And then, there is this case of a pretty teacher who got pregnant by her boyfriend and lost her teaching job in a private, probably Catholic, school in Bohol.  Both the girl and the boyfriend were single at that time but the pregnancy happened outside of marriage, which caused serious discomfiture for the school management.

The unmarried pregnant teacher 

The socio-political lay of the land that the Filipino people have found themselves in at the moment is messy and convoluted, even as the political pot continues to be stirred by changes of diatribes and incendiary charges from both camps in the spectrum.

Stirring the political cauldron 

Unlike her father, Vice President Sara Duterte is known to be frank, candid, and a person of her word, which is often terse.  When she says something, you can bet your last peso that she means it.  Her unflinching character had been tested before when she was mayor and/or vice mayor of Davao City.  She has no qualms about physically engaging with a sheriff on issues such as demolition of homes of poor residents in the city.  Remember the slapping incident in Davao?

Understanding Sara

Candidates in Philippine elections are not disposed to file cases in court against survey firms which gave them a raw deal. 

Election survey blues

 Among the old-timers in showbiz, if we limit it to the female, you can say Vilma Santos is the most lucky, with Sharon Cuneta taking second place.


  Vilma Santos should have been there

"If all the mayors and governors of Mindanao are like him, the security and peace and order problems in the South would be greatly lessened, if not totally eradicated."

Joeben:  Aklan's peace-loving son

Unknown to many residents of Laguna, particularly in Biñan, this progressive city has an important and pivotal role in the coming 2025 midterm nationwide elections.

Biñan's pivotal role in 2025 polls  

The decline of the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEI) from November 6 to November 14—from 7,245.92 to 6,559.27—occurred in seven consecutive days.  This, to me, is alarming, as such decline is seldom felt in a supposedly robust economy as the Philippines’.  Another such plunge that happened last April 2 to April 16  was not so concerning as this was followed by a slight recovery.

Scaling up foreign investments

Mary Jane Veloso, who endured the daily fear and terror of being executed in Indonesia for nine years now, may spend Christmas with her family in the Philippines this year, albeit still a person deprived of liberty (PDL).  But at least, she will be held prisoner at the Women’s Correctional facility in Mandaluyong City.

Home before Christmas 

Sunshine has returned with the news that the government has completed deporting some 2,300 foreigners who used to work for Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) that were closed by the authorities on orders of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

Goodbye to POGOs

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG Column Diego Cagahastian and Raffy Sarnate

VIEW FROM CALUMPANG

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Joeben: Aklan's peace-loving son