From ‘acting’ to full-fledged secretary?

“My concern was whether I could do the job of a justice well enough to convince the nation that my appointment was the right move.”

—Sandra Day O'Connor

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

IF luck would have it, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. might appoint acting Department of Energy (DOE) secretary Sharon Serag Garin of Iloilo as full-fledged secretary.

Some people think if her performances in the DOE are to be based, Garin, a lawyer and former party-list representative, “is very much qualified for the top DOE portfolio.”

In fact, her promotion as DOE’s officer-in-charge “has ignited optimism among nuclear energy advocates, including power giant Manila Electric Company,” according to a newspaper report.

The report quoted Meralco executive vice president and COO Ronnie Aperocho as saying in a recent interview he was “upbeat about the incoming DOE chief’s leadership in advancing nuclear targets.”

Aperocho reportedly said, “Hopefully… because she’s really on top of the nuclear agenda. We have not discussed it yet, but we think it will be at the top of her agenda.”

The daughter of the late former Iloilo congressman Oscar “Oca” Garin recently led the unveiling of the government’s nuclear roadmap, which outlines the country’s path toward realizing its nuclear dream.

 

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The Philippines reportedly wants to have commercially operational power plants by 2032, with at least 1,200 megawatts entering the energy mix under the roadmap.

This is reportedly expected to scale up to 2,400 MW by 2035 and 4,800 by 2050.

Garin has also underscored the need to establish an independent nuclear regulatory authority, which will oversee the safe and secure use of nuclear power.

Garin could follow the footsteps of her sister-in-law, now Iloilo first district Rep. Janette Loreto-Garin, who was appointed by the late former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III as secretary of the Department of Health (DOH) after a brief stint as DoH acting secretary.

Loreto-Garin’s assumption to the top DoH post came in November 2014 after then health secretary Enrique Ona took a leave of absence.

DOE Undersecretary Secretary Garin took the helm at the DOE when outgoing Energy Secretary Raphael Lotilla moved to lead the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

 

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The photo released on July 1, 2025 showing Iloilo City Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu and Vice Mayor Love-Love Baronda posing for a photo during the lady vice mayor’s visit to the mayor’s office in the afternoon was very encouraging and electrifying.

Even though they belong in the opposite political fences, they did what their constituents have been longing to see: both top city officials smiling and standing side by side in a show of unity and cooperation.

As we have mentioned in past articles, they needed to initiate the “peace process” on their own and shouldn’t allow the senior citizen parents to decide on this focal matter. After all, they weren’t “homegrown” nemesis, or they had no history of personal rancor or incident of disliking each other.

The city mayor was quoted as saying, “Na-apresyar ko guid ang pagbisita sa aton opisina ni Vice Mayor Love-Love Baronda bisan pasado alas-5 na sang hapon. Personal ako nga nagpaabot sang aton respeto kag pagpanginbulahan sa iya.”

It was a good start for the new city hall administration in as far as the behavior of the two top city officials is concerned.

 

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Even though water is the most abundant substance in the human body, it doesn’t always get the respect it deserves.

Nearly half of adults in the U.S. consume less than the recommended amount of water per day, according to a 2023 CivicScience poll of nearly 2,861 people.

“That’s a problem—because staying well hydrated is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to support your health,” wrote National Geographic writer Stacey Colino.

For starters, Colino pointed out in a July 1 2025 article “it’s essential for body temperature regulation, joint lubrication, digestion, detoxification, nutrient transport, energy production, as well as heart and brain function.”

In addition, proper hydration is associated with a lower risk of developing chronic diseases, dying prematurely, and being biologically older than your actual age, according to recent research from the National Institutes of Health.

“Hydration is foundational to every cellular function in the body,” says Dana Cohen, a physician specializing in integrative medicine in New York City and co-author of the books FuelUp and Quench.

“Yet many people walk around in a state of low-grade dehydration and don’t even realize it. This chronic underhydration can lead to fatigue, headaches, poor concentration, joint pain, and even cravings that are mistaken for hunger.”

(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)

 

 

 

 

Let ex-mayor Treñas cry; it’s healthy

“Sometimes crying or laughing are the only options left, and laughing feels better right now.”

―Veronica Roth, Divergent

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

SOME elected officials who wept as they bade goodbye to their offices became emotional not because they would no longer be part of the incoming administration that blasted off on June 30, 2025.

Some of those reactions were tears of relief and the thought they might not be able to do some of the herculean tasks they have been doing spontaneously once they have retired.

For outgoing Iloilo City mayor Geronimo “Jerry” Treñas, his tears were probably an expression of solace and mixed feelings of exhilaration and abatement after what his family went through before, during, and after the election.

It’s understandable. They nearly lost everything in the face of tough challenges marshaled by the surging Baronda clan that did not even collide with them head-on in the congressional and mayoral jousts.

At least the Treñas clan was able to secure the City Hall with the election of daughter, Mayor Raisa Treñas-Chu.

That alone was a big reason to shed a tear or two.

 

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If his daughter did not run or win, the tears that fell from former mayor Treñas’ eyes when City Hall employees sang the late Kenny Rogers’ “Through the years” last week would have gesticulated a more somber and melancholic meaning.

If no Treñas was in the helm of power after the May 12, 2025 election, even an attempt to shed tears would be toilsome and grody.

Crying in public is not a sign of weakness especially if it is all about nostalgia and euphoric moments like saying farewell to co-workers, friends, party mates, the surroundings.

Crying can symbolize a range of emotions, from sadness and grief to joy or even spiritual cleansing.

It is healthy and good for the heart and mind. Let those who wish to cry for a purpose do the crying some more.

 

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WE were surprised to learn that billionaire oligarch Elon Musk was in the news again after a brief hiatus when he severed ties with his erstwhile bff, President Donald Trump, three weeks ago.

Occupy Democrats reported that the richest man on this planet again “stabs Donald Trump in the back in jaw-dropping fashion” and reportedly announced he would fund primary challenges to every Republican lawmaker who votes to pass the “big, beautiful bill.”

"Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth," Musk wrote on X.

Not only that, but Musk is now threatening to form a new political party if the bills pass.

"It is obvious with the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in a one-party country – the PORKY PIG PARTY!!" he tweeted.  "Time for a new political party that actually cares about the people."

“While Musk is correct that this bill is awful in every sense, his claim that we have a ‘one-party country’ is patently absurd, as evidenced by the fact that Democrats are aggressively opposing this bill, says Occupy Democrats.

 

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"How can you call yourself the Freedom Caucus if you vote for a DEBT SLAVERY bill with the biggest debt ceiling increase in history?" Musk added, tagging Republican Congressmen Andy Harris and Senator Chip Roy.

"If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day.   Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have a VOICE," he wrote in another post.

The idea that Musk "actually cares about the people" is laughable at face value, but his attacks on this bill are more than welcome. Even if his motivations are suspect, any and all opposition to this destructive bill is to be encouraged.

The former close ally of Trump — who accused the president of being in the Jeffrey Epstein files only to later delete the allegation — has been an outspoken critic of the bill for months because it skyrockets the national debt. If passed, the ugly, bloated legislation would wipe out any so-called "savings" stemming from Musk's DOGE cuts.

While increasing the national debt to pave the way for more tax cuts for the rich and corporations is certainly a betrayal of the American people, it's the other elements of the bill that are the biggest cause for concern for the rest of us. Trump's bill devastates Medicaid with brutal cuts, balloons the Pentagon's budget (which in turn incentivizes more wars), targets migrants with brutal new policies, and slashes access to food stamps. Passing this bill will prove to be a historic mistake for the United States of America.

According to Occupy Democrats, Republicans got into bed with Musk thinking that his money would assure their political success. Now he's turning on them, and that very same money could spell their political doom. Good. As the saying goes: "If you lie down with dogs, you will get up with fleas."

(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)

 

 

 

   

Choy Guevarra outwits ‘em all

“You need to impress me, outwit me, compete with me? Go ahead, knock yourself out, I have no problem with that at all.”

—Daniel Craig

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

TWO months ago, I received a private message from a media colleague in the Philippines warning me “to beware of Choy Guevarra (not his real name).”

“I know you have a good heart, but be careful,” he warned. “Don’t trust him. Don’t give him assistance or you will regret it. He is a notorious person. You better believe me because I am once his victim.”

When people send disparaging messages against someone, I immediately ignore them if I can’t delete the messages immediately. I abscond from a Marites session when I smell one, and I don’t swallow hook, line, and sinker derogatory accusations against anyone by any punk unless my next meal is at stake.

And besides, Choy Guevarra, whatever crime he supposed to have committed against humanity and the animal kingdom, is not my enemy; I am not at odds with him.

And if by chance he will approach me for “assistance,” who am I to turn my back from him or ignore someone “in need” especially if he is a friend?

 

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According to the media colleague who alerted me, Choy Guevarra is the “enemy No. 1” not only in Iloilo City, but in the entire Philippines. I don’t know and I don’t care.

I don’t understand either, but I have no beef with Choy Guevarra and we never crossed paths in hostile circumstances when I was a media practitioner in Iloilo.

The media colleague further alleged that Choy Guevarra is considered as a “living dead” in the Philippines “because of the many lives that have been lost and many reputations that have been shattered as a result of his false imputations.”

Choy Guevarra’s enemies had supposedly alerted Canada “not to accommodate” him whatever that means.

What they didn’t know was Choy Guevarra, maybe a smart aleck, tricked and outwitted them by employing decoys, deception tactics like the US’s B-2 bomber strikes in Iran’s nuclear plants, making them hope and believe he was in Canada, but in truth and reality he is now actually allegedly in the United States “safe and sound.”

They barked at the wrong tree while Choy Guevarra was having the last laugh?

It’s my nature not to ask others for help since I never want to intrude on other people’s busy lives; I am the type of person who is always adamant and afraid of bothering others with my petty concerns.

 

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But, like any Tom, Dick, and Harry in our benighted society, I am sometimes quick to live my life, showing my stressed-out self to a trusted person who will listen.

Thus, if Choy Guevarra did approach me for whatever “help” I could provide, there’s a 99 percent chance I would lend a helping hand in whatever capacity and circumstance as a Christian.

It is okay to ask for help, it is okay to share our inmost feelings, and it is okay to accept help. In fact, if Jesus did it, then it is more than okay; it is the best way.

What is not okay is to kick someone who is already down on all four. It’s not okay to convince others to hate, ignore, or abandon someone who doesn’t even pose a clear, present, and real danger.

 

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The fentanyl crisis in the United States is unprecedented, with overdoses remaining the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 44, reported the US Department of State.

More than 40 percent of Americans reportedly know someone who has died from an opioid overdose, and in 2024 the United States averaged over 220 overdose deaths daily.

“Today, I am announcing a new visa restriction policy under section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act that will apply to family members and close personal and business associates of individuals sanctioned under Executive Order 14059 Imposing Sanctions on Foreign Persons Involved in the Global Illicit Drug Trade (E.O. 14059),” State Secretary Marco Rubio announced.

The action reportedly expands upon existing tools, including sanctions pursuant to E.O. 14059 and visa ineligibilities pursuant to section 212(a)(2)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act for controlled substance traffickers.

Imposing visa restrictions on drug traffickers, their family members, and close personal and business associates will not only prevent them from entering the United States, but it will serve as a deterrent for continued illicit activities.

The U.S. Department of State said it would use all necessary tools to deter and dismantle the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs from entering the United States and harming U.S. citizens.

(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)

 

 

A David upset that’s hard to duplicate in the Philippines

“Nobody roots for Goliath.”

—Wilt Chamberlain

 

By Alex P. Vidal

 

WE didn’t have to wake up Wednesday (June 25) morning to learn that a giant upset rocked the Democratic Party primary for New York City mayor.

Never mind the three-day deadly heat wave currently impacting the Eastern United States, with triple-digit temperatures and extreme heat warnings in place across major cities and surrounding areas in Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. that experienced temperatures approaching or exceeding 100 degrees, with some breaking all-time June temperature records.

Tuesday night (June 24), news was all over the United States that Zohran Kwame Mamdani, a 33-year-old upstart born in Kampala, Uganda scored one of the biggest upsets in the history of New York City by toppling 67-year-old career politician, former New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

Mamdani’s conquest of Cuomo is hard to duplicate in the Philippines, where politics is based on personality, dynasty, machinery, moneyed political party.

But it happened in the Big Apple, the so-called “City that never sleeps.”

 

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Highly regarded Cuomo didn’t wait for the entire vote to be tabulated to concede even as a winner hasn’t been officially declared due to the city’s ranked choice ballot system.

The former governor told his supporters less than two hours aftr he polls closed that “tonight was Assemblyman Mamdani’s night,” underscoring a seismic shift in American politics.

Mamdani made gains on Cuomo in recent weeks but still trailed in most polling against the former New York governor, who instantly entered the race in March as the clear favorite. But Mamdani rose rapidly as the primary approached, The Hill reported.

Mamdani’s rise is one of the most stunning in recent memory.

He entered the Democratic race to replace embattled Mayor Eric Adams (D) as a little-known state legislator who had only served in office since 2021.

He started out in single digits in polling, well behind Cuomo, and found himself in the middle of a pack of other, more established candidates trying to break through.

His momentum was apparent in recent weeks as he closed the gap behind Cuomo in the polls and gained several high-profile endorsements from top progressives such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

The progressive Working Families Party also called on voters to rank Mamdani first on their ballots.

How much he closed the gap seemed up in the air, with polls varying significantly. While one independent poll showed Mamdani within range of Cuomo and prevailing in the final round, most of the polls consistently showed Cuomo ahead.

 

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But that apparent lead didn’t materialize as voters headed to the polls. Mamdani is currently on track to be ahead after the first round and won’t need as much support from other candidates’ voters to reach a majority.

The Hill reported that with 92 percent of the estimated vote in as of Tuesday night, the New York State Assembly member led the pack with close to 44 percent of the vote, while Cuomo had 36 percent of the vote and New York City Comptroller Brad Lander sat at 11 percent.

Ultimately, Mamdani’s victory is likely to go down as one of the most stunning upsets in recent history.

Cuomo’s concession of the Democratic primary on Tuesday may have added to the stunning effect of the night’s results, but New York City voters might not have seen the last of him.

Cuomo announced in May that he would also run in the general election under the banner of the Fight and Deliver Party, saying at the time that he wanted to secure the largest coalition possible and appeal to those disillusioned with the Democratic Party.

As long as he receives enough signatures to appear on the ballot, and assuming he decides to go forward, this would likely ensure him a spot facing off against Mamdani again.

But Cuomo seemed uncertain about whether he would go through with this general election campaign, saying he’ll take time to decide how to go forward.

“I want to look at all the numbers as they come in and analyze the rank choice voting,” he said in a statement. “I will then consult with my colleagues on what is the best path for me to help the City of New York, as I have already qualified to run for mayor on an independent line in November.”

(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)