News

Misamis Oriental Governor Criticized for Misogynistic Remarks

Published

3 weeks ago

April 7, 2025

Filman

📷: Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines — Following the controversy surrounding a Pasig congressional candidate, another politician, this time from Mindanao, is under scrutiny for making misogynistic remarks during a campaign event.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is expected to issue a show cause order against Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia for comments he made about the nursing profession. Unabia, who is running for re-election in the upcoming May elections, stated that his administration’s nursing scholarship program was only for “beautiful women,” suggesting that unattractive nurses could worsen a patient’s condition.

During a campaign rally in Villanueva town on Thursday, Unabia said, “This nursing scholarship is for women only, not men. And only for beautiful women.” He further added, “It’s not for the unattractive, because if a male patient who is already weak is attended by an ugly nurse, what would happen? Their condition might worsen.”

Youth advocate Cyrus Arado-Ubay Valcueba shared a video of Unabia’s remarks on social media, which quickly went viral. Valcueba expressed his disappointment, writing, “It’s sad that our current leader is a sexist and racist. Imagine, there’s a nursing scholarship in the province, but you can’t avail of it if you don’t meet the governor’s standards.”

In response to the controversy, Comelec Chair George Garcia confirmed that a show cause order would be issued against Unabia, similar to the one issued against Pasig congressional candidate Christian Sia, who also faced backlash for a misogynistic comment about single mothers.

Garcia emphasized that sexist remarks and gender-based discrimination should not be tolerated in political campaigns. He also stated that Comelec would not stop issuing show cause orders until those responsible are held accountable.

In addition to his remarks on the scholarship program, Unabia made controversial comments targeting the Moro community. He implied that if his son’s political opponent, a candidate married to a Maranao politician, were to win, the Maranaos would dominate the region, potentially leading to security instability similar to the situation in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Human Rights Watch Senior Researcher Carlos Conde described Unabia’s anti-Muslim rhetoric as “deeply concerning,” pointing out that Mindanao has long struggled with conflict and harmony.

Unabia later issued a statement claiming that the video circulating online was a “distorted version” of his comments and clarified that he did not intend to disrespect the Maranao people.

News credit to: INQUIRER.NET

News

World Leaders to Attend Pope Francis’ Funeral in Rome on Saturday

Published

1 week ago

April 23, 2025

Filman

Pope Francis, renowned for his humility and commitment to building bridges across different backgrounds and faiths, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday, April 26. The pontiff passed away on Monday after a period of declining health, which included an extended hospital stay earlier this year due to double pneumonia.

A number of world leaders are expected to attend the funeral, including former U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Prince William.

Meanwhile, a second cardinal eligible to vote in the upcoming conclave to elect the next pope has withdrawn due to health concerns. Cardinal Antonio Cañizares Llovera, 79, will not travel to Rome for the funeral or participate in the conclave, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid confirmed to ABC News. Although still under the voting age limit of 80, his health has prevented his involvement.

Earlier this week, Cardinal Vinko Puljić also announced he would not take part in the conclave for similar health-related reasons, according to Italy’s ANSA news agency.

Cardinal Cañizares Llovera is one of five voting-eligible cardinals from Spain. Of the 252 total members of the College of Cardinals, only 135 are under the age of 80 and thus eligible to vote. With these two cardinals stepping aside, 133 are now expected to cast ballots to elect the 267th pope.

News

President Bongbong Marcos Turns Over 91 Ambulances to Northern Mindanao and BARMM

Published

1 week ago

April 23, 2025

Filman

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. led the ceremonial turnover of 91 modern ambulances to the Northern Mindanao Region and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) yesterday, held at the Pelaez Sports Center in Cagayan de Oro City.

Of the total units, 85 were distributed to various municipalities and cities across Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur. The remaining six units were allocated to the BARMM.

The turnover is part of a PHP 2.2 billion government initiative to acquire 1,000 ambulances for nationwide distribution, aimed at enhancing the emergency and disaster response capabilities of Local Government Units (LGUs).

These state-of-the-art Patient Transport Vehicles were provided through the Medical Transport Vehicle Donation Program (MTVDP) of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO).

Each ambulance is equipped with a stretcher, oxygen tank, and blood pressure monitor to ensure the safe and efficient transport of patients during emergencies.

News

Magnitude 6.3 Earthquake Jolts Parts of Mindanao

Published

1 week ago

April 23, 2025

News Team

Several areas in Mindanao were rocked by a magnitude 6.3 earthquake on Tuesday night, causing panic among residents and prompting precautionary safety checks across affected communities.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the earthquake struck at around 10:00 p.m., with the epicenter located near the province of Davao del Sur. The tremor was tectonic in origin and had a depth of focus of 15 kilometers.

Strong shaking was felt in various parts of Mindanao, including Davao City, General Santos, Cotabato, and nearby provinces. In some areas, the quake lasted several seconds and caused items to fall from shelves and power outages to occur briefly.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties, but local disaster response units were quickly mobilized to assess the situation and ensure the safety of residents. Authorities have advised the public to remain vigilant as aftershocks are expected.

Phivolcs reminded residents in quake-prone areas to review emergency preparedness plans and stay updated through official channels for any developments.

The earthquake serves as a reminder of the country’s vulnerability to seismic activity, as the Philippines lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur each year.

Source: PHIVOLCS