The principal who went viral on social media after she publicly ordered the students of Ruperto Abellon National School (CRANS) in Laua-an, Antique, to remove the toga they were wearing was facing investigation from the Department of Education (DepEd).
In a statement, the DepEd clarified that there was no order to forbid any students from wearing toga during graduation ceremonies, as it was included in the “optional supplementary garment” under DepEd Order No. 009.
“DepEd policy does not prohibit the wearing of togas. There is no prohibition under DepEd Memorandum No. 27, s. 2025 and under DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2023, the prescribed attire for graduation and moving-up ceremonies includes casual or formal wear or the school uniform,” DepEd said in a statement.
DepEd vowed to investigate the principal identified as Venus Nietes.
They also assured all the students who attended the graduation that they would receive their graduation credentials.
“We assure the public that this Office shall exhaust all means to ensure that affected learners will not be deprived of their rights and privileges as graduates, such as receiving their diplomas, certificates, and other credentials.” they said.
It can be recalled that the principal was even publicly heckled by one of the graduating students due to his disappointment over the last-minute order.
Nietes has yet to give any statement following the controversy she was facing.
In 2023, students of the same school held a rally against Nietes for alleged mismanagement.
A grade 7 student was currently undergoing counseling after his teacher discovered obscene letters in his notebook.
The letter was addressed to his teacher, Cheska Reyes, who also uploaded some of the photos of the notebook contents.
In the said letters, it showed that even the cover of the notebook had obscene messages towards his teacher.
The teacher couldn’t hide her frustration, saying that the incident was only one of the challenges she was facing in her profession.
“As the 2024–2025 school year draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that was as challenging as it was eye-opening. This has been a year of firsts—some of which I never expected to encounter so early, or perhaps ever, in my teaching career.”
“Teaching is often romanticized as a noble, fulfilling profession—and in many ways, it is. But behind the scenes, there are moments that test not only our patience, but our safety, resilience, and EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL strength.
“One of the hardest realities I faced this year was being subjected to sexual harassment. It’s something no one prepares you for when you walk into a classroom hoping to inspire and educate. No training or seminar could have cushioned the blow of that experience. What followed was a series of difficult conversations, internal struggles, and the effort to continue showing up for my students each day while carrying an invisible weight.
“I also found myself in the guidance office far more often than I anticipated—not for personal reflection or mentorship meetings, but because of students involved in physical fights. Breaking up altercations and dealing with the aftermath, whether emotional or procedural, became an unexpected part of my job description. It was exhausting and disheartening, and yet I learned the importance of advocating for mental health support and strong behavioral structures in our schools.
“As if those weren’t enough, this year marked my first time completing a mountain of school forms—documentation, reports, requests, and evaluations. Learning the ropes while managing a classroom taught me a new level of organization and time management, but it also revealed the overwhelming burden teachers often carry behind the scenes.
“Then there were the physical reminders of chaos: broken classroom materials. Desks scratched, chairs dismantled, resources treated with carelessness. It felt like every broken item was a reflection of the deeper challenges our students are facing—frustration, lack of accountability, maybe even cries for help.
“And yet, amid all this, I kept going.
“I kept teaching, smiling when I could, checking in on students even when I felt drained, and reminding myself why I chose this path. Not because it’s easy, but because I believe in the power of education to change lives—even when the system itself feels broken.
“This year has been more than a professional experience—it has been a test of my identity, values, and passion. And despite everything, I still believe in the potential of this profession and the change we can create when we’re truly heard, protected, and supported.
“To fellow educators: I see you.
“And to my students: I hope you one day realize that even on my hardest days, I never stopped believing in you.”
The post received thousands of shares online and also captured the attention of several officials of the Department of Education (DepEd).
They were already investigating the action of the said student.
The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) made a clarification on the confusion being experienced by some Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) who cast their votes via online voting.
It can be recalled that some OFWs claimed that different candidates appeared in the results of their vote lookup.
Others even recorded their actual voting despite the possible election violations they might face to prove that different names were appearing in the vote lookup results.
Photo from Landrex Orozco Rebuera/FB
However, COMELEC said that the code appearing on the “Ballot Content” is not the result of the online voting result, but a coded version of the whole ballot, which shows all the candidates’ names.
“It’s the plaintext version of the ballot itself. So ‘yung makikita nila doon if they actually scroll from the start to finish, what they will see is all the list of candidates that are in the ballot itself,” said Ian Geonanga, Overseas Voting Director of COMELEC.
According to Geonanga, the system does not allow OFWs to see the candidates they voted for until after the official vote-casting to avoid possible vote-buying incidents.
He assured that the ballot results would be released to the public after all the votes had been cast.
The commission also said that the Ballot ID shown in the Vote Lookup proves that the system has already recognized their votes.
Vice Mayoral candidate Bernie Al-Ag claimed that Davao City might lose its budget from the National Government if the Duterte family won the local elections again.
During a campaign rally held in Davao City, Al-Ag cited the importance of a flood control project to prevent more flooding in their place in the future.
However, a flood control project would cost around P10-B, which would be a challenge to fund, especially without help from the national government.
He claimed that if the Dutertes win the election, they will receive zero budget for their infrastructure projects.
“Kung sila ang manalo [Duterte] wala silang makukuhang budget sa national government,” said Al-Ag.
Al-Ag was confident that if his party, which consisted of Davao City Congressional candidate Migs Nograles and Davao City Mayoral candidate Karlo Nograles, won, the national government would grant them a sufficient budget for the project.
Critics called out Al-Ag, saying that his strategy to make people vote based on the budget that Davao City would receive was unethical.
“The VM Candidate seems to have forgotten—or perhaps deliberately ignores—that Davao City has long proven its ability to stand on its own. As of December 2024, our city proudly remained DEBT-FREE, a testament to disciplined governance and fiscal responsibility. So why, then, is the NATIONAL BUDGET being shamelessly politicized? Instead of offering concrete platforms, actionable programs, or a clear vision for progress, the campaign discussions have been reduced to petty debates over budget allocations—as if Davaoenos are mere beggars waiting for scraps from the national table,” netizen Giever Delyang said.
Miss Universe 1969 Gloria Diaz reminded senatorial candidate and action star Philip Salvador to support his child first before making any call-to-action on former President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest.
In a video posted on Instagram, showing Philip’s statement urging the former President to be freed from the custody of the ICC, Gloria commented and told the actor to prioritize sending child support first instead of interfering with other issues.
“‘Yung anak mo padalan mo ng pera,” said Gloria
Philip is the father of Kris Aquino’s child, Josh.
Several months ago, Kris alleged that Philip was using Josh to gain sympathy from the netizens for political gain.
Philip said that he was longing for his child, whom he hadn’t seen for almost a decade.
“Ito ‘yung pagtatapat lamang ni Philip Salvador sa ilan niyang kaibigan na nami-miss daw niya.” said showbiz reporter Ogie Diaz. “Talagang sinolo na ni Kris Aquino ang pagpapalaki sa kanyang mga anak,”
However, Kris, in a past interview, said that she was still grateful to Philip as he didn’t interfere with how she raised Josh.
“No issues whatsoever kay Phillip Salvador, kasi hindi naman niya kami ginulo. Wala siyang masamang sinabi tungkol sa akin. Publicly, pinuri niya ang pamilya ko, ang mom ko, ako, mga kapatid ko sa pagpapalaking nagawa namin kay Josh. So, sa kaniya, grateful ako.” she stated.
As of writing, Philip has yet to respond to Gloria’s comments.
Marjorie Barretto finally ended her silence following the accusations made by her former partner, Dennis Padilla, against his daughter, Claudia.
It can be recalled that Dennis claimed he was treated as an ordinary visitor during Claudia’s wedding and was not even part of any program befitting his role as the father of the bride.
In an interview with Ogie Diaz, Marjorie narrated her side of the story during the wedding, saying that Dennis caused commotion during the event.
Marjorie said that when Claudia walked down the aisle, Dennis almost stole the spotlight as he was crying so hard, prompting the coordinators to ask the latter to go outside.
However, Dennis demanded that the organizers change the event’s programming to include him.
Marjorie even said that Dennis was absent during the majority of their children’s lives and didn’t even pay for child support.
She even questioned how the comedian could do such a thing to his daughter during the most special day of her life.
“Wala siyang ginawa kundi magpa-interview. Magpapa-awa siya at miss daw niya ang mga children. I know he misses the children. But the point is napapahiya na ang mga bata. Nasasaktan sila na pinag-uusapan sila in public. Hindi niya sinisiraan pero binabash naman ang mga anak ko,” said Marjorie.
“Ang pagiging ama ay magpalaki, magprovide, at magprotect lalo na sa mga batang babae. Just don’t destroy them, don’t hurt them. Tama na ang pagiinterview mo.” she added.
As of this writing, Dennis has yet to respond to Marjorie.
Controversial cop, Patrolman Steve Fontillas, claimed that he voluntarily left the Philippine National Police (PNP) after the alleged pressure he experienced since he started publicly criticizing high government officials.
It can be recalled that despite the non-partisanship rule of PNP, Fontillas criticized President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr, PNP Chief Police Gen. Rommel Marbil, and Maj. Gen. Nicolas Torre III for their decision to surrender former President Rodrigo Duterte before the ICC.
His posts made him instantly popular on social media, but in exchange, he was summoned by his superiors several times and even ordered to undergo a neuropsychiatric test.
“Today I surrender my uniform, my badge, and my gun. I will leave PNP for a moment and I will come back when the right time comes. Masyado na nila akong iniipit at gingipit dahil ako ay maliit lamang. Pero sa isang labanan, hindi masama ang umatras dahil kapag umatras ka, hindi naman ibig sabihin na tapos na ang laban,” said Fontillas.
“Yes, I will surrender my power as a police officer. But I will never surrender my power as one true brave fighter. I will fight for my right. I will fight for my freedom. And whatever happens, I will never give a damn!” he added.
As of writing, PNP has yet to confirm if Fontillas left the organization or if he was removed for not following the organization’s regulations.
Claudine Barretto couldn’t hide her disappointment when she was allegedly blocked from attending the wedding of her niece, Claudia Barretto.
In an interview with Ogie Diaz, Dennis Padilla shared that Claudine asked for his help to give her gifts to Claudia as she couldn’t attend the wedding anymore.
When asked why Claudine did not attend the wedding, the actress told Dennis that Marjorie blocked her on a messaging app.
“Tumawag (si Claudine) kagabi sa akin. She (had sent) Viber messages to Marjorie ‘kung pwede naman siyang um-attend, magbibigay lang ng gift kay Claudia. Pangatlong message binura tapos blinock pa siya. So hindi na pumasok messages niya kaya iyak siya nang iyak,” said Dennis.
“Sabi ko, ‘Kahit hindi ka invited, pumunta ka. Tatabihan kita.’ Alam mo naman kung gaano ka-spoiled si Claudia kay Claudine — parang anak na niya ’yon.” he added.
Dennis even encouraged Claudine to attend without an invitation, but the actress had already decided.
“Pagkaunawa ko, hindi. Nakikiusap nga siyang ma-invite e. Kaya nga sinabi ko sa kanya na kahit hindi ka invited pumunta ka, tatabihan kita. Kasi kung dumating naman siya alangang itaboy mo? E si Claudine Barretto ‘yon. Tsaka tiyahin yon, kamag-anak ‘yon, kadugo ‘yon.” he said.
Aside from Claudine, Gretchen Barretto was reportedly not invited to the wedding.
The Filipino-Chinese businessman who was allegedly abducted by an unidentified group was reportedly found lifeless together with his driver in the province of Rizal.
According to columnist Ramon Tulfo, the businessman, Anson Que, who owned Elison Steel, was found lifeless in a Rizal town, despite the reports that the family already paid P160-M ransom.
“Sa aking nakalap na balita sa mga reliable sources, nagbayad ang pamilya ng biktima ng PhP60 million ransom ng pauna at PhP100 million ng pangalawa. Pero pinaslang pa rin si Que kasama ang kanyang driver,” said Tulfo.
“Malaking sampal ito sa Philippine National Police,” he added.
According to a report from the Filipino-Chinese community news website Phhua.com, Que was abducted at a popular seafood restaurant in Pasay City using a quick and unsuspicious way.
They added that the family allegedly didn’t inform the authorities and negotiated with the people behind the abduction privately to ensure the safety of the victim.
It was also reported that the victim was known for traveling without bodyguards, which was being eyed as one of the reasons why he became the target of the group.
As of writing, PNP has yet to give a statement on Que’s case.
Comedian Gene Padilla narrated how his brother, Dennis Padilla, was treated as a regular visitor during the wedding of the latter’s daughter, Claudia Barretto.
In his post, Gene said that Dennis was surprised to learn that he was not part of any program during the wedding.
Dennis was also not the one who accompanied his daughter to the altar.
“Ngayon lang ako naka-witness ng kasal na hindi part ng program ang ama ng bride, sa aga namin dun, nandun mga event organizer [at] wala man lang nagsabi na hindi siya part ng program,” said Gene.
“Hindi kasama [si Dennis] sa entourage na maglalakad sa gitna papuntang harapan ng altar,” he added.
Gene also said that Dennis was asked to sit beside the sponsors, but his group chose to backrow of the church due to their disappointment.
“Ang tagal na panahon na nanunuyo at nanghingi ng atensyon ama niyo sa inyo mga anak. Yan ba itinanmin ng mga nakapaligid sa inyo? Puro kayo karangyaan at kasikatan, sa inyo na lahat yan,” said Gene.
It can be recalled that Dennis expressed his disappointment on social media after the wedding, calling his own daughter ‘makapal.’
“Sagad sa buto!” Dennis, when asked about how disappointed he was after his experience.
As of writing, Claudia’s camp has yet to give any response to the issue.
