Impossible not to be moved to tears

“Grief is like the ocean; it comes in waves, ebbing and flowing. Sometimes the water is calm, and sometimes it is overwhelming. All we can do is learn to swim.”

—Vicki Harrison

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WATCHING the videos of mud floods that killed more than a hundred people and destroyed properties mostly houses made of light materials in Cebu and Negros when super storm Tino lashed recently instantly brought not only tears to everyone’s eyes, but terror in the hearts and minds of any Tom, Dick, and Harry even if they weren’t affected.

The shocking scenes were too painful for the human heart and mind to bear.

Children and elderly, including their animals, being forcibly ushered to the rooftops of badly wrecked houses by panicking adult family members as strong gush of mud cascaded and threatened to sweep away the entire family as they desperately screamed for help.

Sadly, some of them didn’t make it; dead and bloated bodies were later recovered in far flung places where they had been swept away; some remained missing as of this writing. It was scary and nerve-tingling.

The horrifying scenes that unfolded before the eyes of the world in this age of technology will forever be etched in the memories. To express total sympathy and pain for the victims, tears weren’t enough.

 

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It’s impossible not to be moved to tears; it’s impossible not to feel a deep sense of loss even if we lived in faraway places and we didn’t know many of those who perished in the flash floods.

The immediate reaction would be to curse those in charged with the flood control system, the public officials responsible for neglecting their primordial duties and responsibilities to the public, and for pocketing the billions of pesos in taxpayers' money intended to protect the people from nature’s wrath.

The people’s anger and animosity even grew higher toward corrupt DPWH contractors and prominent politicians implicated in the multi-billion flood control project anomalies.

What immediately came to the minds of people was accountability and justice for the flood victims and the entire nation for that matter. If it happened in Cebu, Negros, it could happen in other parts of Mindanao and Luzon in the future. God forbid.

In fact, it already happened in the past although not so terrifying and destructive as the floods that inundated Cebu and other Negros areas most recently.

 

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Explaining the emotional impact of disasters, Dr. Anka A. Vujanovic, Ph.D. and Dr. Matthew W. Gallagher, Ph.D. of the Department of Psychology, University of Houston once explained that natural disasters can be overwhelming and potentially traumatic life experiences.

“People directly impacted by natural disasters, such as Hurricane Harvey, may endure serious injuries or near death experiences; they may witness devastation among their friends, family, neighbors, and greater communities; and they may experience the irreparable loss of possessions and property,” they emphasized.

“For those directly impacted, the immediate aftermath of a disaster can be disorienting, marked with displacement, shock, and a strong need to restore order. The weeks and months following a disaster may be consumed with various tasks related to restoration to a ‘new normal,’ sometimes in new homes and with new possessions. Thus, for some people, the full impact of a disaster and its impact on their mental health may not be obvious for weeks or months after the disaster occurs.”

Depending on the type and extent of loss, the doctors explained that  individuals directly impacted by natural disasters may be feeling a strong sense of grief, panic, loss, fear, and sadness.

In addition, they stressed that difficulties sleeping, anger, irritability, and guilt may also surface. Some who were not severely impacted may feel “survivor’s guilt”, overwhelmed by “why them, and not me?” thoughts. However, the majority of individuals who survive natural disasters will ultimately recover without major mental health disturbances, even if they endured spikes in symptoms during or immediately following the disaster.

 

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Cosmopolitan has uncovered some surprisingly sensitive parts of the body; touching them will get us both insanely turned on. And no, none rhyme with shmenis or shmagina: Sweet Spot 1. The Ultrasensitive Border Around the Lips 2. That Sexy Dip Where Neck Meets Chest 3. The Erotic Pathways on the Sides of the Torso 4. The Pleasure Mound on the Lower Back 5. The Teasing Trail on the Thighs.

PHILEMAPHOBIA is a fear of kissing: Is a philemaphobic deprived of love since birth? Why fear a gesture of love?

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

 

 

Photo-ops during calamities

“Don't show off every day, or you'll stop surprising people. There must always be some novelty left over. The person who displays a little more of it each day keeps up expectations, and no one ever discovers the limits of his talent.”

—Baltasar Gracian

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

THE Philippines is the only country in the world that links natural disasters and calamities or the horrific damages they cause to human greed and irrational selfishness.

We’re referring to the flash floods that killed more than a hundred people and damaged millions of properties when super typhoon Tino recently struck, exposing the massive waste of taxpayers' money stolen from “ghost” and substandard flood control projects especially in Cebu by private contractors in cahoots with corrupt elected and appointed officials.

Those flood control projects amounting to billions of pesos could have saved lives and properties if implemented properly and handled by honest DPWH officials and contractors.

If not for the typhoons, these irregularities in the infrastructure projects and plunder of epic proportions would have been forgotten if not totally swept under the rugs.

These revelations have become the chief source of the country’s embarrassment abroad.

  

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PUBLIC officials should refrain from displaying their “good” deeds in the social or even mainstream media during calamities; they must discourage their staff from posting self-serving photos detailing how they “go out their way to assist victims of calamities” like earthquakes and typhoons. This gimmickry is a thing of the past abhorred and rejected by people fed up with epals and pretentious public officials.

Helping people during calamities is not an earthshaking event; it does not make a mayor, a congressman, or a governor a superhuman or special.

Helping their constituents is a primordial duty with or without calamities. It does not make them extra pogi or guapa.

There’s no need to try hard and engage in make-believe photo-ops. It will only expose them as no better than cretins and phonies.

Showing off is not public service. It is self-praise and egotistical.

 

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MYTH: Our dishwasher will kill all the germs on our plates, etc. REALITY: Only cycles labeled "sanitizing" must meet requirements for germ killing -- these are generally longer and also reach hotter rinse temperatures. Consider using sanitizing option if someone in the family has been sick. It's probably not needed for our everyday loads if our dishwasher's doing a fine job on the normal cycle.

SAVING OUR PLANET: Let's go electric. As far as energy consumption is concerned, an electric shower (which heats water only as required) is usually a sounder choice than other water heating systems that heat up more water that we need, thereby wasting precious heat energy. (Source: Esme Floyd)

MYTH: We should let made-ahead meals cool before we put them in the fridge. REALITY: Large mounts of cooked food should be divided and transferred to shallow containers before refrigerating--and should be chilled immediately. Waiting for the food to cool to room temperature could give bacteria a chance to grow. Today's refrigerators can handle hot foods. (Source: Kitchen Mythbusters)

 

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There are many ways in which a knowledge of biological science can be of great value to all of us. Some of these, according to the High Points of Biology, are as follows:

1. One learns a great deal about health and disease through the study of biology. This knowledge is important to our daily well-being.

2. Biology provides us with a knowledge of plants and animals. On trips, hikes, vacations, and in everyday activities, this information is a source of fun and interest.

3. The breeding and care of plants and animals are profitable and fascinating topics in biology.

4. Biology teaches us to understand how our own bodies work.

5. Gardening and agriculture are based on knowledge of biological principles.

6. The wise and efficient use of our natural resources can be helped through biological study of conservation.

7. Many occupations and professions require a background of biology. Among these are medicine, dentistry, veterinary work, laboratory, hospital, museum and research work, farming, nursing, and pharmacy.

8. Hobbies of all types are often developed as a result of biological work in the classroom. Insect collecting, nature photography, and microscopy are a few examples of these hobbies.

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

 

Meanwhile, Pinoys badly need funds

“Meanwhile, fears of universal disaster sank to an all time low over the world.”

—Isaac Asimov

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

ANOTHER reason why the Philippines should seriously nip graft and corruption in the bud is the Filipinos badly need their money to help them during disasters like earthquakes and typhoons.

The oodles of funds siphoned from the public coffer through massive graft and corruption and plunder can be used to purchase food supply, medicine and repair or build temporary shelters for victims of disasters.

As of press time severe another Tropical Storm Kalmaegi (locally named Tino) was rapidly intensifying over the Philippine Sea and was expected to reach typhoon strength prior to landfall in the central Philippines by November 3–4, 2025.

Severe Tropical Storm Kalmaegi (locally named Tino) reportedly mintensified over the Philippine Sea late on November 2, moving west toward Eastern Samar. The system was forecast to reach typhoon strength before landfall over the Philippines late on November 3 or early on November 4.

With about 18 to 20 typhoons per year, the Philippines is considered one of the most frequently and severely affected countries worldwide.

 

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Few of the storm systems, which mostly come from the east, turn north toward Taiwan and China before making landfall, according to the WorldData.info.

The combination of warm ocean waters, location in the Pacific typhoon belt, and geographic features makes the Philippines particularly vulnerable to tropical cyclones.

The typhoon season in the Pacific usually begins with less severe storms in April and does not end until November, explained the WorldData.info, which confirmed the most severe typhoons usually occur in August and September.

It said the most severe typhoon to make landfall in the Philippines in the past 12 months was “Nando” (international name: Ragasa). It reached a wind speed of up to 166 mph on September 21, 2025 at 8 o’clock in the evening local time near Santa Ana and was 85 miles in diameter at the time.

According to the internationally accepted Saffir-Simpson classification, this corresponded to a category 5 typhoon.

In the last six weeks alone, there have been four tropical storms that have made landfall (Nando, Opong, Paolo, Ramil).

The frequency of typhoons in the Philippines was mainly due to its geographical location and warm ocean waters, explained the WorldData.info.

The archipelago is located in the western Pacific Ocean. The center of the country is located about 1200 km north of the equator and thus in the middle of the Pacific Typhoon Belt.

 

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In addition, the Philippines, with its widely ramified island system and disproportionately large number of coastal sections, is reportedly particularly vulnerable to the effects of typhoons.

Large and powerful cyclones regularly form in the warm waters of the Philippine Sea. The Earth's rotation causes the rising warm air masses themselves to rotate, and a vortex is formed. The warm ocean surface serves as a source of energy that increases the strength of the typhoon, allowing it to grow in size and intensity.

Meanwhile, Kalmaegi will continue moving westward across the central Philippines, with landfall expected late on November 3 or early on November 4 over Eastern Samar, Leyte, or Dinagat Islands, According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA),

The system was then expected to cross the Visayas region, move near northern Palawan, and emerge over the West Philippine Sea by November 5, maintaining typhoon strength.

PAGASA’s 72-hour forecast shows sustained winds of 150 km/h (93 mph) west-northwest of Palawan before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility late on November 6.

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Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) forecasts a similar trend, with a westward track across the central Philippines into the South China Sea and continued west-northwest movement toward southern Vietnam or Laos. Peak winds are forecast to reach 167 km/h (104 mph) before landfall, followed by gradual weakening over land and potential re-intensification after re-emerging over water.

Watchers News said PAGASA has raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 over the southeastern portion of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Salcedo, Mercedes), Siargao, Bucas Grande, and Dinagat Islands. Gale-force winds of 62–88 km/h (39–55 mph) are expected across these areas within the next 24 hours.

Signal No. 1 was in effect for parts of Sorsogon, Masbate (including Ticao Island), Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros, Iloilo, Capiz, Guimaras, northern Agusan, and northern Surigao provinces. These areas may experience strong winds of 39–61 km/h (24–38 mph) within 36 hours.

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

 

 

 

Why does Trump want to kill a filibuster?

AN analysis by Zachary B. Wolf of CNN said it was completely predictable that President Donald Trump would call on Senate Republicans to end the custom of the filibuster, which has bedeviled majority parties for years.

How are Democrats able to shut the government over their demands to re-up expiring enhanced Obamacare insurance subsidies? The filibuster.

Why were Republicans able to block Democrats’ efforts to create a national voting standard when Joe Biden was president? The filibuster.

In fact, most major legislation that has passed in recent years — from the Affordable Care Act to Trump’s tax credits and Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act — has been crammed through using budget reconciliation rules that allow lawmakers to sidestep the filibuster. But that’s a complicated process and can’t be used for things like spending bills to keep the government open.

Democrats tried and failed to change Senate rules when they had the majority and Biden was president. Now, Trump wants Republicans to change Senate rules while they have the majority and he’s the president.

The upside of ending the filibuster — a possibility known as the “nuclear option” of changing Senate rules — is that the in-power party could get more done. The downside is it would amplify the yo-yo nature of today’s Washington, with each successive Congress undoing whatever the previous one had accomplished, assuming majority rule changed hands.The Senate was designed to work on supermajority votes in order to generate compromise. Instead the system has created paralysis. This is a world where three-fifths is the only meaningful majority, “debate” is code for delay and party loyalty has overtaken the greater good.

To understand what’s going on, you’ll have to learn the special, pre-modern language of “filibuster” and “cloture,” baffling math and maddening rules like “Rule XXII” that govern Senate procedure and confound common sense.

What is the filibuster?

According to the Senate website — which has its own glossary — a filibuster is this: “Informal term for any attempt to block or delay Senate action on a bill or other matter by debating it at length, by offering numerous procedural motions, or by any other delaying or obstructive actions.”

These days, it’s shorthand for anytime senators demand a supermajority to cut off debate and move to an actual vote on just about anything.

What would ending the filibuster do?

When people talk about ending the filibuster, what they really mean is reinterpreting Senate rules so that legislation could pass by a simple majority instead of being held up by a minority.

Pygmy sharks

“A man who has never gone to school may steal a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.”

―Theodore Roosevelt

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

The names recommended by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure’s (ICI) to face plunder and criminal charges in relation to the multi-billion pesos flood control project anomalies are peanuts.

Senator Jinggoy Estrada, Senator Joel Villanueva, resigned Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Elizaldy “Zaldy” Co, former Public Works Undersecretary Roberto Bernardo, Commission on Audit Commissioner Mario Lipana, former Caloocan Rep. Mitch Cajayon-Uy can be considered as “big fishes”, but they are merely dwarf lanternsharks (the world's smallest) or spined pygmy sharks.

The taxpayers were expecting for the whale sharks, great hammerhead sharks, tiger sharks and the basking sharks.

We thought at least 200 public officials, DPWH employees and contractors, among other flood control project wrongdoers, were expected to be charged, arrested, and jailed in the Quezon City jail as advertised by DILG chief Juanito Victor “Junvic” Remulla?

By the way, where are the names of Chiz Escudero, Bong Revilla, Martin Romualdez, and all the greedy congresspeople earlier mentioned by witnesses in the Senate committee hearing chaired by Senator Ping Lacson?

 

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As of this writing, the US government shutdown continued, with Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress no closer to ending their budget standoff.

A shutdown meant any—but not all—US government services were temporarily suspended, and around 1.4 million federal employees were on unpaid leave or working without pay.

This latest shutdown was especially tense because President Donald Trump began drastically reducing the size of the national government as soon as he returned to office in January, and has threatened to use the current impasse to make further cuts. Budget confrontations are common in US politics.

Republicans and Democrats could not agree to pass a bill funding government services past 1 October, when the previous federal budget expired.

In the US system, Congress must agree a spending plan to send to the president to be signed into law.

The Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress. But in the Senate—or upper chamber—they are short of the 60 votes needed to pass the spending bill, which gives opposition Democrats some negotiating power.

Democrats want the bill to include an extension of expiring tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and a reversal of Trump's cuts to Medicaid, a government healthcare programme used by millions of elderly, disabled and low-income people.

Democrats also oppose spending cuts to government health agencies.

A stopgap bill designed to avoid the shutdown was passed in the House, or lower chamber, but did not clear the Senate.

And so, at 00:01 EDT on 1 October (04:01 GMT), the US government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years.

Ending the shutdown requires the two parties in the Senate to find a compromise that Trump will sign. Several votes aimed at reopening the government have failed.

 

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Below is the email I received from New York Governor Kathy Hochul which she also probably sent to fellow New Yorkers:

Alex, Donald Trump and Washington Republicans are waging an all-out war on working families. Their goal is simple: Take from the poor and give to the rich.

First, they rammed through legislation that kicks nearly two million New Yorkers off their health care and slashes food assistance — all while giving tax breaks to their billionaire friends. New York’s seven GOP representatives could have stopped it. Instead, they chose to sell out their constituents.

Then, Washington Republicans chose to shut down the federal government instead of protecting access to affordable health care. They’re turning their backs on their constituents, and as a result, 140,000 New Yorkers will see their insurance premiums skyrocket by nearly 40% next year.

But that’s not all. Now, they’re deliberately preventing New York families from putting food on their tables. With Trump refusing to release federal funding for food assistance and Washington Republicans refusing to reopen the government, starting November 1, nearly three million New Yorkers will lose their benefits and could soon be scrambling to find their next meal.

From ripping away affordable health care to gutting access to healthy food, Washington Republicans are making life harder for hardworking Americans.

In the face of Washington Republicans’ cruelty, I’m doing everything in my power to get assistance to our families, and the small businesses, local farmers, and food pantries that keep New York’s food system strong, but we know that the real solution is for Republicans to end their shutdown and release our SNAP funding.

As Washington continues their relentless attack on New Yorkers, I’m going to continue to fight back and stand up for our families.

We will not cower to these injustices. That's not the spirit of New Yorkers. It's not who we've ever been. I want you to know that I'm going to keep standing with you, shoulder to shoulder, and fighting for your families, for your friends, and for your communities. Ever Upward, Gov. Kathy Hochul

 

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Cosmopolitan has uncovered some surprisingly sensitive parts of the body; touching them will get us both insanely turned on. And no, none rhyme with shmenis or shmagina: Sweet Spot 1. The Ultrasensitive Border Around the Lips 2. That Sexy Dip Where Neck Meets Chest 3. The Erotic Pathways on the Sides of the Torso 4. The Pleasure Mound on the Lower Back 5. The Teasing Trail on the Thighs.

(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)