News Roundup 26 January 2024
Jan 26, 2024 • 4 min Read
‘Polvoron’ campaign emerges amid Marcos-Duterte political tussle | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — Pro-Duterte accounts unleashed a firestorm of hyperpartisan content against President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the tail end of 2023, accusing him of abusing illegal substances under the thinly veiled euphemism of “polvoron use.”
From late December 2023 to January 2024, anonymous accounts flooded several social media platforms with hundreds of posts and videos claiming, without proof, that the president had been caught on video using illegal substances and that this would be used to unseat him from office.
Philstar.com’s analysis of the posts during this time indicates this was no random smear campaign against Marcos, and in some cases, his wife First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.
While the “polvoron” allegation has been mentioned before, Philstar.com’s monitoring finds that the same 12 Facebook pages repeatedly posted identical videos five times from November to January, all of which aimed to promote the conspiracy that the president has been caught taking illegal substances.
These videos against Marcos were consistently uploaded within seconds of each other and used the same captions to fuel speculation against the president and his family.
Full Story at: ‘Polvoron’ campaign emerges amid Marcos-Duterte political tussle | Philstar.com
MTRCB junks SMNI’s plea to lift suspension on two programs | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) affirmed its decision to suspend the two programs of the Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI) after it aired unverified information and death threats.
In a resolution dated January 25, the MTRCB denied the motion for reconsideration filed by SMNI on January 11, asking the regulatory board to lift the suspension on the programs “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” and “Laban Kasama ang Bayan.”
“The Board finds no cogent reason to revise, reverse or set aside the assailed Decision dated 04 January 2024,” MTRCB’s resolution read.
“MTRCB’s mandate is to protect viewers from inappropriate content, more so on Television where viewers of all ages have unadulterated access. Grounded in the principles of due process and fairness, our resolve to enforce accountability in media content regulation is resolute,” MTRCB Chairperson Lala Sotto said in a separate press release.
Full Story at: MTRCB junks SMNI’s plea to lift suspension on two programs | Philstar.com
Romualdez on PUVMP: Filipino-made vehicles will be prioritized | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said on Friday that Filipino-made vehicles will be prioritized for the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program.
“Ang priority po natin ay Philippine-made as this will bring out Philippine jobs and all other benefits,” Romualdez said.
(Our priorities are Philippine-made vehicles as this will bring out Philippine jobs and all other benefits.)
Romualdez made the statement in a meeting with local jeepney manufacturers.
The House speaker also told jeepney manufacturers that the government and the Congress will support their industry.
“Asahan nyo po na si Presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr., kagaya ng kanyang ama, ay suportado ang anumang Philippine-made initiatives,” Romualdez added.
(Expect that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., like his father, will support Philippine-made initiatives.)
Full Story at: Romualdez on PUVMP: Filipino-made vehicles will be prioritized (inquirer.net)
Antipolo Cathedral now PH and Asia’s first international shrine | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines Most Rev. Charles John Brown said on Friday that popular piety was a manifestation of the richness of culture and faith in the country.
In his homily during the declaration of the Antipolo Cathedral as the Philippines’ first international shrine, the papal nuncio gave examples of where faith and culture met, such as the celebrations of Traslacion, Sinulog, and Simbang Gabi.
“All of these are examples of the richness, the patrimony, the treasure of Philippine popular religiosity. Popular piety. And I’m here to tell you that for me, as a non-Filipino having lived here for three years, it is so edifying and wonderful to see this evidence of the popular piety of the Filipino people,” Brown said.
“Embodied in a culture, that is exactly what we see in the Philippines. Faith, embodied in a culture, manifesting in popular piety. A faith that arrived and was received here 503 years ago, which has penetrated the culture, the minds, the hearts, the history of the Filipino nation,” he added,”
Brown said that popular piety can also be a way for people to connect with the Church, and can lead them to a deeper expression of faith.
Full Story at: Antipolo Cathedral now PH’s first international shrine (inquirer.net)
