Cayetano noted that unemployment remains significantly higher than the 1.63 million recorded in December 2024, highlighting persistent challenges in job security, wages, and labor protection.

He stressed the need for coordinated action among government, workers, and employers, and said this is the goal of his proposed Executive-Legislative Labor Commission (LabCom) Act, which he filed as a priority measure in the 20th Congress.

The proposed body will bring together Congress, the Executive branch, MSMEs, trade and industry groups, and labor sectors, including migrant and informal workers, to craft long-term solutions to employment issues.

Cayetano said labor problems go beyond statistics and affect Filipino families, especially those forced to seek work away from home due to low wages and weak protection.

“Kung lab (love) natin ang Pilipinas, kung lab (love) natin ang ating laborers, kung gusto natin ang mga OFWs na hindi na kailangan mag-broad, we have to have a labor commission,” the senator said playing on the word “lab” from “LabCom.IMT

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Civil Defense Regional Director and Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) chair Raul Fernandez, in an interview on Monday, Feb. 9, said flooding was reported in Sigma and Roxas City in Capiz, and there were displaced families in Iloilo, Antique and Aklan.

The Disaster Response Operations Management Information and Communication (DROMIC) report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed that 15 local government units, covering 67 barangays, were affected by the weather disturbance.

The report said 7,945 families, equivalent to 24,638 individuals were affected, of which 18 families or 43 individuals sought shelter in two evacuation centers.

Fernandez said 1,292 travelers were stranded in Caticlan, Aklan and Iloilo ports due to the no-sail policy when a typhoon signal is hoisted.

The DSWD said in its latest report that it has so far released over P1.2 million worth of assistance to the affected families.

As of 11 a.m. on Feb. 7, the DSWD still has P142.27 million in standby resources consisting of P3 million in cash and P139.27 million in food and non-food items.

Meanwhile, Fernandez thanked the local DRRM councils and the local government unit for their proactive response.

He said hourly updates from the state weather bureau, particularly from its upgraded Iloilo Doppler Radar Station, was also a big help.

“The updates they gave us, we sent to our local DRRMCs for them to act accordingly,” he added.

Despite the minimal effects, Fernandez said there is still a need to look into plans to permanently relocate families in hazard-prone areas, especially those living near the rivers and prone to landslides.PNA

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The book revisits his roles as Executive Secretary, Justice Secretary, and Labor Secretary, and details his experience as senator-judge in the impeachment trials of former President Joseph Estrada and former Chief Justice Renato Corona.

Drilon also examines major corruption scandals across several administrations, including the Fertilizer Fund, North Rail, pork barrel, and the Pharmally COVID-19 procurement case.

The memoir highlights key laws he authored, reflects on political alliances and breakups, and is dedicated to the youth.IMT

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The proposed Anti-Traffic Counterflow Ordinance, authored by City Councilor Jose Maria Dela Llana, aims to promote road discipline and improve traffic flow by prohibiting vehicles from entering lanes designated for oncoming traffic without proper authority or emergency reasons.

In a radio interview, Dela Llana said that counterflowing has become a common practice on city roads, often resulting in near-collisions and traffic bottlenecks.

“The purpose of this ordinance is to prevent accidents and ease congestion caused by irresponsible driving behavior,” he said.

Under the proposal, counterflow is defined as operating a motor vehicle on a lane or portion of a roadway intended for traffic moving in the opposite direction, without authorization or emergency necessity.

Dela Llana noted that violations are frequently committed by tricycle, e-bike, and motorcycle drivers, especially during peak hours and on narrow streets.

The councilor said he will consult driver associations and other stakeholders during committee hearings to discuss enforcement and technical aspects of the ordinance.

Once approved, violators will face escalating penalties.

A first offense will result in a P1,500 fine or community service, with a possible recommendation to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for license suspension.

A second offense will carry a P3,000 fine and possible suspension, while a third offense may result in a P5,000 fine and a recommendation for license revocation.

City officials said the measure forms part of efforts to strengthen traffic discipline as the number of vehicles in Iloilo City continues to increase.IMT

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The DOE report showed that Iloilo’s electricity supply still relies largely on coal and oil-based sources, though solar, biomass, and other renewables are gradually contributing to the energy mix.

Governor Arthur Defensor, Jr. urged the acceleration of biomass, hydro, and wind projects under existing service contracts, which could collectively generate up to 6,386 megawatts, significantly boosting Iloilo’s clean energy supply.

Despite a 96.64-percent household electrification rate, Defensor highlighted power gaps in ILECO I and II service areas, where communities remain beyond the reach of the main grid.

The governor called for off-grid solutions, including solar panels and communal battery systems, to ensure these areas are electrified.

“Crucial ang solar sa bundok. Kailangan nila ’yun,” the Defensor said, stressing the urgency of bringing electricity to underserved communities.

Provincial officials noted that the renewable energy push is part of a broader strategy to strengthen energy security, promote sustainability, and provide equitable access to power across all Ilonggo communities.IMT

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The theme, “Iloilo City Blooms,” is anchored on Iloilo City’s recent major recognition as an ASEAN Clean Tourist City Awardee.

According to Executive Assistant for Special Projects Leny Ledesma, this edition aims to showcase a more vibrant and revitalized heritage district while emphasizing collective responsibility and discipline.

The night market will feature 60 food and non-food vendors with over 100 stalls, including flower vendors, souvenir shops, and Valentine’s-themed photo booths.

Vendors from the Iloilo Central Public Market will also be participating.

Ledesma said the event is projected to draw over 16,000 visitors across three nights, based on attendance from previous night markets.

She assured that proper coordination and preparations have been made, particularly with the City General Services Office, to maintain cleanliness in the area.

On pricing concerns, she explained that discussions were held with stakeholders to ensure fair pricing margins, allowing both vendors and consumers to meet halfway.Iloilo City PIO

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Let me begin where many teachers begin: with a classroom reminder about consequences. When a student hurts a classmate’s reputation, we intervene. We do not shrug and say, “Freedom of speech.” But we also do not reach for handcuffs. We ask: What happened? What is true? What is fair? Who needs repair? The impulse to decriminalize libel is built on a similar instinct: keep accountability, remove imprisonment. The CHR’s argument is not “let people lie.” It is “stop treating speech disputes as jailable offenses, especially when they are used to punish criticism and scare citizens into silence.” In other words, the law should discourage cruelty without discouraging courage.

The strongest case for reform is the way the current setup can be abused. Under the old criminal libel framework, the process itself becomes punishment: filing, summons, travel, lawyers’ fees, hearings, anxiety, lost workdays. Add cyberlibel, and penalties rise by a degree, turning what is already heavy into something that feels like a sledgehammer. For a journalist, a teacher-blogger, or an ordinary citizen who posts a complaint about a public service, the threat is not only a fine. It is the fear of detention and a criminal record. That fear changes behavior. People self-censor. Editors soften language. Whistleblowers choose silence. Parents hesitate to speak about a principal’s misconduct. Students learn early that power is sensitive, and that the safest sentence is the quiet one. The Supreme Court itself has recognized the danger of a “chilling effect” when criticism of public officers is punished in ways that deter legitimate speech.

There is also a basic question of scale. When so many cyberlibel cases are thrown out, it signals more than legal weakness—it shows misused public resources. DOJ data indicate that around one in three cases had been dismissed by 2022, while convictions remained rare. Meanwhile, courts choke, prosecutors juggle, and serious crimes wait. Justice should be reserved for real harm, not every wounded reputation.

At this point, someone will raise a fair objection: “But what about fake news, trolling, and deliberate character assassination?” It is a valid worry, especially in an online world where a lie travels faster than a barangay rumor on market day. Here is the part that needs honesty: decriminalizing libel does not automatically solve misinformation, and it does not automatically worsen it either. What it does is shift the remedy from imprisonment to civil accountability. Under a civil approach, the offended party can still sue for damages, seek corrections, and demand accountability without threatening jail. This is not softness; it is proportionality. Even CHR has been careful to stress that decriminalization is not the same as removing consequences. The aim is to punish speech abuses in a way that does not become a convenient weapon for those with power, money, and lawyers on speed dial.

The global direction also matters. Because the country is part of the ICCPR, it has heard this message many times: sending people to jail over defamation rarely serves justice. Justice Marvic Leonen’s dissent in the cybercrime case gave that warning local weight, noting how criminal libel, particularly online, chills speech. Whether one sides with him or not, many recognize the pattern—libel is often invoked to stop questions, not to heal damaged names.

Still, caution is necessary because there is real harm in defamation. Any teacher who has dealt with online shaming among teenagers knows how reputational violence works. It ruins confidence, friendships, and sometimes lives. A person falsely accused can lose a job, a scholarship, or a marriage. The injury is not imaginary, and the law should not treat it as petty. Some legal writers argue that civil damages may not feel like “justice” to victims of deep humiliation, especially when harm is hard to quantify. This is why the debate cannot be reduced to heroes versus villains, press freedom versus decency. The harder work is designing a system that protects both: the right to speak and the right to reputation.

That design work is where the most promising middle ground appears. Decriminalize libel, yes, but strengthen remedies that actually repair harm: faster civil proceedings, meaningful damages where justified, and a practical right of reply that reaches the same audience that consumed the defamatory claim. Some proposals in academic discussions suggest mechanisms that encourage correction, apology, and prominence of clarifications, so reputation is restored, not merely compensated. In other words, move the goal from punishment to repair. Prison does not restore a reputation. It simply frightens the next critic.

Public officials, in particular, must live with thicker skin. They chose public power, public salary, and public trust. The Supreme Court has reiterated that citizens are empowered to hold public officers accountable, and that sensitivity has little place in a line of service where scrutiny is part of the job. That does not give anyone a license to lie, but it does mean this: criticism of official conduct should not be casually treated as criminal defamation. A complaint about delayed services, a post about alleged misuse of funds, a columnist questioning policy decisions, a teacher raising concerns about a school official’s actions—these are precisely the kinds of speech that democracy needs, even when they irritate the powerful.

The media angle in this debate is unavoidable, and it is also messy. The cyberlibel conviction of Maria Ressa, CEO of Rappler, has been cited repeatedly in public discussions as an example of how cyberlibel can be used against journalists doing watchdog work. At the same time, we also see “fake journalists” and predatory vloggers who monetize outrage, threaten exposure, and blur the line between commentary and extortion. The answer to this problem is not keeping jail time as a speech control device. The answer is raising journalistic standards, supporting ethical newsrooms, enforcing laws against threats and harassment, and building public literacy so citizens can tell reporting from performance. A society that cannot distinguish journalism from noise will keep demanding criminal solutions for cultural problems.

There is also a teaching lesson here that feels uncomfortably close. When students discover that intimidation works, they use it. When public officials discover that libel complaints can scare critics into silence, some will use it too. The habit spreads. That is how “weaponization” becomes a routine reflex, and why CHR’s warning has weight. The goal of reform is not to dismiss reputation. It is to build a country where scrutiny is not punished, courts are not hijacked by bruised pride, and citizens can speak on public issues without calling a lawyer first.

Put simply, decriminalizing libel is not a free pass to harm; it is a choice not to use jail instead of transparency. Reputation can still be defended through civil remedies, while public discussion stays open. Congress’ current bills decriminalizing libel gesture toward that balance, and the CHR adds urgency. A healthy democracy is seen not in how fast it silences speech, but in how well it corrects lies without closing civic space.

Doc H fondly describes himself as a “student of and for life” who, like many others, aspires to a life-giving and why-driven world grounded in social justice and the pursuit of happiness. His views do not necessarily reflect those of the institutions he is employed or connected with.

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The flamboyant secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has been blatantly and openly “violating” The 48 Laws of Power’s Law 1 that says, “Never Outshine the Master.”

Remulla has been “outshining” every major dude in the country’s political cinerama—including the master himself, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Even in smallest items or unfussy subject matter, Remulla wanted to be always in the front seat; he has been excited to always run the show, so to speak, even if his presence and oration weren’t sought and needed.

He goes solo and is ahead of almost everything from announcing the number of people to be jailed in the Payatas jail made exclusively for flood control project criminals, to the whereabouts of suspected billionaire scammer Zaldy Co, the timetable for Harry Roque’s arrest, the possible hideouts of missing sabungero suspected mastermind Atong Ang and his protectors in the NBI, to the announcement of the motive in the twin murders of a lady cop and her son, etcetera.
 
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In all these publicity stunts, Remulla’s presence in the press conferences and media interview monologues weren’t really necessary. But he loved them. He enjoyed doing them. The guy’s so loquacious and already hackneyed.

When it comes to the game of “epal,” Remulla, 58, is neck and neck with Cristina Frasco, 44, the 18th secretary of the Department of Tourism, under the Marcos Jr. administration, who is also a publicity freak.

“Epal” is a Pinoy slang term derived from “mapapel” (one who wants a role), referring to a person or politician who is an attention-grabber, a scene-stealer, or someone who butts into situations where their presence is not needed or welcomed.

It is often used to describe someone meddling or craving attention, often in a negative or annoying way like what Remulla and Frasco have been doing.

Remulla should be told to read Robert Greene’s very popular book, which we serialized in our newspaper column in 1998, the year it was published, if he doesn’t want his presidential ambitions to vanish in thin air.
 
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He must learn from Alcibiades’ horrific experience.

The brilliant but incredibly vain Athenian statesman and general (c. 450-404), who thrived on publicity and popularity, was known for his extreme extravagance, immense vanity, and talent for self-promotion.

His ambitious, often erratic, and self-serving actions—including switching allegiances between Athens and Sparta—led to him being ostracized and eventually murdered in exile.

And who can forget Narcissus, known for his excessive self-love and for rejecting the advances of others?

The famous figure from Greek mythology renowned for his extreme beauty and intense arrogance, son of the river god Cephissus and nymph Liriope, was cursed by the gods to fall in love with his own reflection and eventually perished from his vanity?

And Bellerophon, a hero who, after slaying the Chimera, became arrogant and tried to fly Pegasus to Mount Olympus to join the gods? Zeus sent a gadfly to sting Pegasus, causing Bellerophon to fall to the earth, where he lived out his days as a blind, broken wanderer.

In Law 1 of Greene’s book, he—or anybody in Remulla’s position for that matter—must see to it to make his superiors feel superior, not threatened.
 
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By making them seem more brilliant and taking a backseat to their talents, you gain favor, while showing off your own skills can trigger their insecurities, leading to resentment and potential downfall, according to Nathan Glass and Shortform Books.

“You should attribute ideas to them, ask for their help, and generally deflect attention from your own brilliance to secure your position,” says Readingraphics and the official Robert Greene TikTok.

People in power need to feel smart and deserving; your brilliance can threaten that, notes Shortform Books.

Let them take credit for your good ideas; ask for their advice and act as if their guidance led to your success, say Nathan Glass and the official Robert Greene TikTok.

Don’t show off or point out others’ mistakes, as this makes them look bad and breeds resentment, writes Medium.

Make your boss seem more brilliant than they are; this secures their favor and helps you climb, according to Reddit users.

Alex P. Vidal, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed
 

The post Never outshine the master first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

Funded with over P5 million in government funds, the 15-by-25-meter covered facility features a rubberized floor and full basketball amenities, designed to serve more than 443 PDLs currently housed at the jail.

More than a sports venue, officials said the gym represents a concrete step toward humane detention and meaningful rehabilitation.

The turnover was led by 5th District Representative Binky April Tupas, alongside former congressman Raul “Boboy” Tupas, who originally conceptualized the construction of a covered gym within a custodial facility — a first for the region.

“This is not just about infrastructure. This is about dignity, discipline, and mental well-being,” Tupas said, stressing that improving detention facilities is central to preparing PDLs for reintegration into society.

“Amat-amat ginapanami naton ang mga pasilidad sang BJMP. Indi naton pagpabay-an ang aton mga PDLs. Ini ang amon panindugan sa serbisyo publiko,” she added.

BJMP officials described the facility as unprecedented in Western Visayas.

Jail Superintendent Atty. Jairus Anthony Dogelio, warden of the Barotac Viejo District Jail, expressed gratitude for what he called a long-overdue investment in rehabilitation.

“In my years of service, even in other regions, wala pa ako nakakita sang custodial facility nga may covered gym nga pareho sini,” Dogelio said.

“This gym will not only improve the physical and mental health of our PDLs, but will also serve as a venue for livelihood training, seminars, religious activities, and programs that truly promote change.”

Dogelio said the project sends a strong message that the government’s concern for PDLs is real, sustained, and felt on the ground, helping cultivate discipline, cooperation, and hope inside the jail.

The turnover ceremony was also attended by 5th District Board Member Nielito Tupas, Barotac Viejo Vice Mayor Vivian Buenavista representing Mayor Nielo Tupas, 3rd District Engineer Robert Palmer, BJMP Regional Director Jail Senior Superintendent Jhon Montero, and other local officials and stakeholders.

Former Barotac Viejo District Jail Warden Retired Jail Chief Inspector Val Gumaru said the facility stands as proof that effective public service thrives on unity and shared purpose.

“Patunay ito na ang totoong serbisyo publiko ay nag-ugat sa pagkakaisa kag pagtutulungan,” he said, noting that the project reflects the growing recognition of rehabilitation as a cornerstone of justice.

With the opening of the covered gym, Barotac Viejo District Jail sets a new benchmark for custodial facilities, underscoring a shift from mere confinement toward correction with compassion — where reform begins not only with rules, but with opportunities for growth.IMT

The post Breaking barriers: WV’s first district jail gym unveiled first appeared on Iloilo Metropolitan Times.

The Philippine National Police’s regional office recorded 106 focus crimes in the first month of 2026, lower compared to 171 incidents recorded last year.

Focus crimes include murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, carnapping of motor vehicle, carnapping of motorcycle, cybercrime, and kidnaping.

PRO-6 Regional Director Police Brigadier General Josefino Ligan attributed the decline to “sustained police visibility, intensified anti-criminality operations, and strengthened coordination with local government units and community stakeholders.”

“This significant decrease reflects the dedication of our police personnel and the strong support of our communities. We remain focused on sustaining these gains and further improving police service delivery,” he said.

According to Ligan, the PRO-6 continues to implement intelligence-driven and community-centered policing strategies while ensuring discipline, professionalism, and respect for human rights among police personnel.

He assured the public that crime prevention efforts will be further intensified to maintain peace and order and ensure safer communities across the region.IMT

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