Ron M.

[Negasi Tayachewe @NTayachewe12]

Why is China so obsessed with intimidating the Philippines?

Because a smaller country keeps doing what Beijing hates most — showing the world what is happening.

Truth is apparently the biggest threat for China!

[Terry Ridon @terryridon]

Mic Coson is a Philippine-based retail and brand executive, best known for his leadership roles at Globe Telecom and Ayala Malls. He has held key positions including Head of Channel Experience and Portfolio Growth at Globe and Vice President for Leasing at Ayala Malls.

Coson has been an influential figure in the Philippine retail and lifestyle landscape, having previously managed brand operations for popular labels like Promark Industries, Mossimo, Team Manila, Yamamay, and Trilogy.

During his tenure with Globe Telecom, he spearheaded digital transformation initiatives, including the rollout of accessible, self-service Shop & Pay and EasyHub digital kiosks. He has also been involved in initiatives that merge fashion, digital integration, and consumer experiences, such as the Designer Mentorship Program at StylefestPh.

He holds a degree in Advertising from De La Salle University.

[Wanjun Xie @xie_wanjun]

The video shows: Exhausted, Chinese soldiers involved in disaster relief efforts were seen sleeping on the ground in the rain. However, the rain was clearly coming from the side of the camera, creating small puddles only near the lens; no rain fell in the distance. This was clearly rain sprayed from fire hoses. The Chinese military's disaster relief efforts were merely a show, a staged event, followed by deceptive propaganda and lies from state media.

[DAVAOMIGRANT @nabunturanguy]

Someone sent this to me just this morning - a videotaped news from Brigada News FM. This in Matina Crossing in the southern part of the city. Yesterday, if you remember, I also posted a clip taken at Tibungco, at the northern part of the city. As you can hear from the conversation, many Dabawenyos have already accepted flooding as part of their lives, FOR DECADES, living in the city ruled by the Dutertes.

[War Flash @WarFlash_2630]

🇷🇺🇺🇦13 Mins the Most Intense Frontline Combat between Russian and Ukraine soldiers

War is a place where young people kill each other, not knowing each other and not hating each other, based on decisions made by older people who know each other and hate each other, but don't kill each other.

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

Root your hearts in the firm foundation of God's love for you. Discover the Heart of Christ, and do not be afraid to build your lives upon Him (1 Jn 4:16). In doing so, you will not only find the fullness you seek, but you will also be able to share with those around you the warmth of God's love and the reconciling power of His grace.

[BRP Sierra Madre @BRPSierraMadre]

The 2016 Arbitral Award has remained clear: it is final and legally binding under international law, affirming the Philippines' maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea.

Yet China continues to reject the ruling and promote a different narrative. The facts, however, have not changed.

Don't let misinformation rewrite history. Know the facts. Share verified information. Stand up for the truth, expose false narratives, and support the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea.

Because truth is strongest when it is informed, shared, and defended.

#BRPSierraMadre #WPS #WestPhilippineSea #ArbitralAward #RuleOfLaw #UNCLOS #StandForTruth #KnowTheFacts #DefendTheTruth #Philippines

[Jay Tarriela @jaytaryela]

There is nothing “so-called” about the 2016 Arbitral Award. It is final and legally binding under UNCLOS — the treaty Beijing itself ratified and now spends every July trying to make the world forget.

If commemorating it were merely “symbolic,” China wouldn’t work this hard to discredit it. The reaction gives away the significance.

And the warning that we would “bear the cost” of escalation? A threat aimed at a smaller neighbor for lawfully asserting its rights is not a deterrent. It is a confession.

[ALTStarMagic 💫 @AltStarMagic]

DJ Chacha: “Paano po yung mga naabala po nung traffic?”

Elmo San Diego: “Pag hindi niyo concern itong panawagan ng Iglesia ay wag na kayong dumaan dito kasi makakadagdag lang kayo sa problema”

DJ Chacha: “Pero kasi Sir hindi naman po yung nanggulo ay yung mga na-traffic pero ang explanation niyo po kasi ngayon sir parang paano po kami po ang mag-aadjust?”

ROAST HIM DJ CHACHA!!!! PUTANGINA ANO KAMI MAG-AADJUST????? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Jay Tarriela @jaytaryela]

The Chinese Embassy had four statements and one round of sanction. All aimed at one man — Secretary Gilberto Teodoro — for the crime of defending our own country.

Let us be clear: the West Philippine Sea is ours — affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Award under UNCLOS, final and binding. Our sovereignty was never a gift from Beijing to give or take away. It will never be ransomed for fuel, fertilizer, or “aid.” Assistance offered as leverage is not friendship — it is a leash. And the Filipino people do not wear one.

You may call our officials clowns. We will keep telling the truth. We will keep sailing our own waters. We will never be silenced!

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

We cannot consider #AI to be morally neutral. In reality, every technical tool embodies choices and priorities through what it measures, ignores, and optimizes, and how it classifies people and situations. Ethical discernment cannot be limited to asking whether we are using a system for good or bad purposes. It must also examine how that system is designed and what vision of the human person and society is embedded in the data and models that guide it. #MagnificaHumanitas

[Pope Leo XIV @Pontifex]

Dear writers, we need your imagination, your narrative creativity and your lively thinking. We need these to create spaces of freedom and authenticity, within which divine grace can make the promise of consolation and peace resound. https://t.co/FEmCrdQ392

[BRP Sierra Madre @BRPSierraMadre]

The situation in the West Philippine Sea continues to reveal a pattern of coercion, intimidation, and illegal actions that challenge Philippine sovereignty.

From unauthorized warships entering the country’s EEZ, to deceptive activities at Bajo de Masinloc, and political pressure directed at national leaders, recent events highlight an ongoing effort to undermine the Philippines’ sovereign rights.

Yet the country continues to stand on international law, truth, and unity — proving that a nation committed to defending its sovereignty cannot easily be pushed aside. 🇵🇭

#BRPSierraMadre #WestPhilippineSea #WPS #DefendSovereignty #UNCLOS #NotOneMore

[Collin Koh 🇸🇬🇺🇦 @CollinSLKoh]

Still clutching at straws. If only you had the same gumption to partake in the arbitral proceedings and vigorously defend your legal position?

But you chose to sit out, discredit the panel and the award - only because you know well you're standing on flimsy legal grounds.

[Dr. Minh Tran @MinhDr18]

China Coast Guard vessel loitering just 27–45 nmi off Luzon, Philippines.

China is getting more arrogant with each passing day.

Philippines should EXPEL them like Taiwan does these days.

If not, they will only grow brazen enough to show up till Manila Bay one day

[✨️Serenitee♡Sam✨️ @Serenitee_Sam]

Two airline passengers thought they had found the ultimate travel hack.

After boarding, they allegedly moved into seats that weren't assigned to them, started drinking, and then refused repeated requests from the flight crew to return to their original seats.

Police were called.

An officer gave them one final choice: leave the plane voluntarily or the entire aircraft would be deplaned and they could be arrested for trespassing.

They refused.

Every passenger was forced off the plane.

The flight was delayed.

Police returned, handcuffed the pair, and escorted them off the aircraft in front of everyone.

What started as a seat swap ended with criminal trespassing charges, handcuffs, and one of the most avoidable travel disasters imaginable.

The most expensive seat upgrade in airline history.

Sometimes the shortest trip is the one from "I'm not moving" to "You're under arrest."

[Jay Tarriela @jaytaryela]

DFA STATEMENT IN REPLY TO THE STATEMENT OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY ON THE 2016 ARBITRAL AWARD

MANILA 22 June 2026 - The Department of Foreign Affairs categorically rejects the assertions of the Chinese Embassy in Manila in their recent statement against the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award. The Award was rendered by an arbitral tribunal constituted in accordance with Annex VII of UNCLOS, a treaty to which both the Philippines and China are States Parties. The award is final and binding and has become an unassailable part of the corpus of international law, providing legal clarity regarding maritime rights and entitlements in the South China Sea. It is not and will never be illegal, null and void.

In its Award on Jurisdiction and Admissibility, the Arbitral Tribunal rejected China's objection that the disputes involve territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea and therefore beyond the tribunal's jurisdiction. The Arbitral Tribunal also rejected the argument set out in China's Position Paper that the parties disputes concern maritime boundary delimitation and are therefore excluded from the Tribunal's jurisdiction by virtue of China's Declaration under Article 298 of the Convention. There should be no confusion that the 2016 Arbitral Award is focused on issues concerning the interpretation and application of UNCLOS, including the legal status of maritime features, maritime entitlements under the Convention, and the compatibility of certain maritime claims with international law.

The DFA further rejects the contention that the initiation of arbitration violated any obligation to settle disputes exclusively through bilateral negotiations. The Arbitral Tribunal rejected China's position that the parties had agreed to resolve disputes relating to the South China Sea exclusively through negotiations. The Tribunal confirmed that the Philippines has met the requirement under Article 283 of the Convention that the parties exchange views regarding the settlement of their disputes.

While the Philippines remains committed to dialogue and diplomacy, it is not precluded from availing itself of dispute-settlement mechanisms under UNCLOS when disputes concerning the interpretation or application of the Convention cannot be resolved through consultations. The Philippines acted within its rights and obligations as an UNCLOS State Party, especially when years of dialogue with China failed to achieve progress.

As we commemorate the Award's 10th anniversary this July, we highlight its resounding affirmation of UNCLOS and of the Convention's dispute-settlement mechanisms. Indeed, judicial decisions and arbitral awards rendered under UNCLOS benefit all States — not just the parties to a dispute. By clarifying the content of international law, they provide guidance, strengthen legal certainty, and support the peaceful and predictable governance of the oceans. Respect for these rulings is essential to preserving the integrity, credibility, and universality of the Convention and the rules-based order it embodies.

In this regard, the 2016 Arbitral Award stands as a clear guidepost for all States on the invalidity of excessive or historical claims, the proper assessment of the status of maritime features, the activities at sea deemed prejudicial to the rights of the relevant coastal State, and the obligations of States Parties for the protection and conservation of the marine environment. The Award has since been cited in several international decisions and judgments.

Significantly, the Award also clarified important obligations under UNCLOS relating to marine environmental protection, including duties concerning fragile coral reef ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, and the prevention of severe environmental harm. The Tribunal's findings on the protection and preservation of the marine environment continues to resonate strongly within the evolving corpus of international law governing the oceans. END

[BRP Sierra Madre @BRPSierraMadre]

In 1995, China told the world that the structures it built on Panganiban (Mischief) Reef were simple shelters for fishermen.

They said they were civilian.
They said they were harmless.
They said there was nothing to worry about.
Thirty years later, the world can see the result with its own eyes.

The reef was transformed into a massive artificial island, complete with military facilities, airfields, ports, and strategic infrastructure deep inside waters that international law recognizes as part of the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone.

The lesson is not about the past.
The lesson is about the present.

Today, China asks the Philippines and the international community to trust its explanations regarding new activities in Bajo de Masinloc. But trust is built on consistency between words and actions.

Filipinos remember what happened at Mischief Reef.
We remember the promises.
We remember the denials.
We remember how a "shelter" became a fortress.

That is why every new structure, every new platform, and every new activity in the West Philippine Sea deserves scrutiny.

Not because Filipinos seek conflict.
Not because Filipinos are paranoid.
But because history has taught us that vigilance is the price of protecting what is ours.

The Philippines is not overreacting.
The Philippines is remembering.
And a nation that remembers cannot be deceived twice.

#BRPSierraMadre #WestPhilippineSea #WPS #MischiefReef #BajoDeMasinloc #chinaslies #grayzonetactics #NotOneMore

[BRP Sierra Madre @BRPSierraMadre]

A Chinese floating platform near Panatag may be gone.
Now a Chinese research vessel has appeared in the same area.

That's why the story was never about one platform or one ship.
The real issue is the continued presence and activity around Panatag.

In the West Philippine Sea, one vessel leaves, another arrives. One activity ends, another begins.

The question is not what left.
The question is what remains.
And Panatag remains under constant attention.

#BRPSierraMadre #WestPhilippineSea #WPS #UNCLOS #SouthChinaSea #AtinIto

[Thea Tan @imtheatan]

🚨₱332 Billion Later: The Price of Falling on Deaf Ears

I wrote about this before; but now, there is a video from 7 years ago about House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr’s expose.

This whole mess went down during the Duterte administration, but the warnings completely fell on deaf ears.

Despite the massive red flags brought to light by Andaya Jr., the Duterte admin did nothing and the issue was swept under the rug.

1. Andaya exposed that ₱75 billion was secretly added to the 2019 DPWH budget.

A DPWH official testified under oath that this money did not come from their agency; it only appeared after the budget went through the DBM.

2. Out of that insertion, ₱14.5 billion went to flood control.

In total, the government allocated a staggering ₱332 billion for flood defenses in just three years (2017 to 2019).

Yet, heavily hit flood-prone areas continued to suffer.

3. While areas devastated by Typhoon Usman received virtually no help, over ₱385 million was funneled into six specific flood and drainage projects in Casiguran, Sorsogon — the hometown of the politically powerful Hamor family.

✳️ The Casiguran breakdown:

Himaoyon Flood Control (₱75M)
Lungib Seawall (₱80M)
Somal-ot Seawall (₱100M)
Cagpagol River Control (₱45M)
Suji River Control (₱25M)
Poblacion Drainage System (₱60M).

4. The main contractor landing these deals was Aremar Construction Corporation.

Corporate records revealed a massive conflict of interest: one of Aremar’s main incorporators was married to the daughter of then-DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno.

5. To bypass scrutiny, a firm called C.T. Leoncio Construction allegedly acted as a conduit.

They won around ₱2 billion in Bicol infrastructure projects but secretly passed the actual work and profits over to Aremar.

6. Andaya produced actual deposit slips proving that over ₱70 million (including a single transfer exceeding ₱11.4 million) was moved directly into Aremar's bank accounts, which major anti-money laundering questions for the banks involved.

🔸What happened to Andaya after:

Following this intense expose, Andaya faced heavy political backlash and survived multiple assassination attempts, including separate incidents where his vehicle was shot at in 2018 and 2021.

Tragically, before his findings could ever lead to any real accountability, he was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head at his residence in June 2022.

🔸Where it stands today:

Because everything fell on deaf ears back then, absolutely nothing happened.

No final court ruling ever established criminal liability, and those accused denied any wrongdoing.

But the core question remains: if the government spent ₱332 billion back then, why are Filipinos still drowning in floods today?

Video source: https://t.co/ivVh4xrNs7