The God Culture: What Is Glory?

Timothy Jay Schwab who is the God Culture has a new foundations lesson. This time is asking What is Glory? Is he going to talk about to glorious Cross? Well if you have come this far you know Tim has nothing to say about what Christ did on the cross.  Let's take a look. 

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FOUNDATIONS – Week 34

What Is Glory?

Key Texts:

Exodus 33–34; Isaiah 6; John 1; Revelation 21

The word glory is used often in worship.

But what does Scripture mean by it?

Is glory merely brightness?

Is it power?

Is it honor?

Or is it something deeper?

Moses asked Yahuah:

> “I beseech Thee, shew me Thy glory.”

> (Exodus 33:18)

Yahuah answered by proclaiming His own character:

> “Yahuah, Yahuah Elohim, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth...”

> (Exodus 34:6)

This is crucial.

When Moses asked to see Yahuah’s glory, Yahuah revealed His name, His goodness, His mercy, His justice, and His character.

Glory is not merely light surrounding Him.

It is the revelation of who He is.

Isaiah saw Yahuah upon His throne and heard the seraphim cry:

> “Holy, holy, holy, is Yahuah of hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory.”

> (Isaiah 6:3)

His glory fills creation because creation reveals its Creator.

Yet John tells us that this glory came near:

> “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory... full of grace and truth.”

> (John 1:14)

The glory revealed to Moses in goodness and truth was displayed in the life of Yahusha.

He revealed the Father.

He embodied grace and truth.

He showed what the character of Yahuah looks like when lived among men.

Finally, Revelation describes the New Jerusalem:

> “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of Elohim did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

> (Revelation 21:23)

The story of Scripture moves toward a world completely illuminated by His presence.

Biblical glory is therefore more than brilliance.

It is Yahuah making Himself known.

His holiness revealed.

His goodness displayed.

His power made visible.

His presence dwelling among His people.

Question for Discussion

When people look at our lives, do they merely hear us speak about Yahuah—or can they see something of His character revealed?

Wow.  Not a single word about the gloriousness of the cross.  It's incredible. It's like he hates Jesus Christ.   But let's hear what noted theologian Father Ted Crilly has to say.

Ah, right… sits up straighter, adjusts the collar, and peers at the page like it’s a suspicious letter from the bishop

Week 34, is it? “What Is Glory?”

Well now. Let’s have a look.

Tim starts with Moses asking to see Yahuah’s glory, and gets the famous reply about mercy, grace, longsuffering, goodness and truth. Fair enough — that’s straight out of Exodus 34. Then Isaiah’s “Holy, holy, holy” and the earth full of His glory. Still grand. Then — and here’s the bit that nearly made me drop me tea — he actually quotes John 1:14:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory… full of grace and truth.”

Would you look at that. He named Yahusha. He linked the glory revealed to Moses with the life of the Man Himself. And he finishes with Revelation 21 where the Lamb is the light of the city.

pauses, blinks

That’s… better than the last few, isn’t it? Compared to the holiness that was just “keep the law,” the righteousness that was just “keep the commandments,” and the gospel that somehow forgot the cross entirely, this one at least lets the incarnate Word into the room. Credit where it’s due. He didn’t leave Christ completely out of the picture this time.

But — and there’s always a but with these Foundations lessons — he still stops short of the real heart of it.

Glory in Scripture isn’t only “God showing His character.” The ultimate place the glory of God is revealed is on the cross. Jesus Himself said it: “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified” (John 12:23), and He was talking about His death. The glory of the Father is most fully displayed when the Son lays down His life for sinners. That’s the glory that leaves the seraphim covering their faces and the disciples falling on theirs. Tim gets as far as “He embodied grace and truth” and “He showed what the character of Yahuah looks like,” but he never takes the next step and says how — by dying for the ungodly, rising again, and conquering sin and death.

So we’ve got a glory that’s mostly revelation of character and presence… but the supreme act that displays that character is still missing. Classic Tim. He can bring Yahusha into the definition when it suits the narrative, but the blood and the empty tomb still get left outside the door.

And the discussion question at the end? “When people look at our lives, do they see something of His character revealed?”

Ah, there it is. Back to us again. Back to the practical, lived-out imitation. Not wrong in itself, mind you — but in the context of this whole series it always feels like the weight is being put on our performance rather than on what the Lamb has already done.

Still… progress of a sort. At least this week the Man gets a proper mention and the Lamb gets to light the city.

sighs, reaches for the teapot

Go on then. Pour us another cup. I’ve a feeling Week 35 will be along any minute, and God alone knows what he’ll do to “What Is Grace” or “What Is the Cross” when he finally gets there.

Careful now.

Down with this sort of thing… but slightly less vigorously than last time.

The God Culture: The 1582 Voyage That Destroys The Philippines Lequios Theory

Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture has a serious problem. Tim's misrepresentation of primary sources undermines his already shaky academic integrity. His continuous distortion of facts excavated out of obscure books indicates he is less interested in the truth and more concerned with his agenda. Tim's article about the voyage of Francis de Ovalle is a prime example of his deceptive practices. 

The 1582 Voyage that Destroys the Ryukyu Lequios Theory

When geography tells the truth… and historians ignore it.

🔎 Forgotten Navigator, Critical Discovery

In 1582, a lesser-known Spanish navigator, Francis de Ovalle, unknowingly shattered centuries of cartographic confusion. His voyage from Acapulco to the Philippines and back, documented in the 1704 edition of The History of Navigation, includes a pivotal observation:

"…passed through the islands called Lequios… and came upon the coast of California in 38 degrees and a half of latitude."

(Churchill, 1704, p. 466)

Let that sink in. Ovalle sailed from Macao through the Lequios and then reached California at 38.5°N — without touching land along the way.

🧭 The Geography That Cannot Lie

We traced his route using his precise navigation data. Here's what we found:

📍 Macao sits at 22.2°N. One exits the bay South of Hainan toward the East (18°N).

📍 California at 38.5°N on a straight Northeast trajectory touching no land.

📍 Philippines lie directly in this corridor (13–21°N).

📍 Ryukyu Islands? Way off course at 24–29°N, east of Taiwan — unreachable on a straight northeast run from Macao to California.

So what? If Ovalle sailed through Lequios and never deviated from that northeast heading, there is no geographic possibility that he passed through Ryukyu. His line of travel crossed the Philippines, not Japan.

https://thegodculturephilippines.com/the-1582-voyage-that-destroys-the-ryukyu-lequios-theory/

I know Tim reads this blog. On May 28th, 2025, I published an article that had the exact quote he is using from Churchill. That book leads to the original source, which is Richard Hakluyt. I included what Hakluyt wrote about that voyage in the same article. You can read all that here. This same voyage was also written about in a second article published on May 29th concerning Navarrete's "Logbook."

Hakluyt is not the primary source of Francis de Ovalle's voyage. That would be Jan Huygen van Linschoten.

Francisco Gali (1539 in Seville – 1586 in Manila) was a Spanish sailor and cartographer, active in the second half of the 16th century across the Pacific Ocean and in New Spain and Spanish East Indies, particularly Philippines. He is best known for his three trans-Pacific crossings: Acapulco to Manila in 1583, Macau to Acapulco in 1584 and in 1585 again Acapulco to Manila, where he died. At least the last trip was by order of the Spanish viceroy of New Spain, Pedro Moya de Contreras. His journeys were on the Manila galleons which had started the route in 1565.

For reasons unknown, Gali's report on the Macau-Acapulco journey fell into the hands of Jan Huygen van Linschoten who included that information in his Itinerario (1596).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Gali

Jan Huygen van Linschoten's original Itinerario can be read here. It was published in 1596. Two years later an English translation was published. That is the basis for Hakluyt which is the basis for and reference in Churchill. 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=nyp.33433023691789&seq=116&q1=

That is from page 466, the same page Tim cites. Had he bothered to check the reference he would have been led to the full story just as I was. That story says Francis Guallé, which is the same as Gali and de Ovalle, sailed southwest from Macao to circumvent the strong current, then north east around Taiwan, through the Lequios Islands, past Japan, and then towards America. Tim omits ALL of that crucial information saying:

His line of travel crossed the Philippines, not Japan.

That is false and Tim knows it. Here is the rest of the story from the English translation of Jan Huygen van Linschoten.

The 54. Chapter.

The Navigation or course of the aforesaid Francis Guallé out of the Haven of Macau in New Spain, with the description and situation of the Isles, with other notable and memorable things concerning the same voyage.

When we had prepared ourselves and taken our leaves of our friends in Macau, we set sail upon the The four and twentieth of July, holding our course Southwest, and Southwest and by South, when the moon was at the full; for when the moon increaseth it is hard holding the course between the Islands, because in the river are and streams become very strong to the North, for we sailed through many narrow Channels by night, having the depth of eight and ten fathom, with soft muddy ground; until we were about the Island Oha, before we were past it, but by the height we knew we were past them.

Being beyond it, we held our course East and East by east, an hundred and fifty miles, to get above the lands called Os Bancos dos Pescadores, and the beginning of the Islands Lequios on the East side; and the Islands are called As Illas Fermosas, that is, the fair Islands; this I understood by a Chinar called, Santy of Chinchon, and he said that they lie under 21 degrees; from there it is thirteen fathom deep, although we saw them not, not withstanding by the height, by the water, we knew we were past them.

Being past the fair Islands, we held our course East and East and by South, for two hundred and forty miles, until we were past the length of the Islands Lequios, sailing about fifty miles from them, as the said Chinar told me, that those islands called Lequios are very many, and that they have many and very good Harbours, and that the people and inhabitants thereof have their faces and bodies painted like the Bysayas of the Islands of Luzon of  Philippines, and are appareled like the Bysayas, and that there are also mines of gold; he said likewise that they did often come with small ships and barkes laden with Bucks and Harts hides; and with gold in grains of very small pieces, to trade with them on the coast of China, which be assured me to be most true, saying that he had been nine times in the small Island, bringing of the same wares with him to China; which I believe to be true, for that afterwards I inquired thereof at Macau, and upon the coast of China, and found that he said true. The furthest or uttermost of these Islands both Northward and Eastward lie under 29 degrees.

Being past these Islands, then you come to the Islands of Japon whereof the first lying West and South is the Island of Hirado, where the Portuguese use to trade. They [the Japanese islands] are in length altogether one hundred and thirty miles, and the furthest Eastward, lies under thirty-two degrees [latitude]. We ran still East, and East by North, until we were past the said one hundred and thirty miles.

Running this East, and East by North for about three hundred miles from Japan, we found a very deep water, with the current running out of the North and Northwest, with a full and very broad sea, without any hindrance or trouble in the way that we passed, and whatever wind blew, the Sea continued all in one [direction], with the same deep water and current, until we had passed seven hundred miles, about two hundred miles from the coast and land of New Spain, where we began to lose the said deep sea and current, whereby I most assuredly think and believe, that there you shall find a Channel or straight passage, between the firm land and New Spain, and the Countries of Asia and Tartaria. Likewise, all this way from the aforesaid seven hundred miles, we found a great number of whale fishes, and other fish by the Spaniards called Atun [tuna], whereof many are found in the coast of Gibraltar in Spain, as also Albacore and Bonitos, which are all fishes, which commonly keep in Channels, Straits, and running waters, where to disperse their feed when they breed, which makes me more assuredly believe, that thereabouts is a Channel or Straight to pass through.Being by the same course upon the coast of New Spain, under seven and thirty degrees and a half, we passed by a very high and fair land with many Trees, wholly without Snow, and four miles from the land you find thereabouts many roots, leaves of Trees, Reeds, and other leaves like Fig leaves, the like whereof we found in great abundance in the country of Japan, which they eat, and some of those that we found, I caused to be boiled with flesh, and being boiled, they eat like Coleworts [cabbage]. There likewise we found a great many of Sea wolves, which we call Sea dogs, whereby it is to be presumed and certainly to be believed, that there are many Rivers, Bays, and Havens along those coasts to the Haven of Acapulco. 

From thence we ran Southeast, Southeast by South, and Southeast by East, as the wind allowed us, to the point called Cape San Lucas, which is the beginning of the land of California; on the Northwest side, lying under twenty-two degrees, being five hundred miles distant from Cape Mendocino.

Along this course of five hundred miles, along the coast, there are many islands, and although they are small, yet undoubtedly they have some good harbors, as also on the mainland, where you have these harbors following, now lately discovered, such as that of Saint Augustine Island, lying under thirty and a half degrees. And the island called Cedros Island, scarcely under twenty-eight and a quarter degrees. And the island lying beneath Saint Martin, under twenty-three and a half degrees. I think all this coast and country is inhabited, and appears to be a very good country, for at night we saw fire, and by day smoke, which is a very sure sign that they are inhabited.

Iohn Huighen van Linschoten his Discours of voyages into ye Easte & West Indies : deuided into foure bookes, pg. 414

This entire chapter contradicts Tim's theory on every level and he omitted it. He purposefully omitted the route, which follows Macao-Taiwan-Lequois Islands-Japan. That makes the map Tim has added with a route bypassing Japan, wholly fictitious. The map is a visual manifestation of Tim's selective interpretation and misrepresentation of the primary source material.

He also left out the description of the Lequois Islands' inhabitants who are clearly described and compared to the Visayans of Luzon. They are not Filipinos. Lastly, he discarded the fact the Lequios Islands extend to 29° which agrees with Pinto who wrote:

Essa ilha léquia jaz situada em vinte e nove graus

https://fundar.org.br/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/peregrinacao-vol-ii.pdf pg. 53

The voyage of Francis Guallé predates Pinto's published journal by decades. That is two independent eye-witnesses to the Lequios Islands being at 29°. Tim loves to quote the following Bible verses as an epistemological foundation.  

Deut. 19:15 KV "at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established." 

Matt. 18:16 KJV "in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." 

2 Cor. 13:1 KJV "In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established." 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfieRo5Pkac&lc=Ugy7pRaRww2XWoR2YPx4AaABAg

Therefore 29° is an established fact. 

I challenge Tim to publish the full story of Francis de Ovalle's voyage. It is doubtful he will do so because there is no way he can twist it to fit his thesis. It would also expose his article for what it is: a deliberate misrepresentation of the facts. 

As I said, I know Tim reads this blog. He has responded to it directly in the past. In this case, he took a source I cited first and has deliberately misrepresented it to fit his false thesis that the Philippines are the Lequios Islands. That thesis is fundamentally misguided and his article is a deliberate fabrication. No amount of crying libel and defamation will change the fact that the intellectual integrity of Timothy Jay Schwab who is The God Culture is severely compromised. 

Retards in the Government 485

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

 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/28/ombudsman-files-graft-malversation-raps-vs-co-dpwh-execs-over-77-m-bulacan-flood-control-project

The Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) has filed graft and malversation charges against former Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co and several Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials over an allegedly anomalous ₱77-million flood control project in Balagtas, Bulacan, which the anti-graft body said an inspection found to be non-existent.

In a statement on Friday, Aug. 28, the OMB said it found probable cause to charge Co and DPWH officials Henry Alcantara, Brice Ericson Diaz Hernandez, Arjay Salvador Domasig, Jaypee De Leon Mendoza, Niño Lawrence Vergara Morales, Juanito Coronel Mendoza, Floralyn Yutuc Simbulan, and Christina Mae Del Rosario Pineda.

The probable-cause finding covered one count of malversation of public funds through falsification of public documents under Article 217, in relation to Article 171(4), of the Revised Penal Code and one count of violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

Alcantara, however, was not included in the information filed before the Sandiganbayan because he had been admitted into the Witness Protection Program.

Meanwhile, the anti-graft body said Co’s staff members, John Paul Estrada and Mark Tecsay, were also included in the indictment.

The case involves the construction of a riverbank protection structure along the Balagtas River in Purok 4, Barangay San Juan, Balagtas, Bulacan, under Contract ID No. 25CC0155.

According to the OMB, the project was awarded to SYMS Construction Trading and had a revised contract amount of approximately ₱77.2 million.

A subsequent inspection found that the flood-control structure did not exist despite documents and certifications indicating that the project had been completed, the OMB said.

“The project supposedly started last February 24, 2025 and was declared to be 100% accomplished on May 2, 2025. However, upon inspection, it was non-existent,” the ruling stated.

The OMB said its finding of probable cause was based on a series of approvals and certifications that allowed the release of public funds despite glaring irregularities.

“The repeated approvals of the payments to SYMS, in spite of the glaring irregularities in the Monthly Certificates of Payment (MCPs) and Statements of Work Accomplished (SWAs), are strong indication of their participation in the devious schemes of misappropriating the funds for flood control projects,” the resolution read.

According to the OMB, the respondents’ collective actions indicated the presence of an implied conspiracy.

“In exchange for the kickbacks collected by Alcantara from contractors and delivered in advance to Co, the latter ensured that the project will be inserted in the NEP and eventually funded in the General Appropriations Act (GAA). Co’s participation was therefore necessary or indispensable in this elaborate scheme of embezzling funds intended for flood control projects,” the resolution stated.

“The modus did not end after the delivery of the advance payment to Co. The project was eventually awarded to SYMS which was owned by Santos. However, and which is apparent in the scheme used by the respondents, there was no intention to actually complete the project,” the ruling added.

The OMB also cited the repeated failure of officials responsible for reviewing, inspecting, and certifying the project to exercise the required diligence, saying these could not be considered ordinary lapses or isolated errors.

“Here, respondents acted with evident bad faith and/or gross inexcusable negligence when they issued the pertinent documents and certifications that led to the diversion of public funds… for a project that turned out to be non-existent or incomplete. The repeated failure to exercise due diligence is very telling,” the resolution stated.

The resolution found that the respondents’ actions, taken together, demonstrated their direct and active involvement from the start of the project and enabled the eventual release of millions of pesos in government funds.

Meanwhile, the OMB found no probable cause to charge Co, Alcantara, Estrada, and Tecsay with violating Section 3(b) of Republic Act No. 3019.

It likewise referred the perjury charge against Sally N. Santos to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for proper disposition.

Malversation and graft charges have been field against Rep. Zaldy Co and several DPWH officials. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2295229/negros-oriental-illegal-gambling-crackdown-6-arrested-7-cops-relieved

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Sunday that six alleged illegal numbers game collectors were arrested in simultaneous operations across Negros Oriental, leading to the relief of seven police officers for failing to curb illegal gambling in their areas.

The arrests were made on Aug. 28 by the Regional Special Operations Group of the Police Regional Office Negros Island Region (PRO NIR) in Ayungon, Tayasan, Sibulan, Pamplona, Bayawan and Guihulngan.

The suspects were allegedly caught soliciting and collecting bets for illegal numbers games, in violation of Republic Act No. 9287, or the Anti-Illegal Numbers Games Law.

Authorities recovered betting slips, improvised receipts, claim stubs, notebooks containing number combinations, marked money and cash believed to be proceeds from the illegal activity.

Under RA No. 9287, anyone found acting as a bettor in an illegal numbers game may face imprisonment ranging from 30 to 90 days.

In a statement on Sunday, the PNP said it will “sustain its intensified campaign against illegal gambling and hold police commanders accountable for failing to address unlawful activities within their jurisdictions.”

“Police leadership demands accountability, and we will not hesitate to impose decisive action when commanders fail to address illegal activities within their areas of responsibility,” said PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr.

The PNP relieved the police chiefs of the six affected areas and the provincial director of the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office.

Following the provincial police director’s removal, the Deputy Regional Director for Operations of PRO NIR was designated as officer-in-charge.

“Our operations must be backed by firm command responsibility and sustained enforcement,” said Nartatez.

“It is not enough that arrests are being made; every police chief must ensure that there is no room for illegal gambling in their areas of responsibility,” Nartatez added.

Seven police officers have been relieved for failing to curb illegal gambling in their areas.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/30/dizon-relieves-las-pinasmuntinlupa-district-engg-office-maintenance-chief-over-unsatisfactory-performance

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon has relieved the maintenance chief of the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office over repeated reports of unsatisfactory performance and delayed response to calamities.

In a memorandum dated Aug. 29, Dizon ordered the immediate relief of Engr. Loreto C. Balena Jr. from his duties as maintenance chief.

“In view of repeated reports concerning your unsatisfactory performance, lack of urgency, and delayed response to calamities, you are hereby relieved of your duties as Maintenance Chief of the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office, effective immediately,” it stated.

As such, the DPWH chief directed Balena to complete and sign all pending documents and deliverables to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of public services.

“To ensure the uninterrupted delivery of public service, you are directed to conduct an inventory, accomplish, complete, and sign all pending documents and deliverables, and formally turn over all official records, papers, and properties in your custody to the appropriate office,” the memorandum read.

Dizon said the order superseded previous issuances to the contrary and directed Balena to strictly comply with it.

A copy of the memorandum was furnished to Engr. Ryan N. Dela Cruz, officer-in-charge of the Office of the District Engineer.

Department of Public Works and Highways Secretary Vivencio “Vince” Dizon has relieved the maintenance chief of the Las Piñas–Muntinlupa District Engineering Office over repeated reports of unsatisfactory performance and delayed response to calamities.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2295636/2-cdo-cops-axed-for-alleged-acts-of-lasciviousness

Two police officers have been sacked from their posts for alleged acts of lasciviousness against female criminology student-interns here, an official said Monday.

The information comes from Brig. Gen. Nestor Babagay Jr., Police Regional Office (PRO)–10 director.

He said that the two officers of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office’s (COCPO) Station 7 — a police captain and a corporal — have been placed under restrictive custody at the Regional Personnel Holding and Accounting Unit (RPHAU) following the alleged incident.

“Misconduct will not be tolerated. All PNP (Philippine National Police) personnel are expected to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity and respect for the dignity and welfare of every person,” Babagay said in a statement.

He directed the Regional Investigation and Detection Management Division (RIDMD) to conduct a pre-charge evaluation.

On the other hand, COCPO Director Col. Dexter Paje has been instructed to assist the alleged victims through the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) in filing criminal complaints.

Last Aug. 25, COCPO said that it formed an investigation team from its Criminal Investigation and Detection Management Unit (CIDMU) and WCPD.

The probe came after a local higher education institution formally requested the immediate withdrawal of its student-trainees from their field assignments.

On Monday, PRO-10 confirmed that two COCPO personnel allegedly committed acts of lasciviousness against two female interns inside Police Station 7 on Aug. 8. 

Two police officers have been sacked from their posts for alleged acts of lasciviousness against female criminology student-interns.

https://mb.com.ph/2026/08/31/retired-fireman-nabbed-in-negros-drug-sting

A 67-year-old retired firefighter was arrested in a recent drug bust operation in Barangay 2, Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental.

Police identified the subject as Romeo, who retired from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) more than a decade ago.

The suspect allegedly sold shabu to a police agent for P500 during the drug bust.

Police Lt. Marivic Delos Reyes, deputy chief of Hinoba-an Municipal Police Station, said that three grams of suspected shabu worth P20,400 were confiscated from the suspect.

Drug charges will be filed against the suspect on Tuesday, Sept. 1, Delos Reyes said.

Police have limited information as to the suspect’s background in the alleged illegal drug trade, pending further investigation.

A retired firefighter was arrested in a recent drug bust operation.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1282990

The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) filed a formal complaint against two personnel of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) for their involvement in the raid of a Bulacan warehouse containing allegedly smuggled cigarettes.

In a seven-page complaint filed on Aug. 28, PNP-HPG Police Corporal Melvin Habbiling cited the sworn affidavit of alleged middleman Jesus Froilan Acebes Carpiso, who identified BOC Special Agent Lucky Joy "Joy" Solmayor and BOC Technical Support Staff Alexander "Alex" Arroyo Jr. as among those present during the raid in Bulacan.

“Wherefore, premises considered, complainants most respectfully pray that this Honorable Office: Admit the Malayang Sinumpaang-Salaysay/Sworn Statement of Jesus Froilan Acebes Carpiso, together with the other supporting documentary and/or electronic evidence subsequently obtained, and consider the same as integral parts of the records of the instant case,” read the complaint, a copy of which was obtained by the media on Monday.

It further stated that Solmayor, Arroyo, and a certain Jocelyn Miano Bancairen must be included in the preliminary investigation and the determination of probable cause, adding that “appropriate subpoenas” must be issued against them.

In his sworn affidavit, Carpiso stated that Solmayor and Arroyo were present at the Bulacan warehouse when the Regional Highway Patrol Unit-National Capital Region (RHPU-NCR) conducted the raid.

He identified both BOC personnel as the individuals who allegedly received the payment in exchange for 225 boxes of allegedly smuggled Red Carnival cigarettes during the entrapment, or buy-bust operation, on Aug. 19.

Carpiso allegedly served as the middleman who facilitated the sale of the smuggled cigarettes. He accompanied Solmayor to the Bulacan warehouse, where they were met by Arroyo shortly before the RHPU-NCR arrived to conduct the raid.

On Aug. 19, armed civilian-clothed HPG operatives swooped down on the Bulacan warehouse and frisked uniformed customs personnel during a legitimate cigarette incineration operation. The standoff was eventually defused following the intervention of BOC officials.

It was later discovered that the raid stemmed from operational confusion, as the HPG operatives were actually targeting a different location within the area. 

The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group filed a formal complaint against two personnel of the Bureau of Customs for their involvement in the raid of a Bulacan warehouse containing allegedly smuggled cigarettes.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2294522/surigao-del-norte-lawmaker-son-face-probe-over-p-80-m-road-project

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II are facing complaints for graft and malversation of public funds over an P80-million road project that allegedly remained unfinished yet reported on paper as complete, with the contractor already paid in full.

This was according to the spokesperson of the Office of the Ombudsman, who said the filing of the complaints was recommended by the now-deactivated Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the body created by President Marcos in September 2025 to investigate public works anomalies.

Also included as respondents were several officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and officers of the private contractor Boometrix Development Corp.

Assistant Ombudsman Mico Clavano on Friday said a preliminary investigation is under way on the allegations against the Matugases, the DPWH personnel and Boometrix officers regarding the P80.61-million Mahayhay-Tuburan Road project in Del Carmen, Surigao del Norte.

According to Clavano, the project has been declared complete by the DPWH officials, allowing Boometrix to collect full payment.

However, a site inspection conducted in April by the Office of the Ombudsman found it “only 65 to 70 percent accomplished.”

“The matter now proceeds to preliminary investigation,” Clavano said at a press conference. “No finding of guilt has been made at this stage.”

Aside from the proceedings at the Ombudsman, the agency’s investigators have notified the House committee on ethics and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) regarding the complaints against Lalo Matugas, he added.

The respondents will soon be ordered to respond to the complaints, Clavano said.

There was no immediate reply from Representative Matugas when the Inquirer asked for comment.

But in a statement last year, when the ICI made the recommendation for the filing, the lawmaker maintained there were no records that would link him to any financial interest and contractual involvement in the project.

But Clavano on Friday said investigators have also documented P457.13 million in loans between the Matugases and Boometrix, which he said supports the conclusion that both father and son held direct pecuniary interests in the company.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Francisco “Lalo” Matugas and his son Francisco “Bingo” Matugas II are facing complaints for graft and malversation of public funds over an P80-million road project that allegedly remained unfinished yet reported on paper as complete, with the contractor already paid in full.

 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1282881

More than 200 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), including all regional directors, are under investigation over the alleged “slots for sale” scheme involving BFP recruitment, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Friday.

In a press briefing held at Camp Crame, Remulla warned BFP personnel not to be involved further in criminal acts, such as racketeering schemes in recruitment and promotion inside the organization, as they will face the full extent of the law.

“I am warning all BFP officials to come out now and confess your misdeeds or we will run after you until your careers end,’’ Remulla said.

He also noted that those proven to have links to the scheme will be relieved of their posts.

“If the start of your career is marked with corruption, then there will be corruption throughout your career. So, we'll clean it up. This will be a massive purge,” Remulla told reporters.

He added that the BFP and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have yet to finalize how many “slot-selling” cases were being investigated.

This came after a recent police operation in Pampanga wherein a Senior Fire Officer (SFO) 1 assigned to the BFP - National Capital Region (NCR), was arrested after allegedly recruiting an applicant for a position in the BFP-Central Luzon in exchange for PHP500,000.

In the same press briefing, BFP officer in charge, Fire Chief Supt. Wilberto Rico Neil Kwan Tiu, said the implicated personnel had been relieved of her post and is now facing dismissal proceedings.

Kwan Tiu also said the fire bureau and the police arrested another SFO 1 in the Ilocos Region, who had recently been dismissed by the agency. He, however, did not provide details.

More than 200 personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection, including all regional directors, are under investigation over the alleged “slots for sale” scheme involving BFP recruitment.

Coronavirus Lockdown: Stronger Reintegration Support, Concert Culture, and More!

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

Chinese tourist arrivals have risen but the numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels. 

https://palawan-news.com/chinese-tourist-arrivals-rise-68-9-but-remain-below-pre-pandemic-level/

Chinese tourist arrivals in the Philippines increased by 68.9% this year, but the number remains far below the level recorded before the COVID-19 pandemic, the state-owned Philippine News Agency reported.

Fewer than 300,000 Chinese tourists visited the Philippines from January to August 20, according to Teresita Landan, acting head of the Marketing and Promotions Sector of the Tourism Promotions Board.

“The Chinese arrivals really helped in the total target of visitor arrivals in the Philippines. From January up to yesterday, less than 300,000 Chinese tourists [arrived in the Philippines]. It represents a 68.9 percent growth rate over the same period in 2025,” Landan said.

Despite the increase, the figure remains a fraction of the 1.74 million Chinese visitors recorded in 2019, when China was the Philippines’ second-largest source of foreign tourists.

The government is seeking to rebuild the Chinese tourism market through the Philippine Business Mission to Greater China 2026, which held its Shanghai leg on August 21.

Led by the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board, the event brought Philippine hotels, resorts, tour operators and airlines together with Chinese travel buyers.

“Actually, the main objective of this Philippine Business Mission is to strengthen the engagement of Philippine hotels, resorts, and tour operators with Chinese buyers,” Landan said.

The Shanghai gathering generated millions of pesos in confirmed travel bookings, according to Francisco Lardizabal, tourism attaché at the DOT office in Shanghai.

“If we use our experiences in Hong Kong and Xiamen as a benchmark, we were happily surprised. Millions [in travel deals] were generated. Spot on, hard reservations. Booking paid, on the spot,” Lardizabal said.

Similar activities were held in Xiamen and Hong Kong as part of the mission’s Greater China leg.

Philippine officials also see tourism as a way to address mistrust and improve people-to-people relations between the Philippines and China amid continuing disputes between the two countries.

“Tourism is one of the examples of people-to-people exchanges. So, this is really what we want to happen; this is what we want to encourage,” Philippine Consul General in Shanghai Myca Fischer said.

“Because there may be a lot of misinformation or misperceptions, and you can only truly understand a person if you actually visit where they are,” she added.

Tourism businesses said the Chinese market remains important for destinations such as Boracay.

“Because the Chinese market is the number one market for Boracay, it’s really important for us,” said Belinda Candelaria, sales director of Paradise Garden Resort Hotel.

The Philippine delegation included representatives from travel agencies, hotels, resorts and airlines.

The number 68.9 may seem like a large growth rate but compared to pre-pandemic levels over a million tourists are missing!

The Philippine concert industry, long driven by enthusiastic millennial audiences, was heavily disrupted by the pandemic before rebounding strongly once restrictions eased. Live Nation Philippines launched in April 2022 just as COVID rules began loosening, capitalizing on pent-up demand with early post-pandemic shows by artists like Louis Tomlinson and Billie Eilish that sold out rapidly. 

https://qa.philstar.com/entertainment/2026/08/29/2552636/live-nation-philippines-head-rhiza-pascua-reflects-countrys-concert-culture

It's safe to say that Rhiza Pascua knows the Philippine concert scene inside and out.

She founded Music Management International or MMI Live in 1996 which was pivotal in bringing international artists to perform in major venues around the country.

Fast forward to 2022, Live Nation Entertainment aquired MMI Live and since then Pascua has been serving as the managing director of Live Nation Philippines (LNPH).

Under her leadership, LNPH heralded the post-pandemic era of concerts in the Philippines, hosting the likes of Coldplay, Maroon 5, Harry Styles, Blackpink, Dua Lipa and Bruno Mars (whom the promoter is bringing back next year).

Pascua sat down for an exclusive interview with Philstar.com to discuss the country's concert culture as marked by the years sandwiching the pandemic.

The executive proudly claimed having a timeline for the turn of events, commenting how during the time of MMI Live that the concert market was already strong.

"People were very enthusiastic about live entertainment. Everybody wanted to post all their shows on social media," Pascua said. "They would go and have fun, especially if the act had creative production."

She noted how millennials made up the most of concert-goers and would always document shows that were "Instagrammable," crediting the generation for kickstarting experiential activities.

"Everything for them was about travel, food, and concerts. So ang malakas talaga si concerts for decades kasi part siya ng life ni millennials," Pascua added.

The launch of LNPH in April 2022 was around the time pandemic restrictions were being loosened and there was a clamor for live shows in the Philippines again.

Three months later, LNPH brought over British singer and former One Direction member Louis Tomlinson, which Pascua recalled was a chaotic preparation.

Louis was supposed to only perform at the New Frontier Theater, but the demand for tickets was so high that his concert was moved to the nearby Araneta Coliseum which still sold out.

LNPH followed that up singer-songwriter Billie Eilish in August, which also sold out. The trend continued in 2023 as the promoter also dabbled with K-pop artists.

"I guess people were excited to go out," Pascua reflected. "Kasi yung 2023 naman wala nang rules, wala ka nang fill-out na pagkadami-daming ano. People were really shopping, eating out, going to concerts."

It was around that time that the LNPH noticed there were more promoters popping up around the country after seeing how profitable concerts can be.

There would be a time when, in a given weekend, there were eight shows taking place in different major venues, a hustle that Pascua respects.

Not a lot of these new companies, however, would survive in 2024. Even LNPH was affected as people just weren't purchasing tickets.

The dip provided a chance for redemption in 2025 as businesses either opened or reopened and competition against other promoters was present again.

Pascua said there was a need for "disruption," and that came in the form of Filipino-American singer Olivia Rodrigo's November 2024 concert, where tickets were sold for a P1,500 flat rate.

"Kailangan minsan ng disruption, diba? We have to disrupt," the executive pointed out. "Hindi naman para maging kontrabida [sa iba], pero we just had to."

She isn't particularly sure how to define the early success of 2026 given tensions in the Middle East and the oil crisis began in February but LNPH successfully held off local boy band SB19's "Wakas at Simula: The Trilogy Concert Finale" at the SMDC Festival Grounds.

The uncertainty is also reflected in how the promoter had to cancel the May show of Thai boy group BUS but in the same month Daniel Caesar and Laufey each had three sold-out concerts.

Ticket selling for K-pop boy band BTS' comeback concerts in the Philippines began in June where the allocation quickly sold out but it wasn't a full house for F4's F?FOREVER concert, making it even harder for LNPH to gauge what influences the market.

"I think now, people are more selective. Parang, 'Okay, kailangan natin magtipid [but] let's be selective," Pascua ended.

Rhiza Pascua notes that by 2023, with most restrictions gone, people eagerly returned to live events as part of a broader surge in shopping, dining, and social activities. The pandemic’s lingering effects are still visible in later market fluctuations, including a 2024 ticket-sales dip and more selective consumer behavior amid economic pressures.

Senator Bong Go is pushing the Bagong Balikbayan Act to create stronger, long-term support for returning overseas Filipino workers, including jobs and livelihood programs rather than just repatriation. He says that the difficulties faced by OFWs became especially clear during the Covid-19 pandemic, when thousands were forced to return home with little preparation or local opportunities waiting for them. 

https://tribune.net.ph/2026/08/30/sen-bong-go-pushes-stronger-reintegration-support-for-returning-ofws

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go is pushing for stronger government support for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) returning to the Philippines, saying assistance should go beyond bringing them home and include jobs, livelihood opportunities and long-term reintegration.

Go made the call as he co-sponsored the proposed Bagong Balikbayan Act, which seeks to establish a Comprehensive, Integrated, and Sustainable Reintegration Program for returning OFWs.

“Our OFWs deserve the opportunity to choose—if they wish to return and live in the Philippines after many years of working abroad, there should be jobs, livelihood opportunities, and other opportunities waiting for them,” Go said.

As one of the measure’s authors, Go said OFWs should receive concrete assistance to help them rebuild their lives after years of working overseas.

“It is not enough to simply call them our modern-day heroes. We need to provide them with concrete support and ensure that when they return home, there is a clear path forward, with the government standing by their side,” he said.

Go noted that returning OFWs often struggle to find local employment that matches the skills and experience they acquired abroad. Others face difficulties starting businesses or securing sustainable livelihoods.

He said these challenges became particularly evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, when thousands of Filipino migrant workers were forced to return home.

“We saw this during the pandemic, when they were suddenly sent home and our OFWs faced tremendous difficulties,” Go said.

Under the proposed measure, government programs and services for returning migrant workers would be integrated and coordinated to provide continuous assistance in employment, livelihood and reintegration.

The bill also seeks to ensure that the skills, qualifications and professional experience acquired by OFWs overseas are properly recognized and utilized in the domestic labor market.

Go linked the proposal to previous measures aimed at strengthening government services for migrant workers, including Republic Act 11641, which created the Department of Migrant Workers.

He also cited the establishment of the OFW Hospital in Pampanga under Executive Order 154, as well as his proposals to institutionalize the facility and establish dedicated OFW wards in hospitals nationwide.

Go further explained that not all OFWs and their families can travel to Pampanga for medical services, underscoring the need to make dedicated healthcare services more accessible across the country.

“Not all OFWs are able to travel to the OFW Hospital in Pampanga, so it is only right that OFW wards be made available in different parts of the country,” he said.

Go maintained that the Bagong Balikbayan Act would help returning OFWs transition from overseas employment to productive and sustainable lives in the Philippines.

“Through this proposed measure, we are providing them not only with assistance in returning home, but also with the opportunity to start anew, succeed, and prosper here in their own country,” he said.

The proposed law aims to integrate government services so returning migrant workers receive continuous help with employment, skills recognition, and reintegration. Go argued that calling OFWs “modern-day heroes” is not enough without concrete systems that help them rebuild their lives in the Philippines after sudden returns like those seen during the pandemic.