The God Culture: 100 Lies About the Philippines: #38: Tagalog is Derived from Hebrew

Welcome back to 100 lies The God Culture teaches about the Philippines. Today's lie concerns Timothy Jay Schwab's claim that Filipino, especially Tagalog, is derived from Hebrew. As we shall this is just another lie.

We are going to look at Tim's justification for looking for Hebrew words not his linguistics. Tim has two sources he uses to justify his search for Hebrew words in Tagalog. In his video series he says the following:

Solomon's Gold Series - Part 7: Track of the Hebrew to the Philippines. Ophir, Sheba, Tarshish

28:57 Another point raised by Padre Chirino where he even said that it, the Tagalog language,  has the mystery and obscurities of the Hebrew language. So, he even believed that there were similarities between Tagalog, the national language of the Philippines, and Hebrew. Steven Levinsohn, a linguist, wrote "At the end of the workshop one mother tongue translator remarked that had he known of the parallels between Philippine languages and Biblical Hebrew he would have found the learning of the latter, Hebrew, much easier. His remark led me to raise the matter with a couple of Seminary professors who teach Hebrew in Manila." Are these professors ignoring all this evidence? 

God Culture Conference with Lisa George & Tim Schwab

37:03 Now we have, uh, videos and in our book we have a whole chapter, uh, where we found, uh, at least I think in our research, at least 500 words that are Tagalog or similar, uh languages in the Philippines. But you look at it and it, it looks to be Hebrew in origin. Uh, when the Spanish came here some of the linguists that came said exactly that. Like Padre Chirino. He said, uh, that the Tagalg language has the Mysteries and obscurities of the Hebrew language because it it looks like Hebrew. Uh, a modern translator came to the Philippines to conduct a conference and he said had he known that Tagalog had such, uh, similarities to the Hebrew language, uh, he would have uh expressed that from the beginning, uh, so that professors would know to teach it, uh, in that regard with that as a foundation because when you connect the two languages you start to realize, uh, it's actually very easy for a Tagalog speaker to pick up Hebrew because they have you know, uh, several words in their language that are already uh of Hebrew origin very likely.

Tim's claim is that Padre Chirino and Stephen Levinsohn said there were similarities between Hebrew and Tagalog because they share similar words. Some Taglog words are Hebrew in origin! That is a blatant lie. Neither of those men said such a thing. 

Let's look at Padre Chirino first. Tim's source for Chirino is not Chirino but a historian named Dr. D.P. Barrows. 

The Search For King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 166

This is more of Tim's bad research. Rather than look at what Padre Chirino actually wrote he is content to cite a secondary source. And he does not even give the full citation where Chirino says there are similarities with Tagalog in Greek, Latin, and Spanish as well as Hebrew. These similarities are not because they share words but are due to the similarities in the structure of each language. 

Padre Chrino's full comments on the languages of the Philippines can be found in The Philippine Islands volume 12, page 235. They are reprinted here in full.

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=miun.afk2830.0001.012&seq=239&q1=hebrew

There is no single or general language of the Filipinas extending throughout the islands; but all of them, though there are many and different tongues, are so much alike that they may be learned and spoken in a short time. Consequently if one is learned, all are almost known. They are to each other like the Tuscan, Lombard, and Sicilian dialects of Italia, or the Castilian, Portuguese, and Galician in Espafia. Only the language of the Negrillos is very different from the rest, as, in Espafia, is the Vizcayan [i.e., Basque]. There is not a different language for each of the islands, because some of them - as, for example, Manila, and even Panai, which is more than four hundred leguas smaller - contain several languages; and there are languages each of which prevails in several islands. In the island of Manila alone, there are six different tongues; in Panai, two; in some others, but one. The languages most used, and most widely spread, are the Tagal and the Bisayan; and in some regions of the Pintados another tongue is also prevalent, called Harayan. The Tagal embraces the greater part of the coast and interior of the islands of Manila, Mindoro, Luban, and some others. Bisaya is in use through all the islands of the Pintados, although in some of the villages therein the Harayan is spoken. Of all these languages, it was the Tagal which most pleased me and which I most admired. As I told the first bishop, and, afterwards, other persons of dignity in the islands and in Europe, I found in this language four qualities of the four greatest languages of the world, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and Spanish: it has the abstruseness and obscurity of the Hebrew; the articles and distinctions in proper as well as in common nouns, of the Greek; the fulness and elegance of the Latin; and the refinement, polish, and courtesy of the Spanish. Examples of all these characteristics may be seen in the " Ave Maria" done into Tagal; and, as that is a short prayer, and more easily understood than the others, I will place it here with its explanation in our vernacular, and with word-forword equivalents. In this way may be seen the idioms and characteristic expressions of this language which will please some readers, and furnish information, both useful and curious.

The "Ave Maria" in the Tagal language 

Aba Guinoo Maria matoa ca na. 

Hail Lady Mary, joyful thou now, 

Napono ca nan gracia, 

full thou of grace; 

An Panguinoon Dios na saio. 

the Lord God is with thee 

Bucor can pinagpala sa babain lahat. 

especially, thou blessed among women all. 

Pinagpalat naman ang iong anac si Jesus. 

Blessed also he thy son Jesus. 

Santa Maria ina nang Dios 

Holy Mary, mother of God, 

Ipana languin mo cami macasalanan 

Let us be interceded for by thee, us sinners 

igayon at cum mamatai cami. 

Amen, Jesus. now and when shall die we. 

The first word of this prayer ABA, is obscure, but apparently has the force of " salute," like the Latin Ave. Bucor expresses diversity, distinction, and singularity. The article is Si (Jesus), as TON in Greek. The richness of the language lies in its many synonyms and phrases; consequently this prayer, which, as it stands, is very elegant, could be formed with equal elegance in various other ways, without losing its original sense and meaning. The polish and courtesy consist in not saying, as in Latin, Ave Maria (which would seem in this language abrupt and barbaric), without adding that polite word, Guinoo. 

There is none or very little of this courtesy in the other two languages of the Bissayas, which are more rude and unpolished. I thought it good to present the same prayer in these languages, not only as a curiosity, but to give an idea of their similarity and differences-giving notice, however, that it is not my intention to offer an interpretation (which is unnecessary, since we all know the " Ave Maria "), but, as I said, to show the idioms of these languages. These idioms, moreover, ought not to displease or appear ignoble, for every tongue has its own beauty and elegance for those who are born in it, which the eyes of foreigners cannot discern. This point has been discussed by Jesus Sidrac in the prologue to his Ecclesiasticus, a holy and Catholic work; and it was proved at length, and with great erudition, by the most glorious doctor St. Jerome, in the hundred and first Epistle to Pamaquio. 

The "Ave Maria " in the Harayan tongue 

Maliag cao Maria nabota cao can gracia 

Rejoice thou Mary, full thou of grace. 

An atun guinoon Dios dian canimo. 

He our Lord God is with thee, 

Capin icao sa mafga babai nga tanan, 

fortunate thou among women all; 

ig capin naman ang imon bata nga si Jesus. 

and fortunate also he thy son Jesus. 

Santa Maria inang can Dios 

[Holy Mary], mother of God, 

igampo mo cami nga macasasala 

let us be favored by thee, us the sinners, 

caraon, ig cum mamatai cami. 

now and when shall die we. Amen, Jesus. 

The " Ave Maria " in the Bissayan tongue 

Maghimaya ca Maria napon ca sa gracia 

Rejoice, thou Mary, full of grace 

An guinoon Dios anaa can 

the Lord God is with thee 

Guirayeg ca uyamot sa babihun tana 

Exalted thou much among women all, 

ug guirayeg man an imon sanc Jesus 

and exalted also he thy son Jesus 

Santa Maria inahan sa Dios, 

Holy Mary, mother of God,  

iguiampo mo cami macasasala oñia 

let us be interceded for by thee, us sinners, now 

ug sa amun camatai. Amen, Jesus. 

and in our death. 

It has been my object in giving this slight illustration of the difference between these three languages aside from its singularity and novelty, which may furnish some pleasure - to make evident the ease and clearness of the languages and their words and pronunciations, which render them very easy, or at least not difficult to learn. Some of their idioms and transpositions, which are different from our own, must be accepted as they stand, as Father Joseph de Acosta says very well when writing on this matter, (De procur. sal. lib. 4, cap. 9.); but if they are once acquired, and one is accustomed to the sound of them, they do not render the language difficult, but rather make it easy and graceful. But since I have mentioned the courtesy and politeness of the Tagalos, and of their tongue, it will be well, before proceeding further, to speak more at length concerning it, for it is so noble and pleasing a moral virtue. Of the civilities, terms of courtesy, and good breeding among the Filipinos.

Chirino does not simply wax eloquent about Tagalog but compares translations of the Ave Maria in Taglog, Harayan, and Bisayan, showing the differences between all three languages. He calls the latter two languages "rude and unpolished." There is absolutely nothing here about Tagalog sharing Hebrew words or being derived from Hebrew. 

The same can be said for Stephen Levinsohn who also notes similarities between Taglog and Hebrew. 

The Search For King Solomon's Treasure Sourcebook, pg. 167

The similarities between Tagalog and Hebrew have to do with the construction of the language. Namely, the Verb/Subject/Object order. 

https://scholars.sil.org/sites/scholars/files/stephen_h_levinsohn/papers/contextualisedhebrewteaching.pdf

 

Here we see there are similarities between Tagalog, Hebrew, Greek, and Mexican. Is Taglog derived from Mexican or Koiné Greek? English and Chinese also have a similar Subject/Verb/Object ordering. Is English derived from Chinese? Obviously not. 

Levinsohn's point is that Taglog and Hebrew share a similar construction not that they share words or a common origin. 

Now, it is true Tim has not said the exact phrase, "Tagalog is derived from Hebrew" but that is his contention. He has a whole section in his book the Search for King Solomon's Treasure where he pretends to find residual Hebrew words in Tagalog and other Filipino languages. None of them make any sense. His method is to throw so much at the reader that they are overwhelmed. 

The Search of King Solomon's Treasure, pg. 176

As the map opposite illustrates, there is aptitude for Hebrew all over the Philippines. The list is far larger and we could publish an entire book just on the Hebrew influences in Tagalog and other Philippine languages We are not requesting the reader agree with every one of these references and interpretations but there are far too many that are direct letter for letter calibrations that one simply cannot ignore especially in lieu of the overwhelming evidence this research has already achieved. Our point is to continue to go deeper and inundate critics with too much corroboration to even consider an alternative opinion. 

Tim thinks he can throw a bunch of nonsense at people to overwhelm them so much that they can consider no alternative opinion to his claim Tagalog is derived from Hebrew. That is not how an honest researcher works. Why does he say the reader does not have to agree with him if he is telling the truth? That is the hallmark of a charlatan and a liar. 

However, if one looks closer at Tim's sources it is quite apparent that Taglog and other Filipino languages do not derive from Hebrew. That is simply one more lie about the Philippines being taught by Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture. 

Retards in the Government 424

 It's your weekly compendium of foolishness and corruption in the Philippine government.

 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/06/20/barangay-official-nabbed-for-shooting-scavenger-in-malabon

A 37-year-old barangay official was arrested after allegedly shooting a scavenger during an altercation in Malabon City on Thursday, June 19.

Personnel from the Malabon City Police Station – Substation 6 said that the suspect, who is a barangay kagawad of Barangay Ibaba, was involved in the shooting incident that occurred around 5:35 a.m.

Based on the police report, the official was conducting his regular patrol duties on a motorcycle when he encountered the victim—a 39-year-old scavenger and a resident of Barangay Acacia—who was allegedly obstructing his path.

The confrontation escalated when the suspect reportedly pushed the victim, who in turn shouted at him and allegedly pulled out a bladed weapon.

The official fired his service firearm, hitting the victim on the left thigh. The suspect claimed he acted in self-defense.

The injured victim was brought to the Tondo Medical Center for medical treatment.

The barangay official was immediately arrested.

Police recovered a 9mm pistol from the suspect, which was loaded with three live rounds. Authorities confirmed that the firearm is licensed and valid until March 2032.

The suspect also holds a License to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) valid until March 1, 2027, but his Permit to Carry Firearm Outside Residence (PTCFOR) is still under processing.

The suspect will face charges of attempted homicide.

A 37-year-old barangay official was arrested after allegedly shooting a scavenger during an altercation in Malabon City.

https://cebudailynews.inquirer.net/644220/barangay-secretary-shot-dead-in-dumanjug-two-suspects-arrested

The Dumanjug Police Station has arrested two individuals suspected in the killing of a barangay secretary from Purok 5, Barangay Tubod-Dugoan, Dumanjug town, on Friday morning, June 27, 2025.

Barangay secretary shot dead in Dumanjug; two suspects arrested

The victim was identified as Celsa Regidor Redondo, who was found lifeless inside her room that morning. Authorities confirmed that she sustained gunshot wounds to the head and abdomen.

Police Captain Eden Rex Baguio, chief of the Dumanjug Police Station, said that witnesses were able to describe the suspects, which helped identify them.

The suspects were arrested in the same barangay with the help of barangay officials during a hot pursuit operation.

Police arrested alias “Teban,” 51, allegedly the lookout, and alias “Conrad,” 35, the suspected gunman. Conrad also has a pending murder case from a previous shooting incident.

(There were really only two suspects, according to the victim’s companion, who also said there was a woman present. But they only heard two voices talking. No one else was seen. Only those two entered, barged into the victim’s room—one shot her while the other acted as a lookout outside.)

Among the possible motives police are looking into is mistaken identity.

This is due to the fact that the victim had two helpers, and one of the helpers’ brothers also stayed in the house.

Authorities believe that the real target may have been alias “Kikil”, the helper’s brother, who previously worked with the victim at her coconut farm.

Kikil allegedly borrowed a large sum of money from the 51-year-old suspect and left without paying him back.

(It’s highly possible that Kikil was the real target of the two suspects, so we’re continuing to interview this person. Our investigation into the motive is still ongoing.)

Baguio also said that although the barangay secretary was known to be strict and outspoken in her work, she never got into any serious fights or arguments, and that people in their community were already used to her demeanor.

Currently, police are preparing to file murder charges against the two suspects.

Barangay secretary shot dead in Dumanjug; two suspects arrested

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/06/30/2454352/court-rules-alice-guo-chinese-voids-mayorship

A Manila court has voided the Tarlac town mayorship of Alice Guo, who has been suspected as a foreign spy, as it ruled that she is “undoubtedly a Chinese citizen.”

In a 67-page ruling dated June 27, the Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 ruled Guo is “nothing more but a usurper” of the Office of the Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac, since she was not only disqualified to hold the position but also from running for the post in the first place as only natural-born Filipinos can run for office under the Constitution.

It said it did not matter if Guo was elected as mayor in 2022 since this does not cure her of being disqualified due to lack of Philippine citizenship, which the court said, “was already existing at the time of the filing of her certificate of candidacy.

“It follows, therefore, that her proclamation was deemed void. Alice Guo is found disqualified from and is hereby adjudged guilty of usurping and exercising the Office of the Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. Accordingly, she is hereby ousted and altogether excluded therefrom,” Manila RTC Branch 34 Judge Liwliwa Hidalgo-Bucu said in the ruling.

The ruling stemmed from the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. It is an exclusive power of the solicitor general to remove a public official who it deems holding a position unlawfully because seen as unqualified or ineligible.

The court found that Guo is “undisputedly” a Chinese national named Guo Hua Ping, who was born of Chinese parents Guo Jian Zhong and Lin Wenyi. She and her parents are holders of Chinese passports.

The Manila RTC also noted that there exists no birth, death and even marriage records of Guo’s purported parents Angelito Guo and Amelia Leal.

The court also gave weight and credence to the expert testimony of Alfredo Kahanding, chief of the Dactyloscopy Division of the National Bureau of Investigation, that Guo matched fingerprints of Chinese citizen Guo Hua Ping, who arrived in the Philippines from Fujian, China in July 1999, with her parents Guo Jian Zhong and Lin Wenyi.

Guo Hua Ping was only nine years old then, and was given an investor’s visa as the minor dependent of her parents who were granted Special Investors Resident Visa.

Guo earlier testified before the Senate that her mother is a full-blooded Filipino named Amelia Leal but she had never met her. Amelia Leal was allegedly the maid of her father Angelito Guo and Alice was their lovechild.

Meanwhile, her birth certificate says Guo was born on July 12, 1986 in Tarlac to Angelito and Amelia who were allegedly married in 1952. The birth certificate was registered only in 2005, or when Guo was already 19 years old.

Kahanding had concluded that the fingerprints were from the same person and that Alice Guo is actually no other than Guo Hua Ping.

The court said Kahanding’s testimony “deserves full weight and credence” since fingerprint evidence is infallible and faultless because no two people, even identical twins, have the same fingerprint, and that fingerprints cannot be forged.

“Alice Leal Guo has utterly failed to prove that she is a Filipino citizen, absent any credible evidence to rebut the petitioner’s evidence… It can, thus, be safely concluded that Guo Hua Ping, a Chinese national, assumed the identity of one Alice Leal Guo, representing herself as a Filipino citizen. Simply, Guo Hua Ping is Alice Leal Guo,” the court said.

“Just imagine a foreign individual, who was allowed to stay in the Philippines, was able to circumvent the law by posing herself as a Filipino citizen in order to meet the citizenship requirement to enter public office and ultimately, assumed the powers and functions of Mayor of Bamban, Tarlac. Such a situation posed a risk to national security which is far more than real,” the court said.

“There is more than meets the eye because Guo Hua Ping assumed the identity of Alice Leal Guo and posed herself as a Filipino citizen to be able to run for, voted upon and be elected for a public position,” it added.

The OSG was assisted by the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission in securing needed documents for the trial and coordinated with the presentation of Kahanding, one of the key witnesses.

The Manila court’s ruling confirming Guo’s Chinese citizenship and declaring her guilty of usurping the mayoralty of Bamban, Tarlac affirms long-held concerns over her eligibility, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.

“The court ruling affirming that Alice Guo is a Chinese national and finding her guilty of usurping and exercising the Office of the Bamban Mayor validates what we’ve long been saying – that she was never qualified to hold public office,” Gatchalian said.

“Still, the government must rigorously pursue all cases against her and hold her accountable for her illicit activities. She should also be prohibited from owning land,” he added. “I also urge the government to go after those who aided and protected her. Foreigners must never be allowed to use government for their own selfish interests.”

A Manila court has voided the Tarlac town mayorship of Alice Guo, who has been suspected as a foreign spy, as it ruled that she is “undoubtedly a Chinese citizen.”

https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/regions/950971/police-chief-in-rizal-relieved-from-post-due-to-inefficiencies-torre/story

A police chief in Rizal province has been relieved from his post over alleged inefficiencies, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday. 

At a press briefing, PNP chief Police General Nicolas Torre III said the removal of the official stemmed from the “lazy” handling of complaint filed by a businessman over a missing amount of money. 

“Ayaw ko sanang i-mention 'yung lugar kasi syempre may career pa rin naman 'yung tao, may mga kamag-anak ang ating pulis, at opisyal pa rin natin 'yan,” Torre said.

(I don’t want to mention the place because of course that person still has a career, has relatives, and he’s still our officer.)

“Pero you know I have to put my foot down on these inefficiencies na nakikita natin. Our kababayan do not deserve those kind of services…Gawaing tamad naman talaga 'yun e,” he added.

(But you know I have to put my foot down on these inefficiencies that we see. Our countrymen do not deserve those kinds of services…It’s really lazy work.)

Torre said that over the weekend a businessman sought the help of the concerned police unit after two of their workers and P600,000 went missing.

For Torre, the concerned police personnel could have traced the location of the suspects behind the missing money.

Upon checking the blotter, Torre said the police just reported that “documentation is now being prepared for filing of the appropriate case in court.”

The police also ordered the businessman to go home, according to the PNP chief.

Torre has been conducting inspections in different areas in the country to assess the capabilities of the police as he pushes for a faster response to crimes and emergencies.

A police chief in Rizal province has been relieved from his post over alleged inefficiencies. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1253285

Seven police officers assigned at the Manila Police District (MPD) are facing dismissal from the service after they were accused of extorting money from a 49-year-old man, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said on Tuesday.

In a statement, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Anthony Aberin said the police officers – a lieutenant, three staff sergeants, and three patrolmen, all detailed at the Anti-Drug Unit of Police Station 5 – were arrested inside the station in Ermita, Manila late Monday night.

The operation stemmed from the arrest of the complainant on June 20 based on made-up drug cases. While he was in police custody, the involved officers allegedly extorted PHP50,000 from his spouse in exchange for release.

Although only PHP20,000 was eventually paid via mobile transfer, the complainant was freed without charges. When the officers learned that a formal complaint had been filed, they returned the money in an apparent attempt to dissuade legal action.

Seized from the police officers were seven mobile phones used in the alleged extortion, five official police IDs, screenshots of digital transactions and conversations and remittance records of the extorted amount.

“The arrests were carried out following the swift validation of reports and complaints that exposed the involvement of the said personnel in illegal activities while in the performance of their duties,” said Aberin.

“The immediate arrest of involved PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel reflects the uncompromising enforcement of accountability within the police force. Internal cleansing remains a top priority, and NCRPO is committed to ensuring that only those who embody professionalism, discipline, and integrity will remain in service.”

The arrested officers were put under restrictive custody, awaiting charges for robbery-extortion, grave threats, arbitrary detention and violations of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and Presidential Decree 1829, which pertains to obstruction of justice.

Aberin said the operation was in line with the instruction of national police chief Gen. Nicolas Torre III to focus on police accountability.

“There will be no second chances for police scalawags. NCRPO will not allow these criminals to taint the integrity and dedication of those who are doing good in the service. Rogue policemen will be arrested, detained, charged and removed from the service, based on due process of law,” said Aberin.

Aberin ordered a conduct investigation and relieved the commander in Police Station 5 for command responsibility for failure to act on the case.

Seven personnel of the Manila Police District were arrested after taking a man into custody under "fabricated" drug charges.

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/07/02/2454818/ex-pta-head-barbers-gets-8-years-graft

Robert Dean Barbers, former general manager of the defunct Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), was sentenced to up to eight years in prison for graft over alleged irregularities in the award and construction of a sports complex project in Intramuros, Manila that was eventually demolished for being illegal.

In a 100-page decision promulgated on June 27, the Sandiganbayan Special Sixth Division has found Barbers guilty of one count of violation of Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

He was sentenced to a minimum of six years and one month to a maximum of eight years of imprisonment with the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from holding public office.

Barbers, together with the other convicted accused, was also ordered to jointly pay the government P3.7 million, equivalent to the amount of public funds found to have been misused.

Apart from Barbers, convicted of one count of graft was former PTA deputy general manager Jose Dion Diaz, while former PTA department manager Armando Miranda and former deputy general manager Edgar Bocar were convicted of two and three counts of graft, respectively.

They were likewise sentenced to six years and one month up to eight years of imprisonment for each count of the offense.

Apart from jointly paying with Barbers the amount of P3.7 million, Miranda and Bocar were also ordered to jointly pay additional P5.1 million, representing the amounts of partial payments released to the contractor I.A. Bosque Construction Corp.

Filed by the Office of the Ombudsman in 2021, the graft cases stemmed from the alleged irregularities in the awarding of the sports complex construction project in Intramuros, Manila in 2005.

The ombudsman said the project, with a total contract price of P24 million, was awarded to I.A. Bosque Construction despite lack of approval from the PTA Board as well as from the Intramuros Administration (IA).

The ombudsman said that despite the irregularities, Barbers signed a disbursement voucher for the release of P3.71 million to I.A. Bosque Construction, representing mobilization fees for the start of the project. The ombudsman said this was even if the construction project at that time still lacked building and development permits, locational clearance and IA approval.

Meanwhile, the ombudsman said Miranda and Bocar also released P1.05 million and P4.06 million, representing the first and second partial payments, respectively, to I.A. Bosque Construction.

The project was eventually declared illegal and was ordered demolished by Branch 52 of the Manila Regional Trial Court.

In convicting Barbers and his co-accused former officials of the PTA (now known as the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority or TIEZA), the Special Sixth Division said the prosecution panel of the ombudsman was able to establish their “implied conspiracy” to give unwarranted benefit to I.A. Bosque Construction to the prejudice of the government.

“As pointed out by the prosecution, the accused were given every chance to rectify their errors, but they remained adamant, resulting in the disbursement of funds for nothing. Their open defiance of the law did not merely result in the loss of government funds but also incurred the risk that the project would not comply with the minimum safety standards, as signified by the required permits and licenses,” the court’s decision read.

“To the court, this is not simply overzealousness in the exercise of one’s duties – this is breach of duty in a blatant and extremely careless manner,” it added.

Robert Dean Barbers, former general manager of the defunct Philippine Tourism Authority (PTA), was sentenced to up to eight years in prison for graft over alleged irregularities in the award and construction of a sports complex project in Intramuros, Manila that was eventually demolished for being illegal.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/07/01/dilg-makati-fire-officials-sacked-over-fire-code-violations

Officials of the Makati Fire Station, whose parked private vehicles were blocking the station’s fire truck bay, were sacked on Tuesday, July 1, during the surprise inspection of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla. 

Remulla saw the parked vehicles of the concerned personnel obstructing the entry and exit points of fire trucks and emergency response ambulances.

He said the obstruction will cause a huge delay in responding to fires and other public safety emergencies where lives and properties are on the line.

The DILG did not disclose the identities of the fire officials.

The DILG explained that Republic Act (RA) 9514 or the Fire Code of the Philippines of 2018 and the 2019 Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) provide that there should be no obstructions in the ingress and egress of fire trucks and emergency response vehicles nor should there be any prevention, interference or obstruction of any operation of the fire service.

“Officials found violating the said provisions may be held administratively liable for willful impropriety or gross negligence in the performance of his/her duty in accordance with Section 11 of the Fire Code,’’ the DILG noted.

To ensure clear exit routes of fire response assets, the DILG called on fire station chiefs to prohibit any parking in front of or near fire trucks and order the immediate removal of all unauthorized parked vehicles blocking fire response units. 

Officials of the Makati Fire Station,whose parked private vehicles were blocking the station’s fire truck bay, were sacked on Tuesday, July 1, during the surprise inspection of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor ‘Jonvic’ Remulla.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/07/02/ex-ilocos-sur-town-mayor-convicted-in-p81-m-graft-case

The Sandiganbayan has convicted former mayor Zuriel S. Zaragoza of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur in the reported misuse of P81 million share of the municipality in excise taxes on locally-manufactured Virginia-type cigarettes in 2016.

In a decision promulgated last June 30, the anti-graft court sentenced Zaragoza to a prison term ranging from six to 10 years with perpetual disqualification to hold public office.

However, Zaragoza was acquitted of malversation charge together with his father, also former mayor Edgardo Zaragoza, and former municipal accountant Melody L. Cadacio and education research assistant Mario G. Cabinte.

Former mayor Edgardo, Cadacio, and Cabinte were also acquitted of graft charge for failure of the prosecution to prove their guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

In criminal charges filed on July 18, 2022, the prosecution accused them of misappropriating P81 million intended for the benefit of the Federation of Famers of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, Inc. (FFNII).

The amount was sourced from the local excise taxes on locally-manufactured Virginia-type cigarettes under Republic Act No. 7171, An Act to Promote the Development of Farmers in the Virginia Tobacco Producing Provinces.

The Sandiganbayan found that the farmer beneficiaries did not receive their allocated financial assistance and FFNII was merely made a conduit for Zuriel to receive the money.

Because of Zuriel’s actions, the anti-graft court said the municipal government lost the opportunity to implement meaningful programs that would have benefited the farmer beneficiaries.

On the malversation charge, the court said the prosecution failed to prove that the accountable public officers received the money and later failed to account for it.

All in all, their collective participation in the alleged conspiracy appears to be more imagined than real. Surely, criminal liability may not be had simply on the basis of acts that can be taken independently and do not show a unity in person, the court also said.

The 47-page decision was signed by Presiding Justice Geraldine Faith A. Econg with Associate Justices Edgardo M. Caldona and Arthur O. Malabaguio.

The Sandiganbayan has convicted former mayor Zuriel S. Zaragoza of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur in the reported misuse of P81 million share of the municipality in excise taxes on locally-manufactured Virginia-type cigarettes in 2016.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Vice Ganda Looks Back, Safe Countries List, and More!

More news about how the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines is being handled by the public and the government. 

Tourism continues to rebound post-pandemic yet a new survey listing the Philippines as the least safe country for tourists is threatening to undo years of hard work. 

https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/06/24/2452753/tourism-stakeholders-slam-survey-naming-philippines-least-safe-tourists

Leaders of the country’s tourism industry have raised alarm over a recent international online survey that named the Philippines the “least safe” country for tourists.

Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco led the pushback, denouncing the HelloSafe Safety Index 2025 report as “built on questionable data, lacking in transparency, and entirely disconnected from realities on the ground.”

Arthur Lopez, president of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association, warned that such unverified rankings could undo years of hard work in rebuilding tourism post-pandemic. “The HelloSafe report is misleading, unfair and detrimental to the efforts of the tourism and hospitality industry.”

Maria Paz Alberto, president of the Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association and Philippine chapter chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association, said misleading narratives such as the HelloSafe index can “deter prospective visitors and cause lasting repercussions to businesses reliant on inbound tourism.”

Philippine Tour Operators Association president Arjun Shroff added that responsible messaging is critical, false narratives are corrected swiftly, and is vital that the government officials project confidence in local tourism capabilities.

Tourism leaders call the survey unfair and misleading. They are also not happy with the DILG Chief's remarks about the peace and order situation in the country. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/06/23/tourism-industry-leaders-concerned-over-dilg-chiefs-remark-on-ph-peace-and-order

Local tourism industry leaders have expressed concerns over the statement of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla on the relationship between low foreign tourist arrivals and the peace and order situation in the country.

Instead of defending what they described as misleading survey results of the “HelloSafe Safety Index 2025”, local tourism industry leaders said Remulla’s statement appeared to concede the premise of the survey and eventually undermined the efforts of the Department of Tourism.

They are referring to the part of Remulla's speech of Remulla during the 3rd Hotel Sales and Marketing Association’s (HSMA) Sales and Marketing Summit: People do not want to come to the country because they don’t feel safe. They are afraid. There is cynicism in all the bad news that goes on here, and in the political atmosphere.”

In the same summit, Remulla, however, vowed to address the country’s safety concerns by strengthening its law enforcement institutions to support the growth of the tourism sector among them is the revitalization of the unified 911 Emergency System and the plan to install closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras across the country.

It was DOT Secretary Cristina Garcia-Frasco who took the lead in calling out and lambasting HelloSafe, an insurance company, for incorrectly branding the Philippines as the “least safe” country.

Frasco also demanded accountability from HelloSafe for presenting questionable data in the guise of an objective safety index stressing that the index is “entirely disconnected from realities on the ground.”

Frasco’s pushback was supported by tourism industry leaders.

Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) president Arthur Lopez warned that such rankings—and worse, official admissions that appear to support them—could undo years of hard work in rebuilding tourism post-pandemic.

“The HelloSafe report is misleading, unfair, and detrimental to the efforts of the tourism and hospitality industry. We fully support Secretary Frasco’s call to set the record straight,” Lopez said.

Maria Paz Alberto, president of the Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association (PIATA) and Philippine chapter chair of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), said misleading narratives such as the HelloSafe index can “deter prospective visitors and cause lasting repercussions to businesses reliant on inbound tourism.”

For his part, Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) President Arjun Shroff said that responsible messaging is critical and false narratives must be corrected swiftly.

“It is vital that the government projects confidence in local tourism capabilities,” he said.

Tourism officials had hoped for unified messaging from the administration to reinforce safety reforms, improved police response times, and the deployment of tourist police.

Instead of calling the survey results misleading an an affront to the nation, Remulla said tourists do fear for their safety which is why he "vowed to address the country’s safety concerns by strengthening its law enforcement institutions to support the growth of the tourism sector."

However all that hand wringing was for nothing because the Philippines was not actually on the list. 

https://www.esquiremag.ph/life/travel/least-safe-countries-list-by-hellosafe-a3690-20250618

News broke in early June that the Philippines is the least safe country to travel to in the world, according to a ranking by HelloSafe. It indicated a safety index of 82.32, where the larger the number, the less safe the country is.

However, the same website (as of June 18) showed a different list, with Sudan ranking as the least safe country in the world and a safety index of 82.32. Following it are: South Sudan (79.21), Afghanistan (78.42), Ukraine (77.86), Democratic Republic of the Congo (75.65), Syria (74.60), Mali (72.94), Somalia (70.80), Central African Republic (69.69), Iraq (68.03), and Burkina Faso (64.09).

The previous list had the same numbers, but for different countries, with Colombia (79.21), Mexico (78.42), India (77.86), and Russia (75.65) among the 15 least safe countries in the world.

This part, titled "The Philippines, Colombia, and Mexico Emerge as the 3 Least Safe Countries in the World in 2024," in HelloSafe's Canadian domain, remains unchanged in the 2025 update.

Iceland remains to be the safest country in the world with 18.23 safety index, the same as before. Singapore (19.99) comes second, which makes it the safest country in Asia, also with the same numbers as in early June.

Europe remains the safest continent for travelers worldwide, holding most of the safest countries, including Denmark (20.05), Austria (20.31), Switzerland (20.51), and the Czech Republic (21.19).

The current map, however, doesn't align with the numbers on the current list, where the Philippines still has the safety index of 82.32 and the darkest shade of purple, indicating "Very Dangerous: Greater Than 80 Points" safety level.

The Map of the Safest Countries to Travel to in 2025, according to HelloSafe. Hovering the cursor over the Philippines would reveal a safety index of 82.32, as of June 18, 2025.

HelloSafe is a comparison platform specializing in financial products (insurance, loans, investments) in over 10 countries worldwide. Its annual HelloSafe Safety Index is calculated based on a set of 35 criteria divided into:

• occurrence of natural disasters (30 points), including coastal and river flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, and rising sea level;
• violence in society (20 points), including perceived level of criminality in society, number of refugees and percentage of internally displaced persons, number of homicides, and number of people imprisoned;
• involvement in internal or external armed conflicts (20 points);
• healthcare infrastructure (20 points), including number of hospital beds and budget allocated for healthcare; and
• militarization (10 points), including percentage of military expenditure in GDP.

This index, scored out of 100, assigns 100 to the least safe countries and 0 to the safest. Data are drawn from official reference sources, including UN agencies, the World Bank, and international research organizations.

The platform's disclaimer indicates: "this index is not intended to reflect the tourist attractiveness of a country, but rather a global index of security and safety based on the largest possible number of objective criteria."

While the Philippines is not officially the least safe country for tourists it is on the top 3 list of emerging least safe spots. Kind of strange Mexico is an emergent unsafe country when kidnapping tourists has been happening for years. Maybe this list isn't reliable? Also natural disasters takes the lions share of criteria and the Philippines does face flooding problems due to storms and typhoons. 

Vice Ganda sat down for an interview to reminisce about the struggles he faced during the pandemic. 

https://kami.com.ph/entertainment/celebrities/177071-vice-ganda-pandemic-director-left-basang-sisiw-kami-nun/

Vice Ganda, a Kapamilya star and one of Philippine entertainment's most enduring personalities, recently guested on KC After Hours, a YouTube program hosted by Karmina Constantino-Torres. 

In the candid interview, Vice revisited the emotionally turbulent days of the pandemic and the enormous challenges It's Showtime and their home network, ABS-CBN, has faced back then.

Karmina opened the conversation by asking Vice to walk them through what happened to the show during the early days of the global health crisis, prompting to recall and reflect about it.

"Nung pandemic, syempre, it was a surprise to everyone. No one saw it coming, no one was ever prepared nung panahon na yun. It was a shock. Akala namin, when we were asked to say goodbye, akala namin sandali lang. Yung ilang days lang, ilang weeks lang," Vice recalled.

But the pandemic was only the beginning. Vice pointed out that on top of the health crisis, the team also had to deal with the devastating loss of the ABS-CBN franchise back in 2020.

"Meron ka ng pandemic, meron ka pang hinarap na pagkawala ng franchise. It was a very stressful moment for everyone sa ABS-CBN," he added, highlighting the difficulties they endured.

As the interview progressed, Karmina asked how that period became a turning point in Vice's career. "That was also life-changing for you because hindi ka lang basta naging talent, you took on... ano na ba ang posisyon mo ngayon? You're now the Creative Director?" she asked.

Vice then answered, "Parang ano, ako na yung Creative Head. Almost everything sa production," revealing the expanded role he took on behind the scenes for his beloved noontime show.

Karmina then pressed further, wondering why Vice didn't simply say no to the added responsibility, prompting Vice to recall how the departure of their director left a void in the team.

"At that time, that was the moment na we were left by the director. The director left and also created his own show sa other network, so talagang basang sisiw kami nun. I needed to step up."

Despite the circumstances, Vice felt a deep sense of accountability to his colleagues, to the network, and to himself, and said he will never allow the show to lost just like that as well.

"The trust from the bosses, from the management, parang I can't let go of that trust and I couldn't fail them. But most of all, I couldn't fail myself. I will never allow that family, or that program to just vanish, or to just lose. I will never allow Showtime to lose, I will fight for it just like fighting for my life," Vice opened up, earning praise from the viewers of Karmina's show on YouTube.

From the quarantine to ABS-CBN's losing their license 2020 was a devastating year for Vice Ganda but he overcame it because he felt accountable to his colleagues, the network, and himself. 

The new normal in healthcare is here. It's tele-medicine. 

https://philstar.com/opinion/2025/06/29/2454045/new-normal-health-care

We know how health care is an important issue for everyone, something wanting in our society. The rise of telemedicine tries to answer this gap. Since the pandemic, Filipinos have turned to telemedicine, not by choice but by necessity.

They have discovered even today, with the pandemic hopefully behind them, that health care does not have to begin at the hospital lobby; it begins with a mere tap on the mobile screen. Telemedicine has firmly established itself as a practical, reliable and increasingly preferred way to seek medical attention for non-emergency cases. Whether it’s a mother asking a pediatrician about her child’s persistent cough or a young professional consulting a primary care physician for recurring headaches and body aches, online consultations have become a part of everyday life, especially in the post-pandemic era.

Telemedicine platforms like KonsultaMD, NowServing, mWell and Doctor Anywhere (many are available and reliable – take your pick) are helping lead this shift by offering 24/7 on-demand access to primary care physicians, even on holidays, with a mere five-minute or less wait time. Additionally, scheduled video consultations with specialists across various fields and mental health experts are available daily. These services bring more than just convenience. They also enable faster, more accessible health care for common health concerns. As more Filipinos turn to online consultations, this shows a shift in how people take charge of their health.

To better understand the health needs being addressed through online consultations, for reference, Doctor Anywhere’s 2024 data highlight the top five most in-demand specialties: dermatology, ear, nose and throat (ENT) care, obstetrics and gynecology (OB-GYN), pediatrics and pulmonology.

Pulmonologists often manage cases of asthma and recurring respiratory infections, while ENT specialists are frequently consulted for conditions like tonsillopharyngitis, pharyngitis and the common cold. OB-GYN consultations typically focus on pregnancy-related concerns, abnormal uterine bleeding and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). In dermatology, the most common concerns include acne, eczema, contact dermatitis and skin rashes. Pediatricians, on the other hand, commonly treat upper respiratory infections, viral illnesses, skin infections and diarrhea.

Aside from these specialty-specific conditions, many common illnesses and chronic conditions can also be effectively treated through online consultations. Patients can seek help for common illnesses such as fever, cough, sore throat, laryngitis, flu, sinusitis, cold sores, headaches and red eye. Chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, migraines, gout, painful menstruation, chronic back pain and even cancer are also regularly managed through online consultations. In some instances, patients may receive treatment for related ailments linked to these chronic conditions, such as heart disease and peripheral artery disease.

Commonly prescribed treatments include sinus relief, dry cough medicine, fever reducers and over-the-counter medications for mild symptoms. Antibiotics for bacterial infections and allergy medications are also frequently prescribed, particularly for respiratory and ENT concerns. For chronic conditions, medications for gout, arthritis pain and diabetes management remain in high demand, reflecting the ongoing need for maintenance treatments. There’s also an increasing focus on gut health, with prescriptions for probiotics and related treatments. Through the Doctor Anywhere app, patients can easily order their medications after their online consultations and have them delivered to their homes, removing yet another barrier to accessing health care.

More than just revealing patterns, the data show where care is needed most and how technology is helping to meet that need. The growth of telemedicine isn’t just about convenience. It’s about giving people real access to health care, even when hospitals or clinics are far or hard to reach. With reduced travel time, shorter wait periods and simpler access to doctors and medications, platforms like Doctor Anywhere are making health care more accessible, cost-effective and patient-centered, all while improving the overall health care experience.

It may have become the new normal but telemedicine will never replace the doctor-patient relationship.