Coronavirus Lockdown: Hiking Boom, Pandemic Threats, and More!

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

The Asian Development Bank says the fuel crisis won't impact the Philippine economy has hard as the pandemic. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/05/07/oil-shock-wont-hit-philippines-as-hard-as-covid-19-say-adb-economists

Amid comparisons by some local firms claiming that the ongoing oil crisis triggered by the  conflict in the Middle East is hurting their business operations more severely than the Covid-19 pandemic, economists from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said the broader Philippine economy is unlikely to suffer a shock as deep as the country’s worst post-war recession in 2020.

ADB chief economist Albert F. Park told a media briefing last Wednesday, May 6, that the Manila-based multilateral lender’s latest downgrade in regional growth forecasts remained far less severe than the economic collapse experienced during the pandemic.

Last month, the ADB downgraded its 2026 Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) growth forecast to a post-pandemic low of 4.4 percent, matching last year’s flood-control scandal-weakened expansion, while raising its inflation projection to a possibly 18-year high of 6.3 percent.

“The perspective of private-sector [companies] could be different. But at the economy-wide level, we don’t think it would be the same level of shock,” Park said.

Park explained that the Covid-19 crisis disrupted both supply and demand simultaneously, unlike the current oil-driven shock stemming from geopolitical tensions due to the war in Iran.

At the height of the most stringent pandemic lockdowns, “people are not spending, people are not going out—so it’s hugely disruptive. And I don’t think we’re seeing that” now, he pointed out.

“There’s still quite a lot of robust domestic demand in many countries in the region,” he added.

Still, Park acknowledged that persistently elevated oil and food prices would create significant challenges for both households and businesses, especially firms heavily reliant on fuel inputs.

“This is certainly a headwind. Because if oil prices are high and later food prices are higher, then that’s more money [consumers] have to spend on those things—less money they have to spend on other things in the economy,” Park said.

He noted that such pressures could not only weaken consumer demand but also raise production costs for private firms.

For his part, ADB deputy chief economist Abdul Abiad said the ongoing oil crisis, “even under a more severe scenario,” would be unlikely to trigger a contraction comparable to the Philippines’ economic collapse at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, when annual GDP shrank by 9.5 percent in 2020.

For Abiad, the two crises’ shocks “are very different.”

In this current global oil price and supply crisis, “a lot of what will be felt will actually be on the inflation side rather than real activity,” he explained. Philippine inflation already surged to a 37-month high of 7.2 percent in April.

“The other difference is that you had that sharp contraction in 2020, and then you had a quick bounce back” as the domestic economy gradually reopened from pandemic restrictions, he added.

“It’s hard to say how this Middle East conflict would evolve—it could get worse, but it’s difficult to compare. But definitely, in terms of just the shock to real activity, you’re not going to get something as big as that Covid shock in 2020,” Abiad said.

So, it could get worse but it might not. But it could. 

Economic growth has hit a new post-pandemic low. 

https://business.inquirer.net/589015/philippine-gdp-growth-slows-to-2-8-in-first-quarter

The local economy grew at a slower pace of 2.8 percent in the first quarter as the oil shock from the Middle East war added to pressures from a major infrastructure graft scandal.

The first-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) growth, which the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Thursday, further weakened from 3-percent expansion in the fourth quarter of 2025.

The figure landed below the government’s 5 percent to 6 percent target for 2026 and also slumped from the 5.4 percent GDP expansion seen in the same period a year earlier.

It likewise missed the 3.4 percent median estimate of 14 economists polled by the Inquirer.

The main contributors to the first quarter 2026 year-on-year growth were:

• Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, 4.6 percent; 
• Financial and insurance activities, 3.4 percent; and 
• Public administration and defense; compulsory social security, 8.6 percent.

Among the major economic sectors, services grew by 4.5 percent in the first quarter. On the other hand, the agriculture and industry sectors declined by 0.2 percent and 0.1 percent, respectively.

This outcome has now dragged the Philippines economy deeper into one of its weakest runs in 16 years outside the COVID-19 pandemic period.

The country had still been trying to rebound from weak growth in 2025, when infrastructure spending contracted sharply amid the fallout from the flood control corruption scandal, which weighed on both government disbursements and business sentiment.

But in March—the last month of the quarter and the first month of the ongoing Middle East war—an energy shock began to bite, driving up fuel costs and pressuring household purchasing power and business confidence.

It appears the pandemic will remain the weakest economic run but remember, it could get worse. 

The ASEAN is meeting in Cebu this month and they are looking to strengthen "regional healthcare cooperation and building more resilient public health systems amid growing health and pandemic threats across Southeast Asia."

https://mb.com.ph/2026/05/10/asean-pushes-stronger-regional-healthcare-ai-driven-health-systems-amid-pandemic-threats

The 11 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional healthcare cooperation and building more resilient public health systems amid growing health and pandemic threats across Southeast Asia.

In the Chair’s Statement of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu, the leaders emphasized the importance of ensuring universal access to essential health services and accelerating the adoption of digital health systems across the region.

They said ASEAN remains committed to “building a healthier, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable ASEAN Community” through stronger regional coordination on healthcare and disease response.

The leaders also highlighted the need to address child malnutrition and improve immunization efforts, while enhancing the region’s preparedness and response to outbreaks, pandemics, and emerging health challenges.

Public health emergencies

ASEAN leaders acknowledged the region’s vulnerability to public health threats, including pandemics, disease outbreaks, and natural disasters.

“We reaffirmed our resolve to strengthen regional health security through a coordinated, whole-of-ASEAN approach,” the Chair’s Statement read.

The leaders said ASEAN would work to improve prevention, preparedness, detection, and response systems for future health emergencies.

They also welcomed the planned establishment and operationalization of the ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases (ACPHEED), which will serve as a regional hub for surveillance, research, training, and information exchange.

According to the statement, the center aims to strengthen the region’s preparedness and response capabilities during future public health crises.

ASEAN leaders also underscored the importance of strengthening Emergency Operations Centers and the ASEAN EOC Network to improve information sharing and regional coordination during emergencies.

AI, digital health

The leaders also recognized the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare delivery and public health management.

They said AI could help improve diagnostics, imaging, surgical care, patient monitoring, therapeutics, rehabilitation, healthcare operations, and public health systems.

The bloc also expressed support for the ASEAN Health Sector’s digital health and health information systems initiatives as part of broader efforts to modernize healthcare systems across the region.

Earlier in the statement, ASEAN leaders also emphasized the role of AI and emerging technologies in supporting health services and improving regional resilience.

What's the next pandemic? Hantavirus? 

There has been a post-pandemic hiking boom across the Philippines. It has not been great for the environment. 

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1274712

Interest in communing with nature surged following the pandemic, as more people sought ways to ease worries and pressures brought about by movement restrictions and the challenges that followed.

Camping and hiking were among the activities that gained more enthusiasts, benefiting the local tourism industry.

One of the beneficiaries is the municipality of Barlig in Mountain Province, which recorded a total of 10,529 visitors across its four tourism areas in 2025 alone.

The municipality is home to Mt. Amuyao, one of the highest peaks in the Philippines with an elevation of around 2,702 meters above sea level, which attracted 1,135 tourists last year. The Macalana Rice Terraces also drew 1,135 visitors, while Lake Tufob welcomed 1,064 tourists and the Eagle View Deck logged 7,195 visitors.

In the first quarter of this year alone, around 2,900 tourists visited the municipality’s destinations.

While this is seen as a positive development for tourism, problems arise when undisciplined visitors leave waste behind or improperly dispose of trash in these areas.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency, Queenie Martinez Francisco, a mountaineering fundamentals training provider who holds a Leave No Trace (LNT) training certification from the United States, said hiking became increasingly popular after pandemic movement restrictions were lifted.

She said hiking became one of the outlets people turned to “for fitness and mental health, amplified by social media exposure.”

“This growth has brought both benefits and challenges to local communities, generating income through tourism, tour-guiding, and small businesses, but also causing issues like overcrowding, environmental damage, and disrespect of local culture due to irresponsible hikers,” she said.

“To address this, the government can implement stricter permit systems, limit daily visitor capacity, require environmental orientation or accreditation for hikers, enforce penalties for violations, and work closely with local communities to ensure sustainable tourism practices that protect both the natural sites and the people who depend on them,” she added.

Leave No Trace

Francisco emphasized the importance of personal knowledge and preparedness when going to the mountains.

She underscored the need for Leave No Trace (LNT) or basic mountaineering course (BMC) training before starting a hiking or mountaineering journey, noting that “most accidents in the mountains happen because of lack of knowledge, (resulting in) getting lost, dehydration, injuries, or making poor decisions during sudden weather changes.”

“Through training, you learn essential skills like navigation, proper pacing, emergency response, and basic first aid, all of which are critical in real outdoor situations,” Francisco said.

“Training also emphasize environmental responsibility by teaching principles such as Leave No Trace, proper waste management, and respect for nature and local communities. At the same time, it builds teamwork and leadership skills, which are essential since hiking often involves group dynamics, communication, and shared responsibility.”

Francisco, who provides BMC training at a popular sports store in the country, said such training benefits not only tourism sites but hikers themselves by equipping them with the necessary mountain skills.

“Mountaineering training is not just for serious climbers, it is for anyone who plans to hike regularly and wants to do it safely, responsibly, and with confidence,” she said.

“Most importantly, it gives you real confidence, not the kind that relies on guesswork, but one (that is) grounded in knowledge and preparation. In the end, joining mountaineering training is not about being ‘extra,’ but about being prepared, minimizing risks, and fully enjoying the mountains the right way,” she added.

How hard is it not to litter? How hard is it to to adequately prepare by bringing proper supplies and looking at a map? Apparently very hard. 

The Impeachment Circus Begins

On may 11th, 2026 the House of Representatives voted to impeach Vice President Sara Dutere for the second time. The vote was expected and during the previous days Senate President Toto said he would immediately convene the impeachment court upon acceptance of the articles of impeachment. However, that has now all changed as there was a coup and now Alan Cayetano is Senate President. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2226585/alan-cayetano-is-now-senate-president

After several reported attempts, the ouster move against Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III finally succeeded on Monday as Senate Minority Leader Alan Cayetano was installed to replace him.

Thirteen senators voted to elect Cayetano, nine voted for Sotto, while two abstained from voting.

Of the 13, eight were from Cayetano’s former group in the minority—Sens. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, who attended the session after being absent since November; Francis “Chiz” Escudero; Joel Villanueva; Imee Marcos; Rodante Marcoleta; Robin Padilla; Christopher “Bong” Go; and Jinggoy Estrada. The five others were Sotto himself and his former allies—Cayetano’s sister, Pia; Sens. Loren Legarda; and siblings Sens. Mark and Camille Villar.

Alan Cayetano was among the nine senators who voted for Sotto, along with Sens. Panfilo Lacson, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Risa Hontiveros, Bam Aquino, and siblings Raffy and Erwin Tulfo, Sherwin Gatchalian, and Lito Lapid.

Sens. Juan Miguel Zubiri and JV Ejercito abstained from voting.

The surprise move occurred shortly after the session opened, when Cayetano stood on the Senate floor and informed his colleagues that they had the numbers to change the Senate leadership.

“May I manifest that there are now at least 13 members of the Senate who wish to have a leadership change, and that Sen. Bato dela Rosa is in the building and will be here in a minute,” Cayetano said.

“May I kindly inform and apologize to the Senate President that, for security reasons, I could not go up to you earlier to ask you and tell you this and had to inform you this way, but I give you all my respect and ask for an orderly transition in accordance with our rules, Mr. President,” he added.

Immediately after, the session was suspended, and when it resumed, Villanueva moved to declare all seats vacant. Voting 13-10-1, the Senate approved the motion.

This was quickly followed by a motion from Marcos, who nominated Cayetano to be the new Senate president.

When Villanueva, who was designated as acting Majority Leader, moved to close the nomination, Pangilinan manifested their “serious reservations.”

“We do not object because we do not have the numbers, but we would like to manifest our serious reservations, Mr. President, for the record,” Pangilinan said.

Sotto’s supporters did not give up without a fight.

Pending Villanueva’s motion to close the nomination for Senate president,  Lacson also stood up on the floor and moved to nominate  Sotto as Senate president.

This prompted the Senate to vote on the two nominees. 

Since taking the Senate presidency from Escudero in September, Sotto’s leadership was hounded by coup rumors following an investigation by the blue ribbon committee into alleged corruption linked to the government’s flood control projects.

A draft partial report of the committee has recommended a preliminary investigation into the alleged involvement of several individuals, including incumbent and former senators, but until now, the panel has yet to secure the required signatures to report it out to the plenary. 

This did not prevent Lacson,  the panel head, from bringing the issue before the Senate floor through what he called the Chairman’s Progress Report.

Lacson had earlier warned that his continued investigation into the scandal could cost Sotto’s leadership.

Sotto has repeatedly said that he was only serving at the pleasure of his colleagues.

“I uphold and follow the Constitution! I leave everything to God’s plan. I trust HIS Heart!” he was quoted as saying on Sunday.

It's not so simple as a power grabbing coup. The Senators who enacted the coup are all staunch Duterte allies. Especially Bato who showed up just for the occasion to cast a vote for Cayetano. Bato had been in hiding since November 11th but somehow the NBI knew he would be arriving and ended up chasing him around the Senate building while attempting to enforce a warrant from the ICC.

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2226771/cctv-footage-shows-dela-rosa-being-chased-by-nbi-agents-at-senate

A closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of the Senate showed Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa running from National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)  operatives when he entered the Senate building in Pasay City  on Monday.

The CCTV footage was played at the session hall after dela Rosa and some of his allied senators cried foul over the NBI agents alleged harassment while trying to enforce the alleged warrant of arrest issued by the Internal Criminal  Court’s (ICC) in connection with his role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

As seen on the footage, dela Rosa arrived in the Senate at 3:10 p.m.

Upon entering the Senate building, the senator could be seen running with other people while being chased by  the NBI agents dressed in black.

At one  point  during the chase,  dela Rosa slipped but he got up quickly and continued running towards the session hall located on the second floor.

At the session hall, Sen. Jinggoy Estrada said  he was concerned and disturbed by what happened to Dela Rosa, noting  the latter’s claim that he was “wrestled” by some NBI agents.

Dela Rosa asked the Senate to “remove” the NBI agents from the Senate, including former Sen. Antonio Trillanes III, who he said was at the chamber’s library at that time. 

“As of now Antonio Trillanes and some NBI operatives are still  at the library,” he said.

“May I move that the  Sergeant-at-Arms   remove these people from the vicinity of the Senate.”

But newly-installed Senate President Alan  Cayetano said that as former member of the  chamber,  Trillanes is welcome in the Senate and would be given due courtesy unless he was involved in the harassment.

“He’s part of the harassment,” Dela Rosa stressed, noting that Trillanes was with the NBI operatives who tried to stop him.

Citing an initial report from the Senate’s Sergeant at Arms,  Cayetano said the NBI was indeed in the Senate to arrest Dela Rosa.

But according to the new Senate chief, the chamber had no prior knowledge of the plan to arrest  Dela Rosa. 

By tradition, he said,  “no law  enforcement agency has ever come to the Senate in secret to effect an arrest.” 

Adding further to the circus was the appearance of former Senator Trillanes, nemesis to Bato and Duterte, with the ICC warrant. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2226648/trillanes-brings-icc-warrant-vs-dela-rosa

Former Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV brought to the Senate the International Criminal Court’s  (ICC) arrest warrant issued to Sen. Bato dela Rosa. 

Trillanes came to the Senate on Monday along with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to make the arrest, but Dela Rosa claimed he “wrestled” with them to be set free.

Dela Rosa arrived at the Senate session hall with injuries on his finger after the supposed altercation.

How did he get that warrant? Why was he the one serving it and not the NBI or the PNP or some other authority? How did he know Bato would be at the Senate? Those are still unanswered questions but it turns out the warrant is genuine.

https://globalnation.inquirer.net/322663/icc-confirms-arrest-warrant-vs-bato-dela-rosa

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday confirmed the authenticity of the warrant of arrest against Senator Bato dela Rosa in connection with his role in the Duterte administration’s war on drugs.

“The International Criminal Court confirms that the document published by national authorities of the Republic of the Philippines and circulated in [the] media is indeed a formal ICC document,” the ICC said in a message to reporters.

According to the ICC, the warrant was issued confidentially and under seal by Pre-Trial Chamber I on November 6, 2025.

It also said that it is currently in the process of unsealing the warrant of arrest to officially circulate the copy of the warrant to the public. 

As of writing, Dela Rosa is still within the premises of the Senate after attending the plenary session on Monday—the first time since he went into hiding on Nov. 11.

The senator was placed under Senate protective custody due to the arrest warrant from the ICC and after a supposed scuffle with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which allegedly blocked him from entering the session hall and attempted to serve him the warrant.

On the other hand, it was former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV who personally brought a copy of the ICC’s arrest warrant against Dela Rosa to the Senate together with NBI personnel.

Meanwhile, newly seated Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano condemned the development, stating that only arrest warrants issued by Philippine courts will be entertained under his leadership.

Dela Rosa is among those tagged as co-perpetrators in the crimes against humanity case lodged against former President Rodrigo Duterte before the ICC, as he served as his national police chief from 2016 to 2018 and led the bloody anti-drug campaign that left thousands of drug suspects dead. 

It turns out the arrest warrant is not only real but was issued confidentially and sealed on November 6th, 2025 just five days before Bato went into hiding over rumors there was a warrant. Being sealed it's no wonder the government kept denying any knowledge of its existence. The question remains, how did Trillanes get that information and obtain the actual warrant? Perhaps, with the warrant being sealed, the idea was to draw out Bato. That he would go into hiding at the slightest whiff of being arrested was known. In order to draw him out the warrant would need to remain secret even from the Philippine government until the very last minute at the most opportune time. That time arrived on May 11th as Bato crawled out of his hole to save his friend Sara Duterte. 

To recap: On May 11th just before Sara Duterte was impeached the Senate changed leadership to pro-Duterte Cayetano backed by pro-Duterte Senators which casts doubt over any impeachment trial, Senator Bato showed up only to be chased by the NBI like they were keystone cops or an episode of Benny Hill, former Senator Trillanes showed up with the actual warrant from the ICC, and now Bato is holed up in the Senate to prevent his lawful arrest and extradition to The Hague.

What a circus! What a carnival! How can anyone take Philippine politics seriously? It remains to be seen just how all of this will affect Sara Duterte's impeachment trial.

But there is one more thing. Bato has been missing for six months and has still been drawing a salary. Thankfully the conscientious Senator addressed this issue. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2227110/dela-rosa-says-he-didnt-take-pay-during-his-absence-i-have-conscience

Saying that he has a conscience and a sense of shame, Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa said there was no need to prod him not to take his salaries during his absence from the Senate as he did not get them anyway.

This was one of the reasons why, he said, he decided to resurface in the Senate on Monday amid threats of arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC).

And, of course, he admitted that his physical presence was needed to unseat then Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III and replace him with Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.

“All of that that what you want to see, as far as I’m concerned — that’s it,” dela Rosa told reporters on Tuesday when asked if the leadership vote and his intention to seek sanctuary in the chamber were the reasons why he risked going to the Senate.  

“And I’m already ashamed to the public, who keep looking for me and saying I’m receiving a salary even though I don’t claim it. My salary down there, I don’t claim it,” he said. 

“I have to show up, especially during these crucial moments,” he explained. 

He was one of the 13 senators who installed new Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano, replacing Vicente “Tito” Sotto III.

According to dela Rosa, it was his staff who received his salaries during the first months that he was  absent from the Senate, but said he did not take them.

He added that he no longer claimed the rest of his salaries and, instead, instructed his staff to use it for  relief efforts so the money will go to the people.

When asked about his colleagues, who have been egging him not to take his salaries, dela Rosa said: “Even without encouragement, I also have a conscience. I would be ashamed to the public…” 

For six months since November, dela Rosa stopped showing up in the Senate after the warrant of arrest issued by the ICC was first disclosed by Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla. 

The senator refused to say where he hid during that time.

“Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. I did not leave Philippine jurisdiction. I love the Philippines. I will live and die in this country,” dela Rosa said.

Bato says he didn't take his salary but "instructed his staff to use it for relief efforts so the money will go to the people." That means he still took the money! He didn't return it to the treasury. That taxpayer money is gone to who-knows-where!

Take note that Bato said, “I have to show up, especially during these crucial moments." And what crucial moment is that but to change Senate leadership just before Sara's impeachment thereby throwing her trial into doubt and confusion. How noble of him. 

Insurgency: Revive Talks With Reds

The fallout of the clash which resulted in 19 dead rebels is still being felt. Former government peace negotiators are calling for a resumption of peace talks. The say the death of these rebels underscores "the urgent need to finally settle this long-standing armed conflict."

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2222060/negros-clash-spurs-call-to-revive-talks-with-reds

Former government peace negotiators called for a resumption of peace talks with communist rebels following the killing of 19 people in a recent military operation in Negros Occidental, saying the two sides once came close to reaching an interim peace agreement to end the nearly six-decades-old insurgency.

“The nineteen (19) deaths in Barangay Salamanca, Toboso, Negros Occidental, on 19 April 2026 underscore the urgent need to finally settle this long-standing armed conflict,” they said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement was signed by Hernani Braganza, a former agrarian reform secretary; Efren Moncupa, a human rights lawyer and former member of the government peace panel; Jaime Aristotle Alip, founder of the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development-Mutually Reinforcing Institutions; Francisco J. Lara Jr., a peace and conflict studies expert; and Roberto Ador, a former political detainee with a master’s degree in international public health from the University of Washington.

They were members of the government “exploratory team” involved in backchannel talks with the rebels while serving the government panel negotiating with the Communist Party of the Philippines, its armed wing, the New People’s Army, and its political umbrella, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP-NPA-NDFP), from 2014 to 2020 during the Aquino and Duterte administrations.

“There was, in those years, a functioning and serious peace process, one that came closer to securing lasting gains than most people know,” they said.

They said the discussions had included possible arrangements for the return of the late CPP founder Jose Maria Sison before his death in 2022.

Formal peace talks must be resumed “without precondition,” they said.

They warned that the aftermath of the killings in Toboso had fueled grief and anger online, particularly among young Filipinos, and could further strain the fragile peace efforts.

The group joined calls for a “genuinely independent, third-party investigation” of the killings, which they described as among the most serious incidents that ended in the alleged killing of civilians in recent years.

Conflicting accounts

They urged Congress to create a joint fact-finding commission with executive agencies and civil society participation. Malacañang earlier said that President Marcos would not obstruct any investigation by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

The CHR has cited conflicting accounts from both sides and would seek to determine whether international humanitarian law was observed during the military operation.

The former negotiators said accountability efforts must be paired with long-term solutions addressing poverty, landlessness, and other root causes of the insurgency.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines defended the actions of the soldiers, saying their April 19 operation was “intelligence-driven” and that all those killed were armed and had engaged government forces in combat. It said the operation was a significant blow against the Northern Negros Front of the NPA and that there were no casualties among government troops.

The CPP said only 10 of those killed were members of the NPA and the nine others were all civilians. The civilians included Alyssa Alano, 22, a University of the Philippines (UP) student leader, Maureen Keil Santuyo, 24, of the UP Open University, community journalist RJ Nichole Ledesma, 30, two Filipino Americans and two minors.

Ernesto Torres, executive director of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-Elcac), identified the two American citizens as Lyle Prijoles, 40, from San Francisco, California, and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem, 26, of Steilacoom, Washington.

Anakbayan-USA said Sorem was a founding officer of Anakbayan South Seattle and one of many Filipino-American youths “who [sought] to understand their roots and the society that forces many Filipinos to migrate” and who chose to “contribute to change.”

US Embassy security alert

Bayan USA said Prijoles was a human rights advocate and a “well-loved member of the Filipino community.” It said he was killed while “immersing with communities in Negros to learn firsthand their daily hardships as farmers and their struggle for land and justice.”

On Friday, the US Embassy in Manila raised a security alert, warning American citizens of heightened risks in parts of the Philippines following the recent military operation on Negros Island, specifically the April 19 clash.

The embassy advised Americans in the Philippines and around the world to “abide by local laws and to avoid situations with elevated security risk.”

It identified rural and mountainous areas in Leyte, Mindoro, Negros and Samar as “areas of heightened concern,” noting that these provinces have seen recent deadly encounters between government troops and insurgents.

“The NPA is a designated foreign terrorist organization by the governments of the United States and the Philippines. Anyone in proximity of NPA elements is at grave risk of arrest, injury, or death,” the embassy said.

The embassy warned US citizens to avoid any contact or association with armed groups and to immediately leave areas where unidentified armed individuals are present.

Check aid groups

It also advised Americans engaging in humanitarian or volunteer work to coordinate only with properly registered organizations and to secure appropriate visas, noting that some groups may have links to violent actors.

It encouraged US citizens to list up in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program to receive emergency alerts and assistance.

The NTF-Elcac welcomed the US Embassy’s advisory, calling it a “clear recognition” of the dangers posed by communist insurgent groups.

It said the embassy alert supported its long-standing position that the NPA is a terrorist organization and that its international networks had been used for recruitment and financial support.

The NTF-Elcac said the embassy’s warning that some nongovernmental organizations may have links to armed groups, underscoring concerns over alleged infiltration of legitimate civilian platforms.

Did they forget the result of former peace talks? The CPP wants the immediate implementation of the CASER which is a non-starter. The Comprehensive Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER) can be read here:

https://ndfp.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/FINAL-Jan-17-2018-NDFP-CASER-2017-Web-version-Ver2.0.pdf

This document is 173 pages of broad and general calls for reform in industry, culture, agriculture, and other areas of the government and Philippine life. The one thing lacking is there are no methods of implementing these reforms. There is nothing exact. It's as vague as the term "social and economic reform." After listing the various reforms sought for a particular area there is a schedule of implementation like the following:

Section 1. The Parties shall create a mechanism to ensure that the Agreement on Financial, Monetary and Fiscal Policies (FMF) is respected and effectively implemented. 

Section 4. The Parties shall, within three (3) months from signing this Agreement, agree on the composition, functions, mechanics and logistics of the JMC-FMF and on the implementation schedule and work plan containing the dates and time frame for undertaking their respective commitments under the Agreement on FMF.

These terms are too vague and the time frame for designing a method of implementation, 3 months for each section, is too short. The danger in signing such an over broad agreement is that the CPP will undoubtedly accuse the government of not keeping it's word when all these reforms are not implemented due to disagreement on the methods of implementation. These are not reforms that can happen over night or in 3 months. The CPP is not taking into account the slow nature of government especially the corrupt Philippine government.

Peace talks are simply not going to happen especially since the DND considers the remaining rebels to be nothing more than terrorists. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/05/02/dnd-chief-rejects-peace-talks-with-reds

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Saturday, May 2, rejected calls for renewed peace negotiations with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), characterizing the group’s activities as criminal acts rather than political struggle.

Teodoro emphasized that the government should not engage in formal dialogue with a group he classified as a “terrorist” organization.

“No, I object to any peace talks with the NPA. The Filipinos are at peace. They are the ones disturbing the peace so why should we talk to them?” Teodoro said.

The defense chief argued that formal talks would validate the insurgents' motives.

“They’re committing crimes, plain and simple, and it’s terrorism, plain and simple. So to call for peace talks is to elevate the morality of their cause to something legitimate, which I cannot accept. Hindi ko matatanggap ‘yun (I cannot accept that),” he added.

Teodoro made the remarks weeks after a bloody encounter between the Philippine Army and remnants of an NPA group in Toboso, Negros Occidental on April 19.

The clash resulted in the deaths of 19 alleged NPA rebels, but the CPP claimed only 10 rebel deaths, saying nine other fatalities were civilians, including University of the Philippines student leader Alyssa Alano, community journalist RJ Ledesma, and Filipino-American activists Lyle Prijoles and Kai Dana-Rene Sorem among others.

The Philippine government and the CPP-NPA-NDF remain without formal peace negotiations, years after talks collapsed amid renewed fighting and political disagreements.

Peace efforts between the two sides have spanned decades, beginning in the late 1980s under then president Corazon Aquino. While early negotiations opened channels for dialogue, they were repeatedly disrupted by clashes on the ground and mutual accusations of bad faith.

In the 1990s and 2000s, negotiations facilitated by Norway led to interim agreements, including accords on human rights and international humanitarian law. However, the parties failed to reach a comprehensive settlement addressing core issues such as land reform, governance, and disarmament.

Talks saw a brief revival in 2016 under former president Rodrigo Duterte, with both sides declaring temporary ceasefires and resuming formal discussions. The process broke down the following year after renewed hostilities and disagreements over conditions for continuing negotiations.

Since then, the government has taken a harder stance, including designating the CPP and NPA as terrorist organizations, while pursuing localized peace engagements and reintegration programs for former rebels.

Sarmiento sees localized peace talks as key to sustainable peace

While the defense sector maintained a hardline stance, the Office of the Presidential Adviser on Peace, Reconciliation and Unity (OPAPRU) pivoted toward a “holistic” civilian-led approach as newly-appointed Presidential Peace Adviser Mel Senen Sarmiento shifted the government's weight toward localized peace engagements and the total reintegration of former rebels.

Sarmiento vowed to deepen community integration efforts as the government pushed to sustain peace gains and bring former members of the CPP–NPA–NDF back into civilian life.

“Under the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., our goal is not merely the cessation of hostilities but the cultivation of a lasting peace that addresses the root causes of conflict and reinforces positive peace,” Sarmiento said.

The communist insurgency has spanned nearly six decades, affecting rural communities and straining local economies. The government has shifted to localized peace talks in recent years after national negotiations stalled.

“By bringing the government closer to the people, we are proving that the path of peace is far more rewarding than the path of armed struggle,” Sarmiento noted.

“We are committed to ensuring that every individual who chooses to lay down their arms is met with the tools and support necessary to become a partner in national nation-building,” he added.

OPAPRU said it was working closely with local government units, security forces, and national agencies to deliver basic services directly to communities once affected by conflict.

Sarmiento identified localized peace engagements as a key pillar in the peace efforts which involve dialogues and surrender processes at the municipal and provincial levels to address specific grievances.

He also pointed to the government’s amnesty program carried out with the National Amnesty Commission to provide legal normalization for former combatants. Reintegration programs were also expanded including livelihood aid, education, and psychosocial services for former rebels and their families.

“These initiatives aim to address the root causes of conflict while helping former combatants return to peaceful and productive civilian life,” Sarmiento said.

Even National Security Adviser Eduardo Oban Jr. agrees that peace talks are not in the nation's best interests. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2224169/peace-talks-with-reds-not-in-filipinos-interest-oban

National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Oban Jr. threw his support behind Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s rejection of any peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

“Secretary Teodoro is correct in saying that to resume a national-level peace negotiations with a clearly spent, isolated, and criminal armed group would not advance the Filipino’s interest in security, peace, and development. It would only give their crumbling insurgency a veneer of credibility it no longer possesses on the ground,” said Oban, who is also National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict vice chair.

Oban and Teodoro’s reaction stemmed from the call of former peace negotiators batting for a resumption of peace talks in the wake of the April 19 encounter between the military and insurgents in Toboso, Negros Occidental that left 19 people dead.

“Since the formal talks at the time of President Corazon Aquino, the CPP-NPA-NDF has repeatedly exploited ceasefires and negotiations to regroup, rebuild networks, regain influence in communities, and project political relevance while its armed units continued to commit atrocities, extortion, recruitment, and violence against the Filipino people,” Oban siad.

He said peace talks should not be allowed to become a “lifeline for a dying insurgency… [that has] lost any semblance of integrity and belligerency.”

“To reopen negotiations at this time would only overturn the hard-won victories that Filipino communities have achieved through years of courage, sacrifice, and peacebuilding. Across the archipelago, towns and barangays that were once trapped in fear and coercion have rejected the NPA,” he added.

Likewise, Oban said any proposal to talk with the CPP-NPA-NDF today is tone deaf to the realities on the ground.

“The Filipino people are not asking for the return of peace negotiations that the CPP-NPA-NDF has historically abused. Our communities are asking for roads, schools, livelihoods, justice, local security, reintegration, healing, and protection from recruitment and intimidation,” he said.

Oban also said peace must be built in barangays, families, schools, farms, indigenous communities, and former conflict-affected areas, where forms of conflict were actually suffered.

“Filipino communities are already empowered to pursue localized peace engagements that directly address the roots of conflict,” he said.

Oban said the door remains open for individuals who sincerely renounce armed struggle and return to the fold of the law.

“We reaffirm the State’s policy that those who wish to abandon armed violence are afforded lawful and dignified pathways through localized peace engagements, reintegration, transformation programs, and amnesty processes,” he said.

The Makabayan bloc has called out DND Secretary Teodoro for refusing to enter peace talks with the rebels. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2222573/makabayan-hits-teodoro-for-ruling-out-peace-talks-with-communist-rebels

The Makabayan bloc on Sunday criticized Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, Jr. for opposing peace talks with Communist rebels, saying his stance undermines government commitments to pursue negotiations in one of the world’s longest-running insurgencies.

“Teodoro’s refusal to even consider talks ‘without precondition’ signals that the Marcos administration is choosing perpetual war, not a sustainable path to peace,” ACT Teachers party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Sarah Jane Elago and Kabataan Rep. Renee Louise Co said in a joint statement.

On Saturday, Teodoro rejected calls to revive talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), branding their actions as terrorism and warning that returning to the negotiation table could “elevate the morality of their cause to something legitimate.”

The New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP, has been waging one of the world’s longest-running guerilla wars against the Philippine government for more than five decades that has killed more than 40,000.

Former government peace negotiators from the previous administrations have called for the revival of talks following a military operation in Negros Occidental that killed 19 people.

“Teodoro’s position is a dead-end policy that has been tried for decades and has clearly failed,” the Makabayan bloc said. 

“The continued insistence on an all-out security solution has only prolonged the conflict, expanded militarization in the countryside, and resulted in repeated human rights violations, mass displacements and deaths of civilians,” the Makabayan solons added.

The Department of National Defense did not immediately reply to a Viber message seeking comment.

The political bloc said Teodoro’s “war-first policy” should be abandoned and that negotiations addressing the socioeconomic and political roots of the conflict take front and center stage. 

“The renewed call by former government peace negotiators underscores an important truth: there was a functioning peace process in the past, and there were moments when both sides came close to interim agreements that could have reduced armed hostilities and opened the door to addressing the roots of conflict,” they said.

In 2023, the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front signed a joint statement acknowledging the need to tackle the roots of the armed conflict, agreeing to pursue a “principled and peaceful resolution” to the decades‑long rebellion. 

“We call for socio-economic and political reforms and an end to the all-out war mindset of the regime,” the Makabayan lawmakers said.

Clashes. however, have continued between the two sides despite the agreement to pursue such talks, raising concerns over the viability of negotiations to end the conflict that has long defied a peaceful resolution. 

The Makabayn Bloc says Teodoro has a "war first police" but that is not true. The government has been urging all remaining rebels to surrender and accept amnesty. The CPP-NPA has been given many chances to lay down their arms peacefully. 

Another province has been declared insurgency-free. 

https://mb.com.ph/2026/05/05/southern-leyte-declared-insurgency-free

The provincial government of Southern Leyte, in partnership with the Philippine Army, formally declared the province insurgency-free on Tuesday following the deaths and surrender of hundreds of leaders, combatants, and supporters of the New People's Army (NPA) in recent years.

Southern Leyte Gov. Damian Mercado said the declaration marks a significant milestone, reflecting the province's long-standing goal of ensuring a safe and secure environment for its residents.

"We will ensure that the province remains peaceful, safe, and orderly, where insurgency and other threats to security have no place. We will remain committed to all peace undertakings. This formal declaration is a manifestation of our commitment to a peaceful and progressive province," Mercado said during ceremonies at the Southern Leyte Provincial Capitol Gymnasium in Maasin City.

Lt. Col. Celeste Frank Sayson, commander of the Philippine Army's 93rd Infantry Battalion, said the declaration signifies that Southern Leyte has achieved a Stable Internal Peace and Security Condition (SIPSC) — the highest security classification under the government's counterinsurgency framework.

"It signifies that the area is considered insurgency-free, where the influence and capabilities of the NPA have been reduced to the point that they no longer pose a threat to public order and safety," Sayson said.

According to the military, communist insurgents first established a presence in Leyte in 1976 through Jun Alcober, an NPA cadre from Cebu. The NPA's Leyte Island Committee formed in 2000, followed by the Southern Leyte Front Committee two years later with support from rebels based in Bohol.

Authorities said the neutralization of key NPA leaders and fighters across Leyte Island led to the dismantling of insurgent fronts in Southern Leyte.

The last recorded armed encounter between government forces and rebels occurred in August 2021, when two NPA leaders and a soldier died in a clash in the upland Barangay Lawgawan in Bontoc, Southern Leyte.

Officials noted that attaining SIPSC status indicates the absence of significant insurgent threats, allowing local governments to shift focus from security operations to development initiatives, including infrastructure and livelihood programs.

The designation is also expected to boost investor confidence and support business expansion, particularly in the agriculture sector.

Southern Leyte comprises 500 barangays across 18 municipalities and Maasin City, its provincial capital.

There has been five years since the NPA and AFP clashed in Southern Leyte and now they are apparently no more. Peace talks did not accomplish that feat.