A sixth place isn’t ‘very successful’

“Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success.”

—C. S. Lewis

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE reiterate that a sixth-place finish in a field of 10 countries is a dismal failure, not an accomplishment.

We beg to disagree with our sports officials, especially Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino who described as “very successful” the sixth place garnered by Team Philippines in the most recent 33rd Southeast Asian Games or 2025 SEAG in Thailand December 9-20, 2025.

Tolentino should be reminded that we just competed in the SEAG not the Asian Games, not in the World Olympic Games.

In the Asian Games where competition is in a very high level, 45 member nations of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) participate, representing all National Olympic Committees in Asia, with all 45 sending delegations to recent events like Hangzhou 2022 (held in 2023).

These nations cover the vast continent, with some, like Macau and Chinese Taipei, participating under specific rules, while some Asian-located nations, like Turkey and Israel, compete in European events.

In the recent SEAG, there were only 10 competing nations, and we wound up sixth tralala.

 

-o0o-

 

We can’t blame Tolentino, et al when they called the Philippines’ 2025 SEA Games campaign a "very successful" outing despite finishing 6th with 50 golds, 73 silvers, and 154 bronzes for a total of 277 medals, which was below target.

To admit failure is to risk earning the wrath of the Filipino sports fans back in the Philippines.

Tolentino and his fellow eager beaver sports officials highlighted the Filipino athletes’ historic wins like the women's football championship, dominance in basketball (Gilas men/women), beach volleyball, and strong showings in athletics (EJ Obiena) and swimming (Kayla Sanchez), viewing these breakthroughs as significant progress despite the overall medal count drop from 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where the Philippines finished fifth garnering 58 golds, 86 silvers, and 117 bronzes.

We insist that the Filipino athletes, who were among the total of 13,657 athletes that competed across 50 medal sports, ranging from Olympic disciplines to traditional local sports in Thailand, could have done better, or at least land in the third spot if our sports programs weren’t decrepit and they were well-trained abroad.

 

-o0o-

 

The 10 participating nations were hosts Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Myanmar, Vietnam, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Brunei Darussalam, and the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste. Cambodia withdrew their delegation from the 2025 SEA Games due to "safety concerns" on 10 December.

Finishing sixth means we are at the bottom of the ladder.

Holding the lowest rank, position, or level in a system, organization, or social hierarchy, often used to describe starting a new job with entry-level duties, implying there's nowhere to go but up.

According to HubSpot, Dictionary.com, and Cambridge Dictionary, it signifies a junior status, less power, lower pay, and less desirable tasks, but also represents a starting point for career progression and gaining experience.

Whether Tolentino, et al will admit it or not, Philippine sports has been struggling due to systemic issues like underfunding, poor governance (politics/corruption), lack of modern facilities/training, and a weak grassroots system, forcing athletes to compete with raw talent against well-supported international peers, often leading to untapped potential and underperformance despite passion.

Pinoy athletes reportedly face challenges from insufficient financial support and delayed reimbursements to bureaucratic infighting and a lack of long-term vision from sports bodies, hindering true development.

 

-o0o-

 

STRENGTH IN A BOTTLE. A stomach enzyme could make as stronger. Protease, a digestive enzyme that helps our body break down proteins, appears to lessen muscle inflammation that occurs after resistance training, says Baylor University researchers.

CAUGHT ON CAMERA. A man shot his ex-wife to death while the victim was on her way walking to the graveyard of their 15-year-old daughter who had committed suicide. The man blamed the ex-wife for the daughter's death. The daughter had left a suicide note that she was pregnant, and her mother would never forgive her for what she did.

(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)

 

 

 

After Angelo and Catalina, will there be Angela and Catalino next?

“I’m not a saint.”

—General Angelo Reyes

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IT is rare for a high-ranking Filipino public official to commit suicide after being caught in a web of corruption scandal.

Except for Angelo Reyes and Maria Catalina Cabral, no other known public official of national stature in the Philippines has chosen the route to perdition to escape prosecution and permanent shame and scandal if they were alive.

Reyes, 65, a retired general, shot himself in the head in the cemetery in 2011 after being linked to graft and corruption in the military funds. Cabral, 63, reportedly jumped to her death at a cliff along Kennon Road in Tuba Town in Benguet, Philippines. 

She was a key player in the flood control project anomalies.

Instead of killing themselves, other Filipino officials linked to massive graft and corruption endured humiliation and waited for public anger to subside before running for public office again.

Jocelyn “Jocjoc” Bolante, my town mate in Dao, Capiz (the province of my late father), was also embroiled in the P728-million fertilizer fund scam before the 2004 elections.

He was mocked, hunted like a Guanaco deer in the wilderness, and condemned like a Bondi beach terrorist but did not kill himself.

 

-o0o-

 

Instead of being ashamed, the former agriculture undersecretary used the “popularity” he gained from trying to overcome the scandal and ran unsuccessfully for Capiz governor in the 2010 general elections under the local party Ugyon Kita Capiz (Unite Capiz). He was soundly clobbered by incumbent governor Victor A. Tanco.

Thick-faced Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo also did not end her own life when slapped with a P366-million plunder case over the alleged misuse of Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) intelligence funds; she was also charged in the Malampaya fund scam.

Instead of being ashamed, the former president ran for congresswoman in Pampanga and won. She even became House speaker after licking the butts of then President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018.

After being convicted of plunder in 2007 for receiving kickbacks from illegal gambling operations (“juetengate”), Joseph "Erap" Estrada didn’t shoot or hang himself to dodge humiliation.

In fact, he ran for president again in 2010 and was defeated by Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III.

 

-o0o-

 

The ex-convict, who was a matinee idol in Philippine showbiz in the 60s, was also prosecuted and landed in the slammer for misusing public funds, though he was later pardoned. He is still alive as of this writing and continued to be unfazed by the scandal that rocked his scandalous political life.

Jejomar Binay, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla, all tarnished by graft and corruption issues, also didn’t commit hara kiri to save face.

Despite being implicated in an alleged overpricing scandal involving the Makati City Parking Building II, the former vice president also ran and lost to Duterte for president in 2016.

Jinggoy, Erap’s son, and Bong, son of the late movie action star and former senator Ramon, were also charged in the pork barrel scam of Janet Napoles but managed to run and win again in the senate.

Flood control scam fugitive Zaldy Co, who is on the run, also has not committed suicide.

 

-o0o-

 

CRUNCH TIME. Holiday shopping may flatten our wallet, but it could also trim our belly. As we comb the racks, let's stand tall and squeeze our stomach muscles for five seconds (pretend we're bracing ourselves to lift a heavy box). We've just done the equivalent of one sit-up, says physiologist Pete McCall, of the American Council on Exercise.

BRAIN FOOD. We could cut the risk of Alzheimer's disease by a whopping 42 percent Columbia University researchers found when they analyzed the diets of 2,136 adults over 65 that meal plans with highest intake of lefty greens, tomatoes, and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower plus fish, nuts, and vinaigrette-type salad dressing, with only small amounts of full-fat dairy products, cut their odds of Alzheimer's.

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality has defined 8 major components of "optimal sexuality." Based on interviews with 44 individuals who reported having great sex, plus 20 sex therapists, a team of researchers identified 8 key factors--being present, connection, deep sexual and erotic intimacy, extraordinary communication, interpersonal risk taking and exploration, authenticity, vulnerability and transcendence.

SLEEPING HOURS. Normal sleep is eight hours, health experts say. Oversleep can cause severe headache. Doctors suggest a banana and fresh milk for those who have less sleep (especially for those who slept less than six hours).

(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)

 

 

If guilt stricken, I’ll also do a Catalina Cabral

“But I have my life, I’m living it. It’s twisted, exhausting, uncertain, and full of guilt, but nonetheless, there’s something there.”

―Banana Yoshimoto, The Lake

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WITHOUT a second thought, let me be among those who will dismiss any conspiracy theory surrounding the mysterious death on December 18, 2025 of 63-year-old Maria Catalina Cabral, the resigned Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) undersecretary.

From all indications, she appeared to have committed suicide.

Was there a foul play? No one saw what happened, thus I prefer to believe based on my long years as a community journalist where I also covered many cases involving murder and suicide, that Cabral, who was embroiled in the titanic flood control project scandal, ended her own life.

Those who heavily tilt their belief on the bizarre angle of murder (or her death was a case of homicide and made to appear as suicide) without a shred of evidence may continue to sustain that theory until confronted and proven wrong by solid facts.

In any crime, it is favorable to pursue multiple angles to ensure the quick and proper resolution of the case.

 

-o0o-

 

On the other hand, there’s strong reason to believe Cabral decided to kill herself, or she was capable of ending her own life.

First, she faced doomsday as one of the alleged chief architects of the biggest ever graft and corruption scandal in the Philippines, and there’s no escape other than a collision course against a brick wall of damning pieces of evidence—both testimonial and circumstantial.

Second, she must’ve ran out of options and detested the thought of going to jail once formal charges have been filed against her and her cohorts with no bail recommended like what happened to Sarah Discaya, et al.

The thought of suddenly falling to the doghouse from the bed of roses in one fell swoop must be excruciating.

Third, if she’s guilt-stricken, Cabral’s conscience must’ve bothered her so much that her rationality was greatly compromised—after nights of struggling and thinking flexibly to see an end to emotional and mental pain and a life worth living.

Anybody—or if I were in her position, I would have done the same thing—only if I knew I was guilty as hell.

In Keeper of the Lost Cities, Shannon Messenger remarked, “I would rather be punished for making the right decision than live with the guilt of making the wrong one for the rest of my life.”

 

-o0o-

 

Let’s not underestimate the power of guilt to destroy. Let’s not ignore the pain of dealing with a heavily burdened conscience.

Our conscience plays an indispensable role in giving an awareness of our moral duties and facilitating moral reflection.

It is our inner moral compass, guiding us to discern right from wrong, motivating us to act ethically, and fostering self-awareness, integrity, and inner peace, preventing guilt and promoting authentic living by aligning actions with our deepest values, even when it's difficult.

That’s why there is always a need to reduce, not increase, the burden on those who struggle with thoughts of suicide. Breaking down stigma is a key to opening conversations, getting help and emerging from those struggles.

It may help if we commit to viewing people in emotional crisis similarly to those with a physical injury–with care, compassion and a plan for recovery.

 

-o0o-

 

BODY SHAPE COUNTS. In a study of over 400 undergraduates, researchers at Florida Atlantic University found strong correlations among the students' levels of sexual satisfaction, self-consciousness-about their bodies, and satisfaction with their bodies. Muscular guys were the most sexually satisfied; body weight was key for women.

BUT SHE'S NOT IMPRESSED. Tough guys don't wow women. A study in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology shows that women find a man more appealing if he walks away from a jerk instead of responding aggressively.

NEW HPV THREAT. Human papillomavirus, or HPV, has long been linked to cervical cancer in women. New research in the journal Head & Neck reveals that in the United States, HPV may also be the most common cause of cancer of the tonsil and base of the tongue. The cancer is starting to appear more in younger men and in nonsmokers; the shift may be associated with high-risk behaviors.

TWILIGHT INSIGHT AND OUR YOUNGSTERS. Why are teens fascinated by these fanged creatures? "Vampires are alluring. They're neither completely human nor dead; they don't belong in either world. Teenagers identify with them because they often feel like outsiders, too, as they transition from childhood into adulthood," says Dr. Kathy Ramsland, author of The Science of Vampires.

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

 

 

Losing both battle and war

“Don't grieve. Anything you lose comes round in another form.”

—Rumi

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

CAN we win the war if we lose the battle? Or is winning the battle more important or okay than winning the war vice versa?

Although war, a prolonged, large-scale conflict between nations or groups, encompassing many smaller battles, campaigns, and broader political aims, is much bigger than a battle, we can’t fully celebrate and brag about it if we are losing the battle, which is just one specific, shorter military engagement within that larger war.

Such is the dilemma we are in today in as far as the fracas involving the flood control project anomalies is concerned.

We, the Marcos Jr. administration in particular, are actually losing both the battle and war because, so far, all the government could gloat was the issuance by a trial court of the warrant of arrest against Sarah Discaya and other DPWH worms with days to go before Christmas.

 

-o0o-

 

That’s how far they could go: running only after worms, insects, mosquitoes, ants, lizards.

The government has pounced on them like it was the greatest achievement in its battle against flood control project scams in particular, and graft and corruption in general.

Mr. Marcos Jr. and his most trusted acolytes, the Remulla laway (saliva) brothers, Ombudsman Jesus Crispin and Justice Secretary Jonvic promised us the moon, the stars, and the galaxies.

They promised to bring to the calaboose the fat cats and deadly reptiles in the persons of some DPWH bosses, the contractor-solons and kickback queens and kings in the Senate who are supposed to “spend Christmas in jail.”

With six to five days left, it’s now impossible for the Filipinos to witness the grand and biggest mass arrest of crocodiles in Barong Tagalog and business suits.

Those are empty braggadocio by Mr. Marcos Jr. and the laway (saliva) Remulla brothers.

Si Sarah Discaya lang and the small kittens ang kaya nila.

If they can’t pin down the mammoth beasts like Manuel Bonoan, Chiz, Jinggoy, Bong the thief, Joel the bogus preacher, among other ruffians, they can’t succeed in pinning down other lesser-known contractors who will eventually be freed in jail when nobody is watching anymore.

 

-o0o-

 

The truth is that the Marcos Jr. administration has no match versus the pact of wolves that have established fiefdoms in the three branches of the government.

It can humiliate crooked members of the House of Representatives and Senate in a series of postulations and condemnations, but it can’t carry a big stick or whip to put them away or place them behind bars.  

The Christmas Day timeline or deadline that went pfft is a classic example of how both the battle and war had been lost.

Our leaders had taken us all for a ride; it played an extensive  lip service to mesmerize us and took advantage of our anger at the titanic corruption but, in truth and in fact, it did not have the backbones and sharpened teeth to defeat the elements of darkness that have been hovering the pillars and posts of the government.

The Marcos Jr. administration has missed its shining moment and let us all down.

 

-o0o-

 

WE heard in at least three major news networks in the United States and Australia that the Philippines was referred to as the “breeding ground of terrorists” or “known ISIS home base.”

This is absolutely incorrect. The tag is also misleading.

Just because authorities were able to trace the place where the father and son terrorists came from before staging the bloody carnage at Bondi Beach in suburb Sydney, Australia that killed 15 people on December 14 did not mean they “trained” in that place.

It defies deductive reasoning or syllogism. Anyone can be in one place for a different reason before going to another place for another reason.

Although authorities were able to confirm shooters Sajid Akram, 50 (killed) and son Naveed, 24 (hospitalized), stayed in Davao City in the Philippines in November before flying to Sydney to engage in mass shooting at a beachside Hanukkah celebration, it defies logic to conclude they had been radicalized in Mindanao.

The place in the southern Philippines has been widely described in foreign news as “where Islamist militant groups have been active in the past, including some with ties to the Islamic State.”

Mass murder was probably already on their minds while living in Australia because of their mindset and religious belief.

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