Will the Komodo dragons follow what the DPWH small frogs did?

 

“No matter how corrupt, greedy, and heartless our government, our corporations, our media, and our religious & charitable institutions may become, the music will still be wonderful.”

―Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without a Country

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ONLY the small frogs—at least two of them as of this writing—have returned the loot they funneled off as kickbacks from flood control projects.

The Komodo dragons—the congressmen and senators, including the DPWH heavy animals—haven’t turned over a single centavo yet.

We doubt if the mammoth beasts will follow what the two small frogs did.

If they can at least return one fourth of the total pillage, many Filipinos will be able to heave a sigh of temporary relief.

So far, the government was able to recoup P150 million from former DPWH engineer Henry Alcantara (he initially turned over P110 million in cash to the government in November 2025, as part of a larger commitment to return a total of P300 million from kickbacks in anomalous flood control projects, with more to follow in tranches while he's detained) and former DPWH National Capital Region (NCR) engineer Gerard Opulencia who formally turned over P40 million in cash to the Department of Justice (DOJ) on December 16).

 

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The amount partly fulfilled Opulencia’s commitment to give back a total of P150 million skimmed off funds meant for DPWH projects during his watch as NCR director.

The flood control project criminals have also committed embezzlement, or an act by our government officials of using their positions for their own benefit, such as diverting funds.

They also committed a financial fraud, and a form of corruption may have occurred when the small frogs and Komodo dragons entrusted with the taxpayers’ money or property stole it.

All the dirty tricks and fraudulent means were present when the flood control project criminals embezzled the taxpayers’ money in the DPWH projects.

Examples of embezzlement include falsifying financial records, creating fake invoices, or diverting money to personal accounts. It is considered a serious crime in many countries and jurisdictions and can result in criminal charges and severe penalties, including fines and imprisonment.

 

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It is only through the simple act of restitution like what the two DPWH small frogs did that the taxpayers are able to more or less recover something from the embezzlers.

It is actually a court-ordered payment from a convicted offender to a crime victim, aiming to restore the victim financially by covering losses like medical bills, lost wages, or damaged property, rather than punishing the offender.

It ensures victims are made whole for direct financial harm, existing as a civil judgment that can be collected through various means like wage garnishment or liens, even after the offender's release. Restitution also applies in contract law, aiming to return parties to their pre-contract positions when damages aren't enough.

 

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Q: Can we send an e-mail thank you (for the Christmas gifts), or do we have to use snail mail? A: An e-mailed thank you is simply not as warm and personal as a note. If we have a casual relationship with the gift giver and we regularly correspond via e-mail and Facebook, and electronic thank-you may be OK. But for most people, a written note is the best way to offer an expression of genuine thanks.

COMMON SENSE: Q: Should I send Christmas cards to non-Christian friends? A: It's more considerate to go with cards that offer the message "Season's Greetings" -- with no religious figures, messages, or symbols -- when we aren't sure of a friend's religious preference.

NOT GUILTY. That's the verdict on fertility drugs and the possibility that they increase woman's chances of developing ovarian cancer. Doctors had long worried that there might be such a link. But now Danish researchers have analyzed records of 54,362 women and found, over an average 16-yr follow up, that those who took fertility drugs faced no greater risk of cancer.

SEXSOMNIA is the term US scientists use for people who perform sexual activities unconsciously during sleep. The spectrum ranges from masturbation to sexual intercourse - in the event that that the sexsomnia patient comes across a partner. (Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine).

 

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IF WE'RE LOW ON SILVER POLISH, LET'S USE TOOTHPASTE: Plain, non-gel toothpaste (without additives like whiteners) can rid small silver pieces of light tarnish without damaging the surface. Moisten the silver piece; apply a bit of toothpaste to our finger. Rub gentlyand rinse, then buff with a soft cloth. (Source: goodhousekeeping)

NO DISHWASHING LIQUID? Let's grab the laundry detergent. A teaspoonful of liquid laundry detergent in a basin of hot water will cut grease on dirty dishes equally well (though we may want to wear gloves, as detergent can be drying to hands).

HER NOSE AND HIS NOSE: Men may hope their cologne will mask underarm odor, but women aren't fooled, research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia found. While 6 of 32 scents tested disguised the smell of male BO from other men, none of the fragrances worked for women. To the showers, guys! (And don't forget the deodorant.)

TO MY FELLOW GROCERY HABITUÉS: While reusable shopping bags are best, plastic bags are recyclable. Most large grocers and retailers now have recycling bins. The plastic is made into fences, decks, and new bags. (Source: Kathleen Huddy, GHRI textiles, paper & plastics director.)

(The author, who is now based in New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo, Philippines.—Ed)

 

Wealthiest and least corrupt

“People always want welfare, development, and good governance. As long as you are delivering, people are with you.”

—N. Chandrababu Naidu

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE are proud to brag that aside from one of the top 10 wealthiest cities in the Philippines, Iloilo City, with assets amounting to P39.5 billion based on the 2024 Annual Financial Report (slightly edging Paranaque City with P39.2 billion for 6th place) is also among the safest and cleanest nationwide and, more importantly, least corrupt.

Numerous public lands, plazas, buildings, infrastructure, and real property assets have been cited as among those comprising the City of Love’s incredible assets.

A wealthy, clean, safe and least corrupt metropolis is always a one-two-three-four punch advantage; it is certainly a dream for local and foreign investors.

No business enterprise will thrive in a city governed by corrupt and inept leaders, or with a horrendous traffic problem, and where crime rate is skyrocketing.

Investors are turned off if a city has a poor record in garbage disposal, inefficient urban development, and with dysfunctional social services.

 

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A competitive city needs strong economic proactive outreach, economic fundamentals, transparent governance (clear financials, open communication), streamlined processes (easy permits, less red tape), and a clear vision.

It also needs a high quality of life to attract talent, focusing on delivery and building strong relationships to show reliability and potential for growth to gain investor trust.

The “least corrupt” tag is very important because it means having the lowest level of abuse of power for private gain, characterized by high integrity, transparency, strong laws, and ethical behavior in government and institutions.

These are the cities where people are morally upright and incorruptible, like Denmark or New Zealand, which consistently rank high on the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).

 

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With the present structure and culture in Philippine sports, it’s impossible for the country to improve its 6th place standing in the soon-to-be-concluded 33rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, December 9-20, 2025.

We don’t see any improvement for the Philippines in the 34th edition in Malaysia two years from now.

Our sports program as a whole remains decrepit, and it has been like this since the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) was created in 1990 during the mother Aquino administration.

We have no problem with the individual performances of our athletes. They excel, break records, and harvest medals based on their own struggles and talents, but they can’t pull away the Philippines as a competing team from the nadir where it has been buried in the 10-nation biennial competition.

 

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LET'S EAT FISH. In a recent Swedish study of nearly 5,000 boys ages 15 to 18, those who ate fish frequently scored higher on intelligence tests. How much higher? Eating fish once a week was enough to boost scores by an average of 6 percent. Eating fish more than that resulted in nearly an 11 percent increase. Dr. Maria Aberg recommends fatty fish, like salmon, 2 to 3 times weekly.

HOW TO FIGHT TOO MUCH TEXTING. 1. Establish text-free zone. Kids often open up at the dinner table and in the car, so be sure to protect those precious places. Agree that texting is not allowed during mealtime or on drives to and from school and activities. 2. Let phones rest at night. 3. Be a role model.

SEVEN STEPS TO FORGIVENESS. 1. Allow us to feel anger 2. Let's talk about it with a trusted friend 3. Let's calm ourselves when we start feeling upset 4. Let's empathize with the person who hurt us 5. Remind ourselves that forgiveness is a gift to ourselves. 6. Let's commit to forgiveness 7. Let's relish the release. (Source: Ginny Graves)

(The author, who is now based New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

SEA Games debacle: ‘Mahiya naman kayo’

“The score never interested me, only the game.”

―Mae West

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

“HAVE some shame” or “be ashamed of yourself” is the English translation of “mahiya naman kayo.”

The line became famous when President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. directed it at corrupt Philippine officials involved in substandard and “ghost” flood control projects that failed during recent typhoons, vowing legal action against them during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 28, 2025.

The problem is not on our athletes, as usual. Filipino athletes are among the most disciplined and world-class in the region. They have been magnificent and their performances, so far, have exceeded expectations.

Why must our sports officials show some shame?

Because our sports budget is not pittance. In 2024, the year our athletes started honing their skills in preparation for the 2025 SEA Games, the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) received about ₱1.156 billion, up from an initial proposal, covering general admin, grassroots development, and major events.

A significantly lower ₱725 million was proposed, with funds earmarked for the SEA Games and Winter Asian Games preparations in the 2025 proposed budget.

 

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In the 2026 budget discussions, the Senate reviewed a proposal where the PSC would receive around ₱1.001 billion, indicating potential increases as the budget process continues.

The key factors are funding cuts: The 2025 proposal faced criticism for being a substantial cut, impacting training and development.

Advocacy for more funds: Senators and sports advocates pushed for increased funding, with some suggesting figures over ₱2 billion for amateur sports alone.

Event-driven allocations: Funds are often directed towards major international events like the Olympics, Asian Games, and SEA Games, as seen with the 2025 SEA Games funding.

Now that the Philippines has been buried deep in the medal tally (at 6th place as of this writing) of the soon-to-be-concluded 2025 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand, it’s time to use Mr. Marcos Jr.’s popular tirade at Philippine sports officials.

 

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Currently at 6th spot with 25 golds, 38 silvers, and 79 bronzes for a total of 142 medals, the Philippines is behind Vietnam (3rd spot with 40 golds, 47 silvers, 90 bronzes for a total of 157 medals), tiny Singapore (4th place with 34 golds, 32 silvers, 39 bronzes for a total of 105 medals), and Malaysia (5th place with 26 golds, 28 silvers, 80 bronzes for a total of 134 medals).

Never mind host Thailand (expected to reign supreme this year with 145 golds, 87 silvers, 60 bronzes for a total of 292 medals) and Indonesia (running 2nd with 52 golds, 65 silvers, 64 bronzes for a total of 181 medals).

Both the Thais and the Indons have been known to be SEA Games superpowers since time immemorial and there should be no heartbreaking moment if they collect more medals than their Filipino rivals, except if the Philippines is the host.

 

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In the SEA Games, we are supposed to be running third behind Thailand and Indonesia if not second behind the host country. Not fifth place; not sixth because there are only 10 countries participating in SEA Games.

In our current standing, it’s insulting to note we are a little bit better only to Myanmar (7th place with 3-17-22 with 42 medals), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (8th place with 2-6-16 with 24 medals), Brunei Darussalam (9th place with 1-3-4 with 8 medals), and Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (10th place with only 2 bronzes).

When it comes to success in the World Olympic Games, we lagged only behind Thailand (11 golds) and, again, Indonesia (10 golds). We have 3 golds in weightlifting and gymnastics.

(The author, who is now based New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)

 

I happen to pass by outside Epstein’s mansion, not files

“I would have preferred someone else to have been in charge of rescuing this story, but once again life has taught me that my role is to be a witness, not the leading actor.”

―Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Midnight Palace

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

NOW that the United States House Oversight Committee has confirmed receiving more than 95,000 photos from the Jeffrey Epstein estate, I recalled the day when authorities swooped down on the late sex trafficker’s mansion in Manhattan one afternoon six years ago.

The committee, by the way, announced it has reviewed about 25,000 of those images so far, and have released 19 of them. They included images of President Ronald Trump, former President Bill Clinton and former Prince Andrew of U.K.

There were reports Bill Gates was there, as well.

Before it was sold in March 2021 for $51 million, with the proceeds going toward a restitution fund for victims of sex trafficking, I used to pass by the late Epstein’s mansion in the Upper East Side.

When the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York Police District (NYPD) first raided the mansion at past five o’clock in the afternoon on July 6, 2019, I was walking on my way to visit a Jewish client at Lennox Hill Radiology on East 77th Street from East 67th Street.

 

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Epstein’s mansion, a townhouse was at 9 East 71st Street, a stone-throw away from where I was walking. Authorities arrived hours after arresting Epstein at Teterboro Airport.

Using a crowbar, agents forcibly entered and once inside, used a saw to open a safe. They conducted a follow-up raid on July 7 and found:

-An "extraordinary volume" of photographs of nude or partially nude young women and girls.

-Piles of US currency and loose diamonds.

-Dozens of CDs and computer hard drives.

-An expired passport with Epstein's picture but a fake name.

Authorities used the seized items as evidence in the subsequent sex trafficking case against the millionaire, and later in the trial of his associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

 

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Epstein is seen with multiple high-profile figures, none of whom have yet commented, in the first batch of photos released on December 12 by lawmakers.

Many of them have previously denied any wrongdoing in relation to the dead Epstein.

Mr. Trump reportedly appeared in three of the images released on December 12. One image showed him standing next to a woman whose face has been redacted.

Another showed the US president standing next to Epstein while talking to model Ingrid Seynhaeve at a 1997 Victoria's Secret party in New York – an image that was already publicly available.

A third photo showed Mr. Trump smiling with several women, whose faces have also been redacted, flanked on either side of him.

An additional photo showed an illustrated likeness of the president on red packets next to a sign that reads: "Trump Condom".

 

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WE will know this week if the Marcos Jr. administration was really sincere when it announced the indictment and arrest of some VIPs that include congressmen and senators linked to the flood control project anomalies before Christmas Day.

Christmas Day in the Christian world is December 25, a Thursday. We will remember; we won’t forget. We maintain a scorecard.

So far, only the mosquitoes, ants, and worms have landed in jail; and they’re all DPWH bigwigs in nearby regions. 

No undersecretary. Mo mayor. No congressman. No senator. No governor. No more?

We will see.

 

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TOO MUCH TEXTING. In case we didn't get the message, texting is the new talking. In fact, the average teen sends and receives about 8,900 texts per month, according to the Nielsen Company. That's almost 300 messages a day. Some psychologists worry that over-texting may cause anxiety and sleep problems.

WHY WOMEN CRY MORE THAN MEN: According to Frey's research, girls don't start out as bawling champs--boy and girl babies cry equivalent amounts--but by the first or second grade, boys are beginning to cry less, probably in response to social pressure. Being called a crybaby is more likely to happen to a boy.

WHY WE CRY: Animals, like humans, may cry in pain, but we're apparently the only creatures who shed emotional tears--probably because they give us an evolutionary advantage, scientists say. They're an unmistakable SOS, asking the people around us to provide comfort and assistance. (Source: goodhealth)

WHAT WOULD WE DO? It's late afternoon, and we need a pick-me up. Is it safe to microwave the cold coffee that's been sitting in the pot since we grabbed a cup at breakfast? YES or NO?

(The author, who is now based New York City, used to be the editor-in-chief of two leading daily newspapers in Iloilo.—Ed)