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OpinYon Quezonin OpinYon is the Philippines' leading advocacy paper. We take a stand. Website: www.opinyon.net

29/09/2025

Presidential Spokeswoman Claire Castro said Mayor Benjie Magalong’s appointment as ICI special investigator was “under review due to possible conflict of interest.” The remark insulted a man whose integrity is beyond question, and Magalong walked out on the spot.

The ICI was meant to prove the President’s resolve against corruption in general, and the flood control scandal in particular. Instead, Magalong’s resignation exposes it as hollow theater. He was doing the Palace a favor, not the other way around.

The nation owes Magalong gratitude. The Palace owes him an apology. And the President owes the people the truth.

Or must we now ask: was the ICI itself nothing more than a smokescreen?

(John Raña)

28/09/2025
25/09/2025

Fil-Am singer Jessica Sanchez was crowned the grand winner of America’s Got Talent Season 20, taking home the $1-million prize. 🏆✨

Sanchez wowed both the crowd and judges Sofia Vergara, Simon Cowell, Mel B, and Howie Mandel with her breathtaking performances, including Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s “Die With a Smile.”
She beat rapper Chris Turner after getting the highest number of votes from fans.

Jessica thanked her supporters, calling the journey a “dream” and a true test of resilience. “I gave my very last breath on stage,” she said.

Jessica first captured hearts on American Idol in 2012 where she placed 2nd, released her debut album Me, You & the Music in 2013, and even appeared in the hit series Glee. Now, she’s finally taking home a huge global title. 🌍💖

OpinYonistas, what’s your favorite performance of Jessica Sanchez?

25/09/2025

A former Marine officer and once a security aide to Rep. Zaldy Co has come forward with explosive claims at the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing today, Sept. 25.

Orly Regala Guteza, who said he worked as a security detail for Ako Bicol Party-list in December 2024, testified that he and other security personnel were ordered to carry suitcases of cash, code-named “basura” (trash), for delivery to the house of Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez.

According to Guteza, the bags of cash were brought to Co’s residence in Valle Verde or to a property in BGC. Each suitcase reportedly had a sticky note showing how much money it contained. Once inside the house, Co’s executive assistants allegedly counted the money.

What’s even more shocking: Guteza claimed that the biggest cash drop off was 46 suitcases delivered to Co. Out of that number, 35 suitcases were later sent to the house of Romualdez in McKinley Street. Each suitcase allegedly contained around P48-M.

In general, Guteza said, the cash drop offs to Romualdez happened around three times a week until he resigned in August 2025.

OpinYonistas, what do you think of this bombshell revelation?

25/09/2025

A Fractured Opposition
Lessons from September 21 'People Power'

Unlike EDSA I and II, where Filipinos stood united against a single leader, the recent September 21 demonstrations revealed a fractured opposition: divided groups and fragmented venues, scattered protest rallies and conflicting objectives all weakened the momentum and failed to shake the government. 'People Power' succeeds only when voices converge on one front, reminding us that unity is the heart of the power of the people.

Every generation faces its own test of democracy. With the rising anger over corruption and bad governance, many are once again looking up to the legacy of 'People Power' as a model for change. But history teaches us that not all protests are equal: only those that achieve focus, unity, and sheer presence have the force to compel the powerful to yield.

If the goal is to revive the spirit and impact of 'People Power', then the venue should be only EDSA like when Filipinos had forced Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Joseph Estrada from office. The strength of those uprisings lay not in dispersal, but in a single concentrated front that became impossible to ignore.

History proves the point. In February 1986, the four-day EDSA Uprising drew an estimated two million Filipinos along Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA), creating a human barricade of prayers, rosaries, and unarmed citizens. In January 2001, EDSA II once again became the epicenter, as nearly a million people gathered to demand Estrada’s resignation. In both times, the unity of one site turned protest into political change.

The difference between EDSA I and II and the September 21 attempt to stage another People Power movement is, however, striking. Filipinos from across political persuasions stood united with one overriding goal: the removal of what people perceived as discredited leaders. By contrast, the September 21, 2025 mobilizations revealed deep divisions, not only in the choice of venues but also in the very objectives of the protests. Some called for ousting Marcos Jr., others rallied against the Dutertes, still others merely sought accountability for corruption. This lack of shared clarity and purpose has weakened the movement and explains its seeming failure to capture the same moral force that defined earlier uprisings.

During the recent September 21 protests in Metro Manila, various groups of differing persuasions i.e. anti-BBM advocates, anti-Duterte blocs, church leaders, youth coalitions, and civil society networks and the Left, organized parallel rallies at the EDSA Shrine, Luneta, Mendiola, and elsewhere. The “Trillion Peso March” was staged at the EDSA People Power Monument, while “Baha sa Luneta: Aksyon laban sa Korapsyon” gathered thousands in Luneta. Organizers included the Church Leaders Council for National Transformation (CLCNT), 1Sambayan, and student councils from different universities such as UP, Ateneo, De La Salle, and Miriam College, alongside various activist coalitions. Yet the dispersion of groups across multiple venues diluted what could have been a more concentrated and symbolically powerful mass action. It could have been stronger if focused only on EDSA and Mendiola.

Let us also admit something uncomfortable: President Marcos Jr. played his cards well. By allowing the Left, the Pinks, and other opposition blocs to fight among themselves, the real national issue was blurred. A lot of followers, swayed by slogans and personalities including celebrities who added noise rather than clarity, were misled into believing that the Dutertes were the main enemy, rather than the systemic corruption itself. Instead of confronting the root of the problem, people were diverted into factional battles that only benefited the sitting President. This is the dangerous power of money and patronage in politics: it can bend principles, cloud judgment, and lead masses of followers into blind obedience. And unless this cycle is broken, we may well remain stuck in the same politics of division and manipulation until 2028.

If the intent is merely to highlight corruption in government, then protests across different venues may suffice. In fact, much of the outrage has been fueled by reports that ₱1.9 trillion has been spent on flood-control projects in the last 15 years, with many alleged anomalies remaining unaddressed. But noise alone is not enough. History has shown how protest actions could quickly lose steam and fade without clear strategy or a unifying ground, leaving grievances unresolved and momentum wasted.

Not all successful movements have followed only the Philippine example. In Nepal, youth-led protests in September 2025, fueled largely by Gen Z anger at corruption, economic inequality, and even restrictions on social media, mobilized massive crowds and sustained demonstrations that ultimately forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to resign.

Nepal’s experience shows how determined, united, and sustained dissent can topple entrenched power when strategy and focus converge.

Even if demonstrators occupy the streets for days and nights but without the unified force of an EDSA-style stand, the goal will remain elusive. Nonviolent uprisings succeed when people converge on one site, hold it with persistence, and refuse to disperse until power yields. That was the lesson of 1986, when two million Filipinos toppled a dictatorship, and of 2001 when a million more forced a president to resign. Above all, protests must be sustained, not for hours or not even for a single day, but for days on end, disciplined and unrelenting. Anything less risks being remembered not as a turning point, but as another moment that came and went.

The lesson is clear: true 'People Power' is not about scattering discontent, but about forging unity at a single front. EDSA is more than a place; it is the enduring symbol of what Filipinos can achieve when they gather with one voice and one purpose. If the people wish to reclaim that legacy, they must return to the road where democracy was once defended, and where it can be defended again.

Echoes of the South
By Dr. Darwin Rasul III

25/09/2025
25/09/2025

SMC warns vs. scams using CEO’s name


Business conglomerate San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has renewed its warning against scams and deepfake videos using the name and face of its chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang, as well as that of the corporation itself.

These videos, which have been circulating on social media sites such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, use Ang's likeness and voice to allegedly trick viewers into clicking links and transferring money through electronic cash channels.

In a statement, Ang denied promoting investments through social media or e-mail messages.

"These scams put people at risk, and we don’t want anyone to lose their hard-earned money,” he added.

SMC added that Ang’s only verified account is his official page, used only for public posts and updates. He has no personal accounts on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, or other platforms.

The company itself has been used in e-mail scams, with one scheme involving messages inviting recipients to join a supposed “vending procurement program.”

The company said no such program exists and warned against emails sent from domains such as “[email protected],” “vendordepartment,” or “⁦sanmiguelcooperation.com⁩.”

SMC stressed it conducts business only with accredited suppliers through its Corporate Procurement Group ([email protected]), which never requires payments for accreditation or participation in biddings.
For security, the email address only receives inquiries, and feedback requests must include a phone number.

Jobseekers are also being victimized through a recruitment scam, where fake web pages and email addresses are used to trick people into thinking they are applying to an SMC subsidiary. They are then asked for payment for medical check-ups or for fake requirements.

SMC emphasized that the company and its businesses will never require any form of payment from job applicants or ask them to shoulder any fees and costs.

It added that such cases have already been reported to the different platforms and authorities but are still awaiting action.

(OpinYon News Team)

24/09/2025

"Opong" to Hit Bicol on Friday

Opong has now intensified into a tropical storm and was given the international name Bualoi, according to PAGASA.

As of 4 a.m. Wednesday, the storm was located 855 km east of northeastern Mindanao, packing 65 kph winds with gusts of up to 80 kph while moving west-southwest at 20 kph.

⚠️ PAGASA warns that Opong may strengthen into a severe tropical storm before making landfall in Bicol by Friday afternoon. It is expected to cross Southern Luzon until Saturday morning, possibly passing south of Metro Manila early Saturday, before exiting PAR by Saturday night or Sunday morning.

📍 What to expect:
Wind signals up soon in Caraga, Eastern Visayas, and Bicol
Heavy rains starting Thursday
Intense to torrential rains Friday in Quezon, Bicol, and Samar
Possible flooding, landslides, strong winds, and storm surge
Metro Manila and parts of Southern Luzon may also experience significant rainfall by Friday.

OpinYonistas, PAGASA urges the public to stay updated, as the storm’s path may still change.

Barko, sumadsad sa RealNailigtas ang lahat ng pasahero ng isang passenger ferry na sumadsad malapit sa pantalan ng Real,...
24/09/2025

Barko, sumadsad sa Real

Nailigtas ang lahat ng pasahero ng isang passenger ferry na sumadsad malapit sa pantalan ng Real, Quezon nitong Martes, September 23.

Batay sa ulat ng mga tauhan ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) na nakabase sa Real Port, may 41 pasahero at pitong rolling cargoes ang nasabing barko na patungo sana sa isla ng Polillo.

Sa paunang imbestigasyon, paalis na ang barko pasado 9:50 ng umaga at nagmamaniobra palayo sa docking area nang lumapat ang ilalim na bahagi nito sa mababaw at batuhang bahagi ng dagat may 50 metro ang layo mula sa pantalan.

Tuluyang sumadsad ang barko at hindi na nakaalis.

Ayon naman sa mga tripulante ng barko, malakas umano ang agos habang sila ay paalis ng pantalan kaya hindi ito kinaya ng makina.

Tinanggal umano nila ang lahat ng lubid na nakaalalay sa pagmamaniobra ng barko subalit pumulupot ito sa elisi kaya tumigil ang makina at naanod sila sa bahura.

Kaagad namang naiahon sa pantalan ng PCG ang mga pasahero ng barko, habang naiwan naman sa loob ang mga sasakyan at cargo.

Nagpapatuloy pa ang imbestigasyon ng PCG sa naturang insidente.

(Jane Hernandez)

23/09/2025

Official 2026 Holidays Announced by Malacañang

22/09/2025

Congratulations are well deserved for Secretary Hans Leo J. Cacdac on his appointment to head the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW). The challenges ahead are immense, but so are the opportunities to innovate for the benefit of our modern-day heroes—the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

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