Dela Fuente gave the testimony during the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division’s bail hearing in Estrada’s plunder case over the alleged flood control kickback scheme.

Dela Fuente said he delivered 12 boxes to a building allegedly owned by Estrada in San Juan in November 2024.

He also testified that he delivered three boxes each in December 2024 and February 2025, followed by 11 boxes in June 2025.

The deliveries were made upon Bernardo’s instructions, he said.

Estrada previously denied receiving kickbacks from flood control projects. | via @KaxandraSalonga

[Bianca Dava-Lee 🐱 @biancadava]

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. declined to comment on recent national security and foreign policy issues, saying he would not allow his remarks to be used to portray disunity within the government, especially ahead of the ASEAN and APEC Summits.

“I will not allow any remarks to be made the subject of disinformation in order to portray a semblance of disunity in government,” he told reporters in Cebu on Wednesday.

Teodoro’s remarks followed the Department of Foreign Affairs’ statement describing public commentary by certain government officials on China as “regrettable.” @ABSCBNNews

[Bianca Dava-Lee 🐱 @biancadava]

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Wednesday said the Philippines should not back down from defending its rights in the West Philippine Sea despite China’s greater military strength, describing the choice between standing up for the country’s rights and giving in as a “false choice.”

Teodoro made the remark when asked about Vice President Sara Duterte’s recent statement that the Philippines should avoid picking fights with other countries, particularly China.

“Hindi tayo nakikipag-away, pero naninindigan lang tayo. I mean, the size is also a consideration—disparity of size. Pero kung ang pinaglalaban mo ay batas at kinabukasan ng susunod na henerasyon, I think there is no compromise. I think the Filipinos know that that is a false choice,” Teodoro told reporters in an interview in Cebu. @ABSCBNNews

[Stephen Dziedzic @stephendziedzic]

13 days (!) after Squad Defence Ministers meeting the US, Aus, Japan and Philippines finally issue joint statement. It's got some meat in it: Squad flagging a "Combined Coordination Centre" to "synchronise defence investments" in Phillippines to help it "defend its archipelago"

[Phil 🇺🇸🇺🇦🐘 @Philzer7]

Election Twitter…

I love elections too but some of you are way too invested in these races. Some of you need to step back and re evaluate.

Red or blue for the most part you will live your life like normal. There’s more to life than politics. ❤️

[Erikaaa @ErikaCA47]

🚨‼️ How Democrats won midterm messaging.

Example: SideShift. An AI creator incentive platform bankrolled by Reid Hoffman. Yup. That Reid Hoffman.

SideShift pays influencers to promote a campaign like affordability or Trump and Epstein... Even candidates. James Talarico was one.

Millions of creators. Tens of millions of dollars.

Reid Hoffman funds it and sits on the board. Watch. ⬇️

[NewsWatch Plus PH @newswatchplusph]

KITA O SUHOL?

WATCH: House prosecutor Terry Ridon says there must be a reason GenCorp Industries, Inc. remitted amounts to Vice President Sara Duterte, whose lawyers raised the forensic report on her Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net worth by Alexander Cabrera as they presented their witness.

Suzette Balucanag-Punay, GenCorp corporate counsel, said during the trial on Wednesday that Duterte has what she called loose investments in a fast food branch under Davao Bounty Times Food Corporation in 2007. This was carried over to Great Jolly Times Foods Corporation, and Times Square B Foods Corporation in 2013.

The investment was eventually transferred to GenCorp when it acquired the business. Punay said she does not know the nature of the return of capital to Duterte, and based her response only on bank records.

“Ano ba ‘yung batayan ng kita, nagbigay ba siya ng pera don?” Ridon said. “Bakit nag-carry over ‘yun pong investment na ‘yan toward GenCorp at bakit sila nagbabayad. Kita ba ‘yan o suhol?” #VPonTrial | Mikaella Veraces

[Swann Marcus @SwannMarcus89]

This is literally what overperformance vs. underperformance looks like in every fucking election

This is not news. More extreme candidates underperform more moderate candidates in every single election and this holds true for both parties

[primordialis @canuck_neocon]

This is why I support the militant democracy and do not believe in the absolute freedom of speech.

There should be no place for the influence of foreign powers (especially hostile ones!) in politics of the West. The only way to accomplish that are proactive actions of the State.

[Ivan 🇵🇭🇻🇦 @IvanAtHome]

The Democrats should call a House congressional inquiry into this nonsense. Heads needs to roll

[unusual_whales @unusual_whales]

BREAKING: The US Commerce Dept was approving sales of Nvidia, $NVDA, chips to companies in China which either did not exist, were on the sanctions list, and/or had ties to China's military, per NYT

[Park MacDougald @hpmcd1]

The most important principle of national security export controls is to have fun and be yourself 🙂

[Michael 🍂🎃 @_JeanLannes]

To do...what?
LARP? Aura-farm?

[🇵🇭 Laitera🇵🇭 @laiteranidaddy]

Bwahahahahah

[Jesus Falcis 🇵🇭 @jesusfalcis]

You have to be such a bad and annoying witness to make Lito Lapid speak and disrupt his work-life balance of quiet attendance.

🤭

[Eyal Yakoby @EYakoby]

It’s so obvious that Russia is behind the woke right.

[Catholic Sat @CatholicSat]

The Pope loved every minute of this. He is in his absolute element. Thank you Argentina.