MJ Blancaflor

And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. —Matthew 21:22

There is no shortage of children's book writers in the Philippines. But the economics of it all — from out-of-pocket expenses to limited print runs — "just makes you want to cry," one independent children's book publisher said. Our special report: philstar.com/headlines/2024…

We continue our coverage of influence operations with this latest report from our monitors and lead IO reporter @chicristina_ Belle Mariano fan accounts are utilized this time to call for the resignation of the Comelec chief. philstar.com/headlines/2024…

The hurdle to climb to upper-middle income status under the World Bank's classification became even harder, such that the Philippines remained the only Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) founding member languishing as lower-middle income. mb.com.ph/2024/7/1/phili…

I've been keeping track of this story because of my interest in malign influence and sleeper agent threat in the region, as part of a broader research on SCS geopolitics. This latest revelation sends a chill down the spine. gmanetwork.com/news/topstorie…

Climate-induced school closures last academic year forced a "back to zero" for the class of one SPED teacher, who told us that he spent long hours teaching just one student with Autism how to hold a pen. Class suspensions erased their progress. philstar.com/headlines/2024…

Bigkis ng Mangingisda, a group of West Philippine Sea- based fishermen, and NGO Peoples Development Institute have asked the House committee on human rights to investigate the impacts of China's aggression to their human rights.

Wild.

BREAKING. Ombudsman preventively suspends Bamban Mayor Alice Guo over the complaint filed by the DILG. Preventive suspension is an order usually issued by the OMB early in their probes to avoid officials from influencing the investigation. @rapplerdotcom

In a small, quiet town ruled successively by dynastic bets, a businesswoman of Chinese descent rises out of nowhere. Two years into her mayorship, a fortress masking illegal operations is raided. More in this in-depth report: rappler.com/newsbreak/in-d…

"Zubiri did not elaborate, even when asked if the ongoing investigation into alleged leaked Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency documents had something to do with his removal as Senate’s top leader. 'That includes everything,' Zubiri simply said." #ixzz8akt2kxJp" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">newsinfo.inquirer.net/1942443/chiz-e…

NEWS: "The Pope paused on the word 'conservative,' saying a conservative is 'one who clings to something and does not want to see beyond that. It is a suicidal attitude.'" edition.cnn.com/2024/05/16/us/…

BACC MASS PYROMUSICAL DISPLAY TO HIGHLIGHT BINI, SB19 HITS 🌸🎇 The fireworks display for this year's Baccalaureate Mass for graduating students will feature music from P-Pop bands BINI and SB19, according to Fr. Dexter Austria, O.P., the director of the Facilities Management Office.

🧵 "Because we hope that when everyone graduates, we won't just have 1 or 2 experts, but every graduate is a circular economy expert." Finland has spread out sustainability lessons starting from Kindergarten in its push to achieve net zero by 2035. philstar.com/headlines/2024…

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. doubts the authenticity of the alleged audio recording from China; but if proven true, he says Beijing violated the country’s anti-wiretapping law and international relations. | @NCorralesINQ /PDI

China to provide proof of its use of subversion of local units on the ground as principal means to gain advantages in the SCS disputes. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

The Supreme Court has declared that red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty, or security, which may justify the issuance of a writ of amparo. Read here: sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-red-tagging…

DOJ prepares briefer for President Marcos on the possible arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte including the possible return of the Philippines to the International Criminal Court, according to Asec. Mico Clavano.

"We were warned it might happen. I honestly thought they wouldn’t dare. But the China Coast Guard did. And it tasted like seawater." gmanetwork.com/news/topstorie…