Malacanang Palace asked Vice President Leni Robredo to stop criticizing the government over the traffic issues in the country and give them something that could help to solve the problem instead.

In an interview, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo urged the Vice President to give solutions instead of complaining about the possible transportation crisis happening in the country.

According to Panelo, criticizing the government cannot solve the problem on traffic.

“Tama na ‘yang kritisismo. Ang gawin niyo na lang, ‘yung mga mahilig maghamon eh magbigay kayo ng mga mungkahi kung papaano kayo makakatulong sa pamahalaan, mga magagandang proposal gaya ni VP Leni,” said Panelo.

“Hindi makakatulong ‘yan. Magbigay na lang kasi kayo ng proposal para makatulong kayo sa pamahalaan. ‘Yun ang solusyon dun,” he added.

Panelo is responding to Robredo’s statement on her radio show, criticizing the presidential spokesperson for insisting that there’s no transportation crisis happening in the country.

“‘Yung nakakalungkot lang ‘pag public official ‘yung nagsasabing walang krisis. Kasi ‘pag sinabi mong walang krisis, wala ka talagang gagawin, kasi para sa ‘yo walang problema. Para sa atin, ‘yung pinakaunang paraan para may gawin, ‘yung pagtanggap na talagang malaki ‘yung problema,” Robredi said.

Meanwhile, the camp of Robredo defended the Vice President saying that they’re suggesting solutions to the government.

“Handa naman lagi si VP Leni na tumulong, dati pa naman siya nagbibigay ng mungkahi” Gutierrez said in a statement.

“Ang tanong lang, pagkatapos ng mahigit tatlong taon sa puwesto, ngayon lang naghahanap ng solusyon ang gobyernong matagal ng nangangako ng mabilis na sagot sa traffic? Parang pati ata pagtugon sa traffic ay na-traffic din,” he added.

Several days ago, Panelo performed the commute challenge and traveled from Marikina to Malacanang by using public transportation.

He arrived at Malacanang after almost four hours of commuting using jeepneys and a motorcycle.

However, after the challenge, Panelo said that there’s still no transportation crisis, but he said that the country is facing traffic problems.

Gabriela Representative Arlene Brosas is pushing to lower the wage of the congressmen and senators so the lawmakers can experience the life of normal citizens of the country.

According to him, lawmakers receiving minimum wage can see the real situation of the ordinary Filipinos who have a hard time budgeting their monthly salaries for their daily needs.

Brosas pointed out that lawmakers cannot find a solution to the main problems of the country if they’re not going to experience it.

“Para maramdaman ang pagiging ordinaryong mamamayan sa bansang Pilipinas, para malaman sa katotohanan magkano talaga budget para sa basic needs, sapat ba talaga para sa pamasahe, pagkain at iba pang gastusin,” Brosas said.

“Bilang ehemplo ng public service, dapat manguna tayo sa aksyon at solusyon batay sa tunay na kalagayan, paano malalaman kung ano ang solusyon kung hindi ito mararanasan?”

Lawmakers are receiving P117,086 every month while minimum wage earners are receiving 270-537 pesos every day.

NCR has the highest minimum wage of 537 pesos, however, Brosas said that its already not enough to sustain the needs of an average Filipino with five members.

Meanwhile, Laguna 3rd District Rep. Sol Aragones said that she’s respecting the proposal of Brosas. However, she stated that there might be some other ways for lawmakers to see the problems of ordinary Filipinos.

Aragones also said that the Civil Service Commission (CSC) is the agency mandated to set the salaries of public officials.

“Kung gusto nating pag-aralan talaga ang nararanasan ng ating mga kababayan baka may iba pang paraan para gawin ‘yun,” she said.

Brosas made the proposal a day after Iligan City Rep. Frederick Siao proposed that all elected officials should use public transportation every Monday to personally experience the problems in the country.

Playing Mobile Games can help you to relieve stress and have fun with friends, however doing it while at work, especially if you’re uniformed personnel could raise the eyebrows of the public.

A video of two police officers playing a popular mobile game has been circulated on social media and received criticisms from the netizens.

According to the video uploader, Owace Robie, he went to the police station in Makati around 3 AM to report an incident that happened in their barangay.

However, it seems that the police officers are busy and holding their phones while playing games.

It can be seen in the video that the cop is not seems focused on the complainant and still busy using his phone.

The uploader said that he’s supporting the PNP on their campaign, however, he was disappointed to see the said police officers prioritizing their mobile games than him.

“Ako po maka-PULIS kaya lang medyo naasar ako sa ipinakita nilang asal dahil emergency at need mapuntahan o mahuli agad ang mga gumawa ng masama doon sa lugar namin,” Robie said.

The video has been re-uploaded by several Facebook pages and already seen by millions of netizens.

The identity of the cops is not yet revealed as of writing.

Makati PNP is still not giving any comment on the video.

NCRPO is known for doing a campaign against cops that not doing their work while on duty so the netizens are expecting that the PNP will take an action against the said police officers.

Mayor Isko Moreno started his week by lecturing a Barangay official who has been caught drinking in public.

The said official was brought to Moriones Police Station in Tondo and got visited by Isko, who just did his random midnight inspection around Manila City.

According to the kagawad, he’s just celebrating the birthday of his nephew; that’s why they decided to drink despite the implementation of ordinance 5555, which prohibits people from drinking in public places.

“Kagawad ka diba? Alam mo ba yung batas?” Moreno asked the kagawad.

Moreno said that public officials and adults should behave well because the children might follow them in the future.

“Kaya tayong mga nasa hustong gulang tayo ang mag pakita sa mga bata ng katinuan dahil yung mga bata ay napapanood tayo eh, nakikita sa atin yung kamalian na akala ay normal ay gagayahin na nila,” he said.

He also explained that he has a fever for three days already but still continuing working for the people of Manila City, that’s why he was saddened to see people not cooperating with him.

“Hindi naman ako superman, kailangan ko ring matulog, ako nga birthday ko matutulog lang ako, yun lang regalo ko sa sarili ko,” he said.

The Mayor said that they can drink all they want, however, they should choose a right place to celebrate.

“Ang birthday ninyo hindi aawatin ng gobyerno, you can celebrate it a way you wanted, walang pakialam ang gobyerno, pero kapag ginawa ninyo sa kalsada may pananagutan na tayo sa pamahalaan,” he said.

Moreno decided to forgive the barangay official and his nephew for violating ordinance 5555 but he asked them not to commit the same mistake again.

3,700 detainees of New Bilibid are going to be displaced temporarily after the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) under Chief Gerald Bantag ordered the demolition of all illegal structures built along with the national penitentiary.

According to BuCor officials, 80% of illegal structures like “kubol” or private shelters were demolished by the government with the help of some detainees.

The displaced detainees are going to stay temporarily in tents provided by Senator Richard Gordon who’s also investigating the alleged corruption in the Bilibid.

NBP Spokesperson Albert Tapiru vowed that they’re going to build new facilities as replacement to the illegal structures they destroyed.

“Mayroon po kaming pondong isang bilyon na kailangan namin i-obligate ngayon. Ang isang bilyong pong iyon ay intended para sa pagpapatayo ng prison facilities,” he said.

Aside from removing the illegal structures inside the national penitentiary, the new leadership of BuCor removed more than 300 guards because of alleged involvement in corruption practices.

The said orders to BuCor were made by President Rodrigo Duterte as a response to some rumors that the illegal activities are still continuing inside the national penitentiary.

Pinoy gymnast gold medalist Carlos Yulo is set to pay a courtesy call to President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday in Malacanang.

Yulo won a gold medal in the men’s floor exercise event of the 41st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championship at the Hans Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany, last Saturday.

The news made President Rodrigo Duterte happy, and he wanted to meet Yulo together with his coach and GAP president Cynthia Carrion next week.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez relayed the message of the President to the camp of Yulo.

“We are thrilled with the golden performance with Yulo at the world champs. President Rodrigo Duterte is happy,” Ramirez said in a statement.

“Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and (former Special Assistant to the President and) Sen. Bong Go has been monitoring the competition, the Office of the President and the PSC family congratulates Caloy on this achievement. Mabuhay ang atletang Pilipino!” he added.

Meanwhile, Yulo expressed his happiness over his victory, saying that he didn’t expect that he will outperform his foreign opponents.

“I am speechless because I did not expect to win because I thought the Israeli’s score was far too high, but I wanted to show everyone what I could do so I just wanted to do my best. Talagang napakasaya ko po,” Yulo said.

After the courtesy call, Yulo is set to train to Tokyo to resume his training for the 2020 Olympics.

He’s the second Filipino athlete to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Davao-based businesswoman Guillerma Barrido confronted former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV after the hearing of the kidnapping case she filed against the latter.

While exiting the building of the Department of Justice (DOJ), Barrido shouted at Trillanes, calling him fullthick face and animal for what he did to her.

“Ang hayop mo, ang kapal ng mukha mo,” Barrido told Trillanes.

During her interview, Barrido who became emotional said that she’s seeking justice to end the lies of the former Senator.

“Napakasinungaling ng Senador na yan, mayroon siyang mga taong binayaran para mang haras sa pamilya ko,” she said.

“Lalabas din ang hustisya, lalabas din ang katotohanan,” she added.

On October 11, Barrido claimed that he was detained by Trillanes and father Albert Alejo in December 2016 as a preparation for her mission to testify against President Rodrigo Duterte.

She said that she was detained first at the Convent of Cannussian, and then at the Holy Spirit Convent to allegedly forced her to sign a “ready-made” affidavit against the administration.

Meanwhile, Father Albert Alejo denied the accusations of Barrido, saying that how a servant of God like him would do such an act.

“Hindi ako makapaniwala na may ganitong uri nag pagpaparatang, siguro lalabas din naman ang totoo… kampante kami na nasa tama kami,” he said.

Trillanes also denied that he knows Barrido and insisted that the Davao-based businesswoman has been accused by some people of swindling them.

“May history ito ng panloloko ng tao, na-ngawarta siya, ang kwento sa akin ng mga pari ay ito ay humingi sa kanya ng tulong, tapos hinihingan niya rin ng pera dahil may sasabihin din daw siya laban kay Duterte,” Trillanes said.

House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano defended the media in the Philippines, explaining that despite numerous irresponsible reportings being published against the current administration, it’s still better to have a press than nothing.

He said that the freedom of the press is an exercise to practice healthy democracy in the Philippines.

“Yes, maraming problema sa media pero mas malaking problema kung walang media,” Cayetano said.

“So doon na po tayo sa healthy yung ating democracy pero may mga problema na kailangan nating hanapan ng solusyon,” he added.

Cayetano even said that he’s supporting the decriminalization of libel to give more freedom to some reporters who are afraid to expose things because of the possibility of being sued by their subjects.

However, he insisted that the media should be responsible for their report.

“Ako, personally I’m for the decriminalization of libel para hindi mahirapan but I’m also for responsible reporting kasi ang katotohanan din talaga at madalas biktima rin ang House of Representatives,” he said.

Supporters of the Duterte administration criticized the mainstream media for their some of their reports against the President.

Even the President itself said that “he has lost faith in media” in one of his past interviews.

“Hindi na ako nagpapa-interview ha. Choosy ako, choosy… I have completely lost trust in Philippine media,” Duterte told religious leader Apollo Quiboloy

“After all the trash that you have read, all of you. Even your child is accused of doing illegal activities,” he added.

Presidential grandson Omar Duterte reacted on the demise of activist and tour guide Carlos Celdran who’s also a known critic of the President.

In his social media post, Omar Duterte has a short response on Celdran who passed away on October 8 because of heart failure according to news website Mindanation.

“Sweet Karma: Imma about to end this(“man’s”?) whole career,” Omar Duterte said in his post.

What happened to Celdran captured the attention of the netizens because one day before his demise, he posted a message wishing that the President not to go well soon after he revealed that he has a neuromuscular disease.

Celdran stayed in Spain to exile himself following the Supreme Court decision upholding that he committed offending religious feelings during his controversial rally inside Manila Cathedral in 2010.

Omar is the son of Davao City Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte and Lovelie Sangkola.