No More Hell Run By Filipinos 15: Corrupt Politicians Praising The Most Corrupt Politician

Juan Ponce Enrile has finally died at the ripe old age of 101.  The man has long been an enduring symbol of corrupt Philippine politics having been implicated, though never convicted, in various scandals. He is also most infamous for being a friend of Marcos Sr and the architect of marital law. It's not surprising then that his colleagues have heaped a ton of praise upon the man. Here is but one sample of many.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1263254

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday paid tribute to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile, calling him “one of the most enduring and respected public servants” in Philippine history.

In a statement shared on social media, Marcos said Enrile’s decades-long service to the nation — which spanned law, governance, and public policy — left an indelible mark on the country’s political and legal landscape.

“We say goodbye to one of the most enduring and respected public servants our country has ever known. For over 50 years, Juan Ponce Enrile dedicated his life to serving the Filipino people, helping guide the country through some of its most challenging and defining moments,” Marcos said.

The President issued the statement moments after Enrile's passing was made public by his daughter, Katrina Ponce Enrile.

Marcos also described Enrile as a brilliant legal mind who remained “sharp and steadfast” in his belief that law and governance must always serve the Filipino people.

“Even in his final years, he remained brilliant, sharp, and firm in his belief that law and governance must always serve the Filipino people,” he said.

Marcos said Enrile’s death marked the end of an era but emphasized that his influence would continue to shape the nation’s institutions and public service.

“His passing marks the close of a chapter in our nation’s history. But the mark he leaves behind in law, in governance, and in the hearts of those he served will never be forgotten,” he said.

The President ended his message with a personal note, thanking the late statesman for his lifelong dedication to the country.

“Thank you very much, Tito Johnny. Farewell, and thank you for a life wholeheartedly dedicated to the nation,” he said.

Enrile, who passed away at 101, served as Senate President, Defense Minister, and more recently as Chief Presidential Legal Counsel under the Marcos administration.

His storied career spanned both the Marcos Sr. and post-EDSA People Power governments, making him one of the country’s most influential political figures for over half a century.

Note that President Marcos is speaking in broad terms offering no specifics. What policies did Enrile help enact during his career? Under Marcos Sr. he assisted in upholding martial law which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos. During Duterte's reign Enrile made excuses for his drug war which resulted in the deaths of thousands. Though never convicted for plunder or corruption he was charged with those crimes. Just because he was not convicted does not mean he wasn't guilty. The corruption in the judicial process is well attested. 

Here is how the world is remembering him.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20251113-juan-ponce-enrile-architect-of-philippine-martial-law-dies-at-101-daughter

Enrile, who was being treated for pneumonia, died at home at 4:21 pm (0821 GMT) "surrounded by our family", Katrina Ponce Enrile said on her Facebook page, adding there would be a public viewing.

Known as the architect of the brutal martial law used to crush opposition to Marcos's rule, Harvard-educated Enrile was a long-time top adviser to the authoritarian leader.

Enrile later turned on Marcos and was instrumental in sparking the popular 1986 uprising that led to the president's ouster less than three years after the murder of opposition leader Benigno Aquino.

Enrile switched sides again and helped the Marcos family in their remarkable political comeback after they returned from exile.

After Ferdinand Marcos Jr, the late dictator's son, won the 2022 presidential election, he named Enrile his chief legal counsel.

"We say goodbye to one of the most enduring and respected public servants our country has ever known," Marcos said in a statement, adding Enrile "dedicated his life to serving the Filipino people, helping guide the country through some of its most challenging and defining moments".

Bonifacio Ilagan, head of a group of former dissidents thrown into prison during martial rule, said in a statement the group has "no tears to shed" for a man who "will forever be remembered neither as a patriot nor a statesman, but as one of the chief architects and defenders of tyranny, repression, and corruption in the country".

Enrile never spent a day behind bars for his role in the Marcos dictatorship.

'A good beginning sours'

According to his memoir, Enrile was a widow's son by a prominent married lawyer. He was born Juanito Furagganan on February 14, 1924.

The boy later took his father's name and became a respected attorney himself, as well as a close confidant of Marcos who would win the presidency in 1965.

Before becoming defence minister, Enrile held other key posts, including customs chief and justice minister.

Marcos's order implementing martial law in 1972 cited various acts of terror around the country, including an alleged communist guerrilla assassination attempt on Enrile. 

Many years later, Enrile gave differing statements on that key event, saying at one point the claimed ambush was made up, and then writing in his memoir that it had actually happened.

Under martial law, Enrile was the second-most-powerful man in the country, deciding who could be jailed or freed.

Amnesty International estimates Marcos's security forces either killed, tortured, sexually abused, mutilated or arbitrarily detained tens of thousands of opponents.

More than 11,000 victims have been officially recognised and compensated.

Enrile never apologised for his role in the dictatorship and even defended martial law.

"It was operating well at least from 1972 all the way to 1975, but somehow along the way, just like everything that we do in this country, a good beginning sours," he told journalists in 2006.

'People Power'

By the 1980s, Marcos was ailing, and it was becoming clear that his wife Imelda and her allies were not planning to keep Enrile in the future leadership.

In response, Enrile organised a cabal of disgruntled young military officers into the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM).

The 1983 murder of Aquino by soldiers loyal to Marcos and massive cheating in the 1986 polls caused widespread unrest, further weakening Marcos's position.

The RAM sought to exploit the situation with a plot to overthrow the Marcos government, but their plan was discovered before it could be launched.

Facing arrest, Enrile and his allies holed up at Manila's military headquarters and appealed to the public to protect them from an imminent government attack.

Millions of people poured onto the streets, triggering the "People Power" revolt that toppled Marcos, installed Aquino's widow Corazon as president, and restored democracy.

Aquino appointed Enrile as her defence minister, but he stayed in her cabinet for only a short time.

He was briefly arrested in 1990, 2001, and 2014, the first two times for alleged involvement in coup plots and the last over the embezzlement of public funds.

Enrile enjoyed a decades-long career as a lawmaker, including as Senate president from 2008 to 2013.

In 2014, he was arrested with two other senators for allegedly receiving bribes as part of a massive corruption scandal.

Citing Enrile's "fragile health", the Supreme Court granted him bail in 2015, allowing him to spend his twilight days at home.

A special graft court dismissed the plunder, or massive corruption, charges against Enrile last year, and last month acquitted him of the remaining graft cases against him.

That is not a career to be celebrated. Everything in this profile points to selfishness not selflessness. Enrile looked out for himself. He betrayed his friends and the people. He betrayed the nation. 

That he is being celebrated by his peers is not shocking. But it should be especially when the government is talking about transparency and rooting out corruption especially as it pertains to flood projects. Enrile's public service was a flood of corruption and connivance that should not be celebrated. Let his family mourn him. But let the nation rejoice that Enrile has now passed into judgment. Juan Ponce Enrile and those who celebrate him are more fodder to shout from the rooftops: No more hell run by Filipinos!

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 13: Dolomite Beach

A few days before President Marcos stood in his pulpit and delivered the State of the Nation Address which sparked the investigations into anomalous flood projects, it was revealed that Dolomite beach was to be blamed for flooding in parts of the capital. The construction of Dolomite beach was part of the Manila Bay reclamation project during Duterte's term as president. 

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2025/07/17/2458513/dolomite-beach-mrt-7-project-blamed-floods

The artificial dolomite beach along Manila Bay and the ongoing construction of the Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) are to blame for floods in parts of the capital, according to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

Flooding along Taft and Commonwealth Avenues could be attributed to the closure of three outfalls during Manila Bay’s rehabilitation and MRT-7 columns obstructing drainage inlets, MMDA Chairman Romando Artes said.

The dolomite beach was installed ostensibly as part of Manila Bay’s restoration, as ordered by the Supreme Court, along with the treatment of wastewater discharged into the bay.

Three outfalls at Faura and Remedios streets and Estero de San Antonio Abad were closed to redirect wastewater to a treatment plant.

“The facility’s capacity is too small to process the volume of wastewater immediately. That’s why wastewater accumulates on the road before it is released,” Artes said.

Mayor Isko Moreno and Artes witnessed yesterday the removal of the outfall barrier at the Estero de San Antonio Abad, which leads to the Manila Yacht Club area.

Artes said the Remedios outfall floodgate could also be removed.

MMDA officials inspected yesterday MRT-7’s Batasan station, where the columns have obstructed nearby drainage inlets, leading to floods last month.        

The construction of Metro Rail Transit Line 7 is also to blame for the flooding but the focus will be on Dolomite beach. Metro Rail Transit Line 7 is a necessary expansion of Manila's transportation infrastructure while Dolomite beach was an obvious "criminal waste of funds."

https://mb.com.ph/2025/07/17/flood-trigger-dolomite-beach-a-criminal-waste-of-funds-says-ridon

Bicol Saro Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon is eyeing a House inquiry on the environmental impact of the Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program, which has led to the creation of the controversial Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. 

For this purpose, Ridon filed House Resolution (HR) No. 56, which urged the House Committee on Public Accounts and other appropriate committees to conduct a full probe, in aid of legislation. 

Ridon's filing followed claims from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), through its Chairman Don Artes, that the dolomite beach project was a direct contributor to the persistent flooding in the city of Manila. 

It reportedly causes the blockage of three major drainage outfalls—Faura, Remedios, and Estero de San Antonio Abad—forcing rainwater to be rerouted through a sewerage treatment plant incapable of handling flood volumes during heavy rains. 

White-colored dolomite sand was used for the beach nourishment, coastal restoration, and enhancement of the Manila Baywalk area during the previous Duterte administration. 

"To be clear, the dolomite project was never part of the NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority)-approved Manila Bay Rehabilitation Master Plan. This was publicly admitted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) during congressional budget deliberations in 2020," Ridon said in a statement. 

"As such, it was never envisioned to protect Manila Bay’s coastal resources nor to prevent coastal flooding, erosion, or pollution. It is a cosmetic project masquerading as rehabilitation, and has now proven harmful to flood mitigation efforts in Manila," he noted. 

"It is nothing but a criminal wastage of public funds—₱389 million that could have been far better spent on sewage treatment plants and other engineering interventions grounded in science and sustainability," Ridon further said. 

The Bicol Saro solon said the congressional inquiry will determine criminal and administrative liability, and hold every government official directly involved in the origination, planning, and implementation of the artificial beach project accountable. 

"This is a project that was not in the master plan. And it now stands as a culprit in worsening floods in the heart of the nation’s capital. On these grounds, graft charges are all but certain," Ridon, a lawyer, reckoned. 

"And if, in the course of the inquiry, we find that the requirements for plunder are met, then so be it," he said.

Dolomite beach was never part of the "NEDA-approved Manila Bay Rehabilitation Master Plan." How it was allowed to happen is what an investigation would reveal. It's not like any of this is news. Back in 2020 it was revealed that Dolomite beach was not only not approved by NEDA but was wasting funds by transporting crushed Dolomite from Cebu.

Here's a flashback to 2020.

https://www.philstar.com/nation/2020/09/03/2039869/white-sanding-along-manila-bay-will-not-make-it-cleaner-denr-reminded

Piles of white sand are being dumped along the shore of Manila Bay, Department of Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Benny Antiporda said, in a bid to transform the bay—known for its stunning sunset views and garbage-strewn, murky waters—into something similar to popular tourist destination Boracay. 

"Here in Manila, we know that there are many who are poor. We will bring the white sand closer to them so it is like they are in Boracay even if they are just on Roxas Boulevard. That is what we aim to achieve here," Antiporda said in Filipino in an interview on radio DZBB. 

But the move to fill the 500-meter stretch with white sand—actually crushed dolomite boulders, according to Antiporda—did not sit well with environmental groups, who said the dumping could cause more harm to Manila Bay. 

Fishers group PAMALAKAYA called the project “completely absurd and highfaluting.” 

“[This is] artificial rehabilitation focusing on aesthetic appearance rather than addressing the environmental degradation problems [of Manila Bay],” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA national chairperson, said in a statement. 

“Filling of white sand would less likely contribute to the rehabilitation and restoration of degrading Manila Bay,” he added.

I wrote two articles about Dolomite beach back in 2020. One in September and the other in October. 

The problems with this fake beach and beautification program are too many to list in this article. Succinctly put it was a massive waste of money meant to make Manila Bay LOOK good while not actually cleaning it up. This non NEDA-approved project has also contributed to flooding in the city. It is not only a waste of money but it is an example of gaslighting as politicians claimed the beach would attract tourists and generally be a good thing even while environmental experts warned of the dangers it posed. The fact is it's a shining of example of why Filipino politicians are not to be trusted with public funds. It's another reason to cry out, No More Hell Run By Filipinos!

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 12: Political Dynasties

It cannot be overstated how messed up the Philippines is. People might claim that is racism or a stereotype or even deflect and say what about (name of country.) Sure, government around the world is corrupt with notably the USA being run by a cabal of pedophiles and Satan worshippers who sacrifice their cares to a Great Owl every summer amongst the Redwoods of California at Bohemian Grove. But we aren't talking about the USA, we are talking about the Philippines. Don't deflect.

One of the reasons the Philippines remains in a rut is political dynasties. Everyone with a lick of sense recognizes political dynasties are a massive problem that consolidates power and wealth in the hands of a few. The Romualdez family from Tingog is representative of this problem. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/07/18/2458938/romualdez-family-now-holds-three-house-seats-yedda-joins-20th-congress

Yedda Romualdez is set to join her husband and son in the 20th Congress through automatic party-list succession after a series of resignations cleared her path to become Tingog's third nominee.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) certified her succession on July 16, creating a Romualdez family trio in the House of Representatives. Martin Romualdez, the presumed next House speaker, represents Leyte's first district, while their 24-year-old son, Andrew Julian, is Tingog's first nominee.

Tingog won three seats in the May elections, finishing third in the party-list race.

Comelec Chairperson George Garcia informed House Secretary General Reginald Velasco in a letter on July 16 that the poll body was greenlighting the proclamation of Yedda as Tingog's third representative in the House.

"As a Certificate of Proclamation has already been issued to TINGOG Party-list on May 19, 2025, kindly consider this letter as the equivalent certification which may be used to effect the necessary steps in relation to the appropriate representation of said Party-List in the House of Representatives," Garcia said in the letter to Velasco.

Yedda's return to the House follows the resignation of the third nominee Marie Josephine Diana K. Calatrava, who stepped down for "personal circumstances," according to the resolution of the Comelec law department, which reviewed the party-list nominee changes and recommended its adoption.

Two other Tingog nominees had earlier resigned after winning party leadership positions. Initially, the party-list's fourth and fifth nominees, Alexis V. Yu and Paul S. Muncada, stepped down on June 18 following their election as party leaders under Tingog's bylaws, clearing the path for Yedda's succession.

Yedda ran as Tingog's sixth nominee during the May midterm elections. She was initially fielded as the first nominee before her son Andrew replaced her as the party's top pick in February.

After all these resignations, the Comelec law department recommended on July 15 that Tingog's nominee list be updated with Yedda considered as "Nominee No. 3," citing Republic Act No. 7941's automatic succession provision for party-list vacancies. The COMELEC en banc adopted these recommendations on July 16.

Yedda and her husband Martin Romualdez previously served in the 19th Congress as a powerful duo that virtually controlled all key levers of House operations. Martin, the president's cousin, wielded a supermajority as House speaker while Yedda chaired the accounts committee that managed the House's internal budget. 

Besides the husband, wife and son Romualdezes, Sandro Marcos — Martin's nephew and Marcos' eldest son — is also part of the 20th Congress. He previously held a senior leadership position as senior deputy majority leader despite being a first-time lawmaker.  

This family is not just a bunch of randos. They are related to President Marcos as Martin Romuladez is his cousin. Martin was first elected to the House in 2007 and he was elected for a second term. Next, he followed the path of all Filipino career politicians and ran for the Senate when his time in the House was up but he lost. He then bided his time and ran for the House again in 2019 where he is now employed. 

His wife and son have joined him in the House but his wife is no stranger to politics as she worked hand-in-hand with her husband in the 19th Congress controlling all House operations. No family should wield such power. That is why politicians perennially preen before the cameras announcing plans to end political dynasties. 

https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2025/07/19/2459036/2-senators-seek-end-political-dynasties

Two senators aligned with major political parties have filed bills seeking to end the grip of political dynasties on power.

Francis Pangilinan of the Liberal Party and Robinhood Padilla of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan have separately filed bills aiming to enforce the constitutional ban on political dynasties.

“Political power and public service must never be treated as a birthright. But for decades, without an enabling law, our democracy has been hijacked. This bill is long overdue. Leadership should be earned, not inherited. Every Filipino deserves a fair and equal shot at serving the nation,” Pangilinan said in a statement yesterday.

“This is not just a legal fight – it’s a democratic one. We must make room for new voices, new leaders, and genuine public servants. Because democracy dies when power is passed around like property,” he added.

In Pangilinan’s bill, a “political dynasty relationship” is defined as one “when the spouse or any relative within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity of an incumbent elective official, runs for public office to succeed or replace the incumbent.”

A political dynasty also happens when “one runs for or holds any elective local office simultaneously with the incumbent within the same province, legislative district, city, or municipality and within the same barangay or barangays within the same legislative district,” added Pangilinan’s bill.

A dynasty relationship exists “where two or more persons who are spouses, or are related to one another within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity run simultaneously for elective public office at the national level, or at the local level within the same province, legislative district, city, or municipality, and within the same barangay or barangays within the same legislative district, even if neither is so related to an incumbent elective official,” read the bill.

According to Pangilinan’s proposed measure, a candidate with political dynasty ties can be disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec), or the House of Representatives, Senate, and Presidential Electoral Tribunals.

Pangilinan cited the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), which estimates that 71 of 82 provincial governors, and eight out of 10 district representatives, are members of political dynasties.

Even the Senate where he belongs “remains heavily influenced by dynastic figures, with several family tandems retaining or gaining seats,” Pangilinan said.

Pangilinan expressed alarm at the PCIJ’s report of 18 “obese dynasties” or those with five or more elected relatives.

“Political dynasties, deeply rooted in the country’s history of wealth concentration, remain a defining and intensifying feature of the Philippine political landscape. Securing public office increasingly requires substantial personal wealth, effectively limiting viable candidates to those from established political and elite families. This trend has significantly strengthened over the past two decades,” Pangilinan said.

In Padilla’s bill, a political dynasty relationship is also defined as existing “where two or more persons who are spouses or related to one another within the fourth civil degree of consanguinity or affinity run simultaneously for elective public office within the same city and/or province, or as nominees to any party-list, even if neither is so related to the incumbent elective official.”

The Comelec may also motu proprio disqualify a candidate who has political dynasty ties, according to Padilla’s bill.

The problem is a bill is not required to ban political dynasties. The constitution already prohibits them.

Article 2 SECTION 26. The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/constitutions/1987-constitution/

But there is a caveat. "Prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law." That means there needs to be implementing law which defines what what a political dynasty is. 

And that caveat demonstrates what is wrong with the 1987 constitution. It sets up broad social programs which requires laws to be passed which implement those programs. While that is problematic in itself since a Constitution should be limited to setting up the framework of a government, it is even more troubling that in 38 years the government has not passed a law to enact this constitutional provision. Perhaps defining a dynasty is not only difficult but limiting someone from serving in the government because of who they are related to would be a violation of their rights. Perhaps, in their zeal, the authors of the 1987 constitution overstepped their bounds. 

Ultimately the decision of who occupies high office is the responsibility of the voters. Sadly many of them  either don't care or are uninformed. And that ignorance and listlessness is exactly what the politicians who run the hell that is the Philippines are counting on. 

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 11: Malacañang Says Stop Protesting Corruption

Ever since Senate hearings have revealed billions of pesos wasted in anomalous flood control projects the people have been very angry. Rightfully so, of course, because that is the people's money being not just wasted but stolen by the very men they elected to high office. As a result the people have taken to the street in protest. They want immediate action. 

However, the Marcos administration is telling the people to sit down and shut up.

https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/14/palace-tells-filipinos-to-calm-down-over-fight-vs-corruption

Malacañang has appealed to the people to calm down amid growing public demand for accountability over issues of graft and corruption.

"Calm down," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Tuesday, Oct. 14, assuring the public that investigations on corruption are ongoing and that cases will be filed soon.

Castro stressed that the fight against corruption, particularly the alleged multi-billion pesos flood control corruption mess, takes time.

"This cannot be done hastily. Perhaps because, as a lawyer who personally handles cases and appears in court myself, I know how to present a piece of evidence properly," Castro said.

"This cannot be done through haste, and if it is done too quickly, we might end up with impressive numbers, many cases filed in court, but eventually, all of them get dismissed," Castro added.

"What would be more unacceptable, filing cases that all end up being dismissed because they were premature and lacked evidence?," Castro further said.

Based on a recent Tugon ng Masa survey conducted from Sept. 25 to 30, 60 percent of respondents feel outrage or anger when they think about corruption in government, particularly in the flood control projects. Thirty percent expressed fear or anxiety and 9 percent said they are disappointed or sad.

She called on the people to allow the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) to conduct its investigation and complete its documentation in order to file stronger cases.

The Palace official also urged the public to be patient "because the process has already begun."

"As we’ve said, if the President hadn’t initiated this, who would have? If the President himself did not start this investigation, then who else could?," Castro said.

She assured the public that President Marcos' commitment is to hold accountable those who must be held accountable, stressing that this was perhaps "the fastest disclosure of the alleged anomalies in flood control projects."

The latest Ulat ng Bayan survey by Pulse Asia Research showed that the Marcos administration suffered a decline in approval ratings on most key national issues from June to September 2025, with corruption and inflation emerging as the public’s top concerns.

Castro said the President is not alarmed by the numbers, reiterating that rating should not be based on one survey alone.

The survey, however, revealed that most adults are critical of the administration’s handling of four issues—reducing poverty (57 percent), fighting illegal drugs (61 percent), controlling inflation (64 percent), and fighting corruption (69 percent).

Castro made an assurance that Marcos knows and listens to the public's sentiments, urging them to trust the President.

"Let us allow the process to continue, and the President will not ignore the sentiments he hears from our fellow citizens," Castro said.

"Let us place our trust in our President and in the Marcos Jr. administration, because it is firmly taking a stand against corruption," she added.

Obviously the process cannot be done hastily. Immediate accountability would mean resignations at the very least while long term justice means air tight cases against the accused must be built. Of course, all of the accused have denied any culpability. That leaves waiting on the Philippine justice system and everyone knows justice does not roll down like waters in this nation. Despite all the investigation and cases filed during the PDAF scam no politicians were held accountable. The people's anger is more than justified because they know the track record of the DOJ in these types of cases. 

Note also that Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro says Marcos initiated the investigation and no one else would have started it. This is a dishonest sleight of hand which repositions accountability as a gift from leadership, not a right of the people. The fact is the corruption in the DPWH has been ongoing for decades. Here is an article I wrote about it back in 2019 with data about corruption in the DPWH going back to 1999. The fact that a speech from Marcos triggered an investigation is outrageous when accountability should have been ongoing. That is the whole point of the Commission on Audit and other bodies tasked with monitoring the use of funds and the building of projects. 

The newly-formed Independent Commission for Infrastructure is also telling the people to sit down and shut up because protesting "won't help heal the country."

https://mb.com.ph/2025/10/13/protests-rallies-wont-help-heal-the-countryici-adviser

Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI) new special adviser Rodolfo Azurin does not believe that protests or rallies will help build a better Philippines even even as the country is being hounded by corruption in the form of anomalous, billion-peso flood control projects.

Azurin, in his inaugural statement after being sworn in to the position on Monday, Oct. 13, stressed the importance of a pacifist approach in handling what some people said was the biggest corruption scandal to hit the country.

The discovery of the billions worth of anomalous flood control projects "is a defining moment in our nation's history", according to Azurin.

But while "the voices from all sectors" on the controvery were "valid" and their cause was "just", he said, "We must remember: real change cannot be achieved through division, chaos or violence."

He added that while "revolution in the streets may topple governments... they do not always heal a nation".

"Today, we are called not to fight one another, but to stand together. Not through protests or rallies, but through truth, unity and justice," he said in a subsequent press conference.

Azurin, who replaced Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong as special adviser, said the creation of the ICI marked "a historic step toward accountability and genuine reform".

The body has been tasked to investigate the anomalous infrastructure projects that should have served the people.

He further said President Marcos' directive to assist the body in prosecuting involved individuals was "a clear testament to the sincerity and determination of this administration to build a better Philippines".

"Let us expose corruption not with anger, but with justice. Let us work hand in hand to bring the guilty to account and to finally end the suffering of our people," he said.

This is totally wrong-headed. Does Azurin really expect the people to sit down and take being robbed and placed in danger of being flooded out in peace and silence? No. The people not only have the right to be angry but the duty to be angry. As Howard  Beale says in the movie Network:

I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth; banks are going bust; shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter; punks are running wild in the street, and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it.

We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat. And we sit watching our TVs while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be!

We all know things are bad -- worse than bad -- they're crazy.

It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out any more. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we're living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, "Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials, and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone."

Well, I'm not going to leave you alone.

I want you to get mad!

I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot. I don't want you to write to your Congressman, because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street.

All I know is that first, you've got to get mad.

You've gotta say, "I'm a human being, goddammit! My life has value!"

So, I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window, open it, and stick your head out and yell,

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!!"

Filipinos need to be mad. They need to shout at the people taking them for a ride. The system is much more corrupt than billions of pesos being stolen for anomalous DPWH projects. Everyone knows that the DPWH has been doing this for years and nobody did a thing. Everyone also knows every sector of the Philippine government is rotten to the core. All one has to do is read the news to see the weekly instances of current and former politicians being convicted or charged for corruption. 

The sad truth is that corruption courses through the blood of every single Filipino politician. There are no good ones. They are rotten because they work in a rotten system and the stink necessarily rubs off on them. Sadly Azurin and the Palace are right to tell people that protesting is pointless. What is needed is a complete political overhaul. What is needed is for the people to shout, "No More Hell Run By Filipinos!"

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 10: Performative Politicians

At the heart of the slogan, No More Hell Run By Filipinos, are politicians. Especially performative politicians who use the government as their stage to act out their antics. Congressman Barzaga embodies that kind of negative personality which the Philippines does not need. He calls himself "Congressmeow" because he loves cats and post pictures of cats all over his social media. That is enough to write him off as someone showboating rather than governing. 

However, recently this ill-informed actor recently claimed in a Facebook post he is in favor of administering the death penalty to animal abusers. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/08/02/death-penalty-for-animal-cruelty-yes-says-congressmeow-barzaga

Cavite 4th district Rep. Francis "Kiko" Barzaga loathes abusers of defensless animals--so much that he believes they deserve to be executed by firing squad.

This should come as no surprise though, given that Barzaga refers to himself as "congressmeow" and is known for his fondness for animals especially cats and dogs.

"Animal Cruelty is an injustice that has no place in our society, I propose a legislation that provides death penalty by firing squad to animal abusers," the proudly eccentric solon wrote on his Facebook Saturday night, Aug. 2.

Barzaga, a neophyte lawmaker in the 20th Congress, earlier said he would "create laws for stray asodogs at posacats".

It was only last month when he said in a similar post that extreme recidivist litterers should also be meted with the death penalty, although he didn't mention by which method. The firing squad is a manner of execution that ensures swift--but not painless--death.

It remains ro be seen if Barzaga will follow through with these proposals by filing actual bills in the House of Representatives.

The Philippines currently doesnt have capital punishment. The death penalty was abolished in 2006 during the time of former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Lethal injection was the method used the last time that death penalty was carried out in the Philippines.

Ah, yes. Barzaga is proudly eccentric. So says the Manila Bulletin. A more competent editor would have chosen "the dangerously ignorant and selfish Solon" or something more vituperative. The ignorance comes through in the fact that not only has the Philippines abolished the death penalty but it has also signed a treaty to never revive it. 

The Philippines is a party to the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights the Philippines is prohibited from carrying out the death penalty. 

What is the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights? 

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty that commits states parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial. It was adopted by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) on 16 December 1966 and entered into force 23 March 1976 after its thirty-fifth ratification or accession. As of June 2022, the Covenant has 173 parties and six more signatories without ratification, most notably the People's Republic of China and Cuba; North Korea is the only state that has tried to withdraw.

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

The Philippines signed the treaty in 1966, it was ratified in 1986, and finally entered into force in 1987.

The Second Optional Protocol is an optional subsidiary agreement of the ICCPR.

The Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aiming at the abolition of the death penalty, is a subsidiary agreement to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. It was created on 15 December 1989 and entered into force on 11 July 1991. As of April 2022, the Optional Protocol has 90 state parties. The most recent country to ratify was Kazakhstan, on 24 March 2022.

The Optional Protocol commits its members to the abolition of the death penalty within their borders, though Article 2.1 allows parties to make a reservation allowing execution "in time of war pursuant to a conviction for a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime" (Brazil, Chile, El Salvador). Cyprus, Malta and Spain initially made such reservations, and subsequently withdrew them. Azerbaijan and Greece still retain this reservation on their implementation of the protocol, despite both having banned the death penalty in all circumstances. (Greece has also ratified Protocol no.13 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which abolishes capital punishment for all crimes).

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

The Philippines signed this agreement in 2006 and it was ratified in 2007. Reinstating the death penalty would signal to the world that the Philippines does not honor binding international agreements. If the Philippines will not honor international treaties then there is no reason for any nation to honor The Hague ruling on the West Philippine Sea.  Read more here. 

Just a few months ago in December, 2024 the Philippines voted in the UN General Assembly in favor of a global ban on the death penalty. 

https://mb.com.ph/2024/12/20/ph-votes-in-favor-of-global-ban-on-death-penalty

The Philippines has voted in favor of a United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution banning the death penalty across the world.

The Philippines was among the 130 countries that favored the global moratorium on death penalty; while 32 voted against.

Twenty-two countries abstained in the voting.

​The resolution expressed deep concern about the continued application of the death penalty and reaffirmed the sovereign right of all countries to develop their own legal systems, including determining appropriate legal penalties, in accordance with their international law obligations​.

​It also called upon all ​states to establish a moratorium on executions, with a view to abolishing the death penalty​, as well as recalled duty of ​states, regardless of their political, economic and​ cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundam​ental freedoms.

Either Barzaga knows this information or he does not. If he does not know it then he is ignorant of Philippine politics and has no business being in high office. If he does know this then he is, as was said, a performative politician using the Congress as his stage. 

Whatever the matter, the Philippines does not need men like Barzaga. He is the type of fool who keeps the Philippines as the hell that it is. 

After writing all that in August, 2025 it turns out that Barzaga is a man full of theatrics. 

https://mb.com.ph/2025/09/18/kiko-barzaga-strikes-again-invites-garin-to-join-independent-meow-bloc

Self-proclaimed "congressmeow" Cavite 4th district Rep. Francisco "Kiko" Barzaga intends to form an 'independent meow bloc' in the House of Representatives. 

This was shared Thursday, Sept. 18 by Deputy Speaker Iloilo 1st district Rep. Janette Garin, Barzaga's seat mate in House plenary. 

Barzaga--known for his inordinate fondness for cats--recently bolted the majority bloc under then-Speaker Leyte 1st district Rep. Martin Romualdez and abstained from supporting the latter's predecessor, Isabela 6th district Rep. Faustino "Bojie" Dy III. 

He also isn't listed among the 27 members of the minority bloc under 4Ps Party-list Rep. Marcelino "Nonoy" Libanan, or even the independent Davao bloc. 

"That's why we asked him, which faction is he with, the majority or minority," Garin said in a virtual interview. 

"Apparently, he wanted to create an independent 'meow bloc'. So there, he was also recruiting me, but I said no because I'm with the majority," she said. 

Barzaga, 27, went off the rails following his exit from the majority and has been badmouthing various government officials--including President Marcos, Romualdez, Dy, and Garin--via quote cards on his Facebook. 

The National Unity Party (NUP), his former political party, earlier announced that it was going to pursue an ethics case against the eccentric solon.

It's not that he wants to be independent. There is noting wrong with rejecting the majority and minority. The issue is that he has to turn it into a performance by forming an "independent meow bloc" which he knows no one is going to join. Why would they join? It's stupid and unnecessary. It's further proof this man should not be involved in the governing of the Philippines. 

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 9: Schools Need Basic Services Such as Electricity, Water

Back with another article in the No More Hell Run By Filipinos series. This time let's take a look at the education system in the Philippines. The Department of Education is heavily funded with trillions of pesos yet always underprepared. Vice President Sara Duterte was DepEd Secretary for two years before she threw a tantrum and quit. But she never wanted the DepEd portfolio, she wanted to be Secretary of the Department of National Defense. 

Sara's not the problem but a symptom of the problem. She did not care about the DepEd and apparently nobody else does either. President Marcos and current DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara recently toured a few schools throughout the nation and their findings are quite dire. Not that that's news. We all knew that even though we might not know the extent of the problem. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2074822/marcos-angara-observe-some-schools-dont-even-have-electricity-water

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara see the need to focus on the urgency of providing schools and students with basic education infrastructure and services.

They also looked into the schools’ logistical shortages, the growing mental health crisis among students, and the effects of persistent calamities that disrupt learning.

Their views came to the fore after Marcos and Angara recently made rounds of schools in various cities, including Quezon City and Taguig, and provinces, including Bulacan, Laguna, and Agusan del Sur.

The two public officials assessed the situation of the schools after the start of classes on June 16.

“We’re making sure that everyone has electricity, everyone has water. Those are the basic services that we can see so that our youth can study properly,” Marcos said during a school opening in Quezon City.

His views were cited by DepEd in a statement on Tuesda

The government needs to provide "schools and students with basic education infrastructure and services." Well, why don't they have basic infrastucture and services such as electricity and water? This article does not answer that question but being that government is in charge of the nation's education system the onus lies on the shoulders of the government. 

Meanwhile, Angara narrated that during a site visit to Datu Saldong Elementary School, a remote campus that previously lacked electricity in Agusan del Norte, absences among its 46 students became a problem “because children were distracted.”

He said when the electricity was installed in their classrooms, the students no longer wanted to leave, even to go home.

“It just shows that if we can engage our students, we can really do a lot for our people,” Angara said.

That's DepEd Secretary Angara's takeaway? That if student can be engaged "we can really do a lot for our people?" He obviously does not comprehend the situation. If there is no electricity in the school then there is likely not electricity at home. This children are acting like they have never seen a lightbulb before. Thier reaction shows how deep the need of electrification runs. Along with electrification comes running water. Electricity runs the pumps and the filters. 

The DepEd likewise revealed that around 1,800 students in Naic, Cavite, attend classes in makeshift structures due to overcrowding and a shortage of spaces inside the classrooms.

On the other hand, it noted that students in Eastern Visayas and other regions do not have licensed guidance counselors, which makes it hard for schools to address cases of bullying and mental health problems.

As for the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Pangasinan, flooding remains a recurring disaster in low-lying schools, which prevents classes and damages learning materials.

“To ease classroom congestion, DepEd is working with the private sector to build more than 15,000 new classrooms by 2027,” the DepEd said.

“New school buildings are also being designed to withstand natural disasters, including multi-storey structures with open ground floors to prevent damage from flooding,” it added.

Meanwhile, Angara underscored that “mental health is now a central concern in education policy.”

Thus, he said the DepEd is forming Child Protection Committees and recruiting more School Counselor Associates and Division Counselors.

In the same statement, the DepEd reported that the department’s expanded School-Based Feeding Program has covered more kindergarten learners – from 360,000 in 2024 to 1.4 million this year.

It did not say how many more students have yet to be reached by the feeding program.

Cavite classrooms are overcrowded and in short supply which is a perennial problem throughout the nation. It's not hard to construct school buildings if the money is properly allotted, there's no red tape, and no one is siphoning from the funds. Other schools have flooding problems which is another perennial problem with the rainy and typhoon seasons regularly wrecking havoc. Compare that with Japan which has earthquake-proofed all their infrastructure. How hard can it be for engineers to mitigate the flooding problem? Not building in flood zones would also be of help. Again, the Philippines has had 79 years of independence yet the flooding problem persists. Are Filipino engineers really this inept?

The department also reported that a total of 884,790 teaching positions had been filled as of June 15.

The DepEd also cited the recent report of the Department of Budget and Management, where it has recently completed the approval of 20,000 teaching items that the Department of Education requested for 2025.

Over 20 million public school students returned to classes in June for the school year 2025 to 2026.

“Education is not just about opening schools. It’s about making sure that every classroom is equipped, every teacher supported, and every child given a real chance to learn,” said Angara.

“That means confronting these issues head-on – flooding, congestion, mental health, access — and working with everyone to solve them,” he concluded.

Angara concludes that "flooding, congestion, mental health, access" are the problems and they must work "with everyone to solve them."  Great. But what is the plan. Do they have one? The government wants to transform the Philippines into an upper-middle income country but they aren't going to do that with the education system in shambles. But then again having dumb peons who can be exploited to do grunt work is certainly a class the elite needs. 

No More Hell Run By Filipinos 8: Potable Water

The Philippines has been an independent nation since July 4th, 1946.  That is 79 years as of this writing. And yet, there are still villages that do not have drinking water. Recently one village finally set up potable water and its being hailed as a victory. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2075823/bohol-village-finally-gets-potable-water

Residents of Barangay Pangpang in this town now have access to safe and potable water following the turnover of a solar-powered water system equipped with an ultraviolet (UV) filtration unit on June 25.

The project, implemented by Sibol ng Agham at Teknolohiya (SIBAT) and funded by Misereor, a Catholic relief agency based in Germany, is expected to benefit more than 70 households in the coastal barangay.

Retired Col. Arthur Evangelista, executive assistant to Gov. Aris Aumentado, lauded the project as a testament to cooperation between the government, civil society, and communities.

“This is a celebration of innovation, sustainability, and compassion. With this solar-powered potable water system, we’re not just addressing a basic need. We’re investing in the health, dignity, and future of Pangpang’s people,” said Evangelista, who delivered the message on behalf of Aumentado.

Pangpang, where most residents rely on rice farming and small-scale fishing for a living, has long struggled with the lack of access to safe drinking water.

Many households, despite meager incomes, had no choice but to buy purified water at a high cost, placing an added burden on the already tight family budgets.

The problem worsened after Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) devastated Ubay in December 2021, destroying infrastructure and cutting access to potable water for months.

In response, SIBAT, which has been working with Bohol communities since 2007, spearheaded a Community-Based Renewable Energy System potable water project using a solar-powered pump and UV filtration system.

Mathias Kruse, deputy head of mission at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Manila, also praised the initiative.

“This is good news. SIBAT is doing excellent work for the people,” Kruse said.

SIBAT Executive Director Estrella Catarata shared that completing the project took three years due to several challenges, including logistical hurdles and pandemic restrictions.

Following Typhoon Odette, many communities in Bohol, including Ubay, faced a severepotable water shortage, forcing residents to rely on unsafe water sources orexpensive deliveries from neighboring towns.

Catarata said the organization is also implementing two other water projects in the towns of Mabini and Carmen, likewise funded by Misereor, which will be completed by February 2026.

The newly inaugurated system will be operated by the Pangpang Farmers and Fishermen’sOrganization (PAFFO), ensuring local management and sustainability.

For residents like Aileen Subrio, 49, the project is life-changing.

“After the typhoon, water was so difficult. Purified water was far and expensive at P25per gallon. We’re so happy to finally have our own refilling station here,” said Subrio, a mother of three.

Another resident, Mary Ann Sayson, 42, who previously paid P25 per gallon for water deliveries from nearby towns, said she can now buy potable water for just P10 per container through PAFFO.

“It’s cheaper and it’s right here in our barangay,” she said.

The turnover marks a significant milestone for Pangpang, symbolizing hope, resilience, andthe promise of better days ahead for the community. 

The assistant to the provincial governor calls this a celebration but that is a lie. This village received potable water not through the Philippine government, who should be tasked with that problem, but through a German relief agency. I have previously written about the problem of foreign agencies doing the work of the Philippine government. You can read about it here. 

Since World War 2 all of East Asia has recovered and moved into the modern age. Singapore, South Korea, and Japan were all decimated in the 1940's and are now major economic and technological centers. In that same time frame the Philippines has lagged behind and cannot even provide its citizens with basic commodities like drinking water. This is why it must declared No More Hell Run By Filipinos!