The Chronicle of 2025, Ashes Beneath the Serpent’s Sky
2025 was a year of shadows and fire, a serpent’s trail winding through scandals, tragedies, and resilience. From hostage crises and stolen infants to political spectacles and viral betrayals, the headlines carved themselves into memory. Each story carried sorrow, yet within the chaos, hope flickered: families rebuilt, voices rose, and communities endured.
I wrote this poem not only because so many things happened, but because I saw them unfold on the screens of my devices, and I felt them, I felt them all in my heart. My sympathies are with OFWs who miss their families, carrying the frustration of opportunities lost in our own country; with nurses who chose their path to give their loved ones a better life; with every eldest sibling who holds the family together while setting aside their own dreams; with those battling mental disorders; with people who endure abuse in any form; with those who play fair, whose wealth and achievements are unquestionable; and with all who continue to dream, finding in these events the reasons why living is not always easy.
One day, I hope to write something filled with good news. I know the bad will not simply vanish from our world, but I choose to be hopeful, because hope is our light in the darkest times we are witnessing and experiencing.
January : The Month That Warned Us
The year began not with fire,
but with silence wrapped in static.
A drone show lit the sky
but shadows lingered in the crowd.
Daryl’s film stirred ghosts we hadn’t buried,
Vic filed a lawsuit, but the truth stayed sealed.
Honey denied the garbage debt,
but the stench of something deeper
clung to the air.
A sampaguita girl stood her ground,
while a guard forgot how to see her.
Barbie and Jak let go
and fans clung to what was once “forever.”
And somewhere in the noise,
Gloria Romero slipped away
an era folded into silence.
The president spoke of transparency,
but the mirror stayed fogged.
And then,
Gordon Ramsay tasted sinigang.
Praised the hands that stirred it.
And for a moment,
the country felt seen
in the simmer of its soul.
January didn’t shout.
It whispered.
A warning in the wind,
a prelude in the ash.
Mysteries left untouched,
like letters never opened.
And still, we danced.
Because what else do you do
when the year begins
with a funeral and a flash?
February : The Month of Broken Bridges
February came with flowers,
but some wilted before they bloomed.
A bridge in Cabagan fell
and so did our faith in those
who meant to hold it.
The court dismissed the case of Sandro Muhlach,
but the silence of victims
still trembled louder than the verdict.
Jam and Jellie, a love turned violent,
echoed through screens and courtrooms.
No one deserves that kind of heartbreak,
especially in a month meant for roses.
Shortly, after the news broke,
Karla Estrada gone viral on TikTok,
Allegedly teasing Jellie,
With "I win, you lose".
Diwata wore culture like costume,
then bowed beneath the backlash.
Andi and Philmar, once an island calm,
weathered the storm and found each other again.
Claire Castro rose to Undersecretary,
while the Senate debated dynasties.
The people asked for change,
but the system replied with silence.
Jessica Soho showed us
that even lolo’t lola
could be illusions
AI in a cardigan,
a warning wrapped in warmth.
And then,
Barbie Hsu died.
And the millennials mourned
like they’d lost
a piece of their own youth.
February didn’t break us.
But it reminded us
that love must be louder
than the cracks in our bridges.
March : The Month of Reckoning
March didn’t knock.
It broke the door.
A gun fired in Antipolo,
and the nation flinched.
Dashcam truths went viral,
but the real violence
was older than the footage.
Delia Razon left the stage,
and the curtains felt heavier.
Another era gone,
another silence stitched into memory.
Duterte was arrested
and for some,
justice finally whispered back.
Not loud, not triumphant,
but enough to breathe again.
Rachel Zegler’s Snow White arrived,
but her words bruised the fairy tale.
Because sometimes magic fades
when ego speaks louder than grace.
Mental health advocates rose,
not with slogans,
but with softness.
They spoke for the broken,
the grieving,
the ones still trying to name their pain.
March was not all bad.
It was the month
we stopped pretending
That everything was fine.
And in that honesty,
something began to heal.
April : The Month of Orphaned Hope
April asked us to look inward.
Not at the headlines
but at the homes we came from.
Dennis Padilla’s wounds spilled online,
Marjorie Barretto spoke up,
answering her ex-husband’s cries.
She spoke of scars unseen
but behind the drama,
a nation whispered:
What if my parents are like that too?
What if love came with conditions,
and silence was survival?
Mental health wasn’t a hashtag this time.
It was a memory.
A bruise. A truth we finally named.
Vitaly came to mock us
but we didn’t laugh.
We showed him the door,
and reminded the world:
We are not your punchline.
We are not your playground.
Then the legends left.
Pilita. Nora. Hajji.
Too good for this world,
they slipped into the stars
while we clung to their songs.
The Pope passed,
and churches filled with candlelight.
Even the skeptics bowed their heads.
Single mom struck in Makati
SUV driven without consent,
six children orphaned
streets echo with cries for justice.
A schoolyard bully was caught on camera,
and the nation asked:
How long have we been teaching cruelty
without meaning to?
Cyberattacks rose,
text scams stole millions,
and yet, somehow
we were delighted to hear
that Drew Arellano chose a quiet revolution,
and men talked about vasectomy
without shame.
“Luma Kotse Mo” trended,
but beneath the mockery
was a question:
Why do we measure worth
by what we drive?
April didn’t scream.
It reflected.
It was memorable.
It reminded us
that healing begins
when we stop pretending
we’re not hurting.
May : The Month of Wounds and Windows
May was not a gentle month.
It came with sirens,
with skid marks on asphalt,
with headlines that felt like warnings.
San Juanico Bridge closed,
and it felt symbolic
as if even our icons needed rest.
SCTEX and NAIA turned tragic,
and the streets whispered:
Drive slow. Stay alive.
Or you’ll become a hashtag.
Yanna apologized,
but the road rage stayed viral.
We saw ourselves in her fury,
and in her regret.
“You tell me” became a meme,
but beneath the laughter
was a nation tired of being gaslit.
Politics shifted.
Celebrity candidates lost,
and the people said:
We’ve learned.
We want leaders, not actors.
Kiko and Bam returned,
and the comeback felt earned.
Not flashy. Just necessary.
Euleen Castro stirred the pot,
Diwata’s mask slipped,
and Ivanna’s name got dragged
into a mayor’s mess.
Then came the grief we didn’t expect.
Ricky Davao. Freddie Aguilar.
Gone too soon,
like curtain calls we weren’t ready for.
They deserved more than headlines,
they deserved standing ovations.
And in the middle of all that noise,
a woman gave birth alone
in a public hospital.
Her only companion?
A Jollibee paper bag.
It held her things,
but also her strength.
And when she shared her story,
the nation wept.
Because sometimes,
a paper bag carries more than food,
it also carries hope.
BINI stumbled,
then stood back up.
Their apology tour became a meme,
but also a lesson:
Growth is messy.
But it’s still growth.
“My Love Will Make You Disappear”
made ₱173 million disappear
from wallets and hearts.
And far beyond our islands,
a new pope was named.
Leo XIV.
A shift in robes,
a ripple in faith.
And the world watched
as tradition turned a page.
May was not kind.
But it cracked open the silence.
It showed us our wounds
and gave us windows
to look through them.
June : The Month of Motion Without Meaning
June was the middle.
Not the beginning,
not the end,
just the part where people
kept moving.
Controversy? Scroll.
Scandal? Swipe.
Sara was impeached.
Rodrigo was arrested.
But the streets didn’t riot,
they reposted.
They laughed.
They moved on.
BINI ate isaw on livestream,
and the internet smiled.
Because sometimes,
relatability is more powerful
than perfection.
Zeinab and Ray got married,
and it was beautiful.
But beauty doesn’t stop the rain.
Tropical Storm Auring reminded us
that nature doesn’t care
about our timelines.
Matet de Leon, selling with heart,
paused as cruel words cut through the stream.
She wept, yet vowed to keep loving the craft
proof that resilience endures
beyond insensitive voices.
The sabungeros case reopened.
A whistleblower spoke.
And the silence cracked, just a little.
June was not loud.
It was a scroll.
A stream. A celebration
without pause.
But beneath the motion,
something stirred.
A reckoning.
A question.
A whisper:
What are we really moving toward?
July : The Month of Rising Waters
July was a concert.
Loud. Bright.
A little too perfect.
Until the spotlight landed
on two executives
playing away from home
at a Coldplay show.
And suddenly,
everyone remembered
their own office scandals.
Their own whispered truths.
It was funny.
It was thrilling.
It was a mirror.
Back home,
Typhoon Bising hit.
And while the rain poured,
Zac Alviz posted his condo.
Luxury against floodwater.
And the internet snapped.
Because empathy
isn’t just a caption.
Lolit Solis passed away.
A voice of showbiz silenced.
And the nation mourned
with both nostalgia and grace.
Breakups trended.
Heaven and Marco.
Elisse and McCoy.
Klea and Katrice.
Love stories folded
like umbrellas in a storm.
the Supreme Court
called the VP impeachment
unconstitutional.
A crack. A shift. A signal
that the cluelessness of June
was beginning to fade.
Then came Totoy.
The sabungeros whistleblower.
He revealed his face.
Named names.
Filed complaints.
And the silence
finally had a voice.
Atong Ang’s name surfaced,
a shadow in the sabungeros’ fate
whispers of power,
echoes of the vanished.
Gretchen Barretto’s name echoed,
woven into the sabungeros’ fate
a star caught in shadows,
her silence heavy as smoke.
Influencers were warned,
content creators called to halt
illegal games of chance
cannot be dressed as clicks and clouts.
Half of the nation raised eyebrows
and the other half applauded at
PBBM’s “Mahiya naman kayo!”
referring to ‘ghost’ flood control projects.
And somewhere in Asia,
F4 reunited.
Millennials gasped.
Time rewound.
And for a moment,
the heartbreaks of youth
felt like love songs again.
And on cinema,
How to Get Away from My Toxic Family
played like a confession.
OFWs wept.
Families flinched.
Because sometimes,
a movie isn’t just a story,
it’s a mirror we’re not ready to face.
July was not just a concert.
It was the moment
the music paused
and the crowd leaned in.
Not to cheer.
But to listen.
August : The Month of Cracks and Comedians
August was a balancing act.
A month of almosts.
Almost stable.
Almost silent.
Almost safe.
But the cracks were showing.
Not loud enough to collapse,
just loud enough to notice.
The President fired the PNP Chief.
A clean break,
or a strategic sacrifice?
The people weren’t sure.
But they were watching.
The Supreme Court ruled.
The sabungeros whistleblower named names.
And suddenly, truth had a face.
And fear had a deadline.
In the West Philippine Sea,
ships danced dangerously.
China. The Philippines.
A choreography of tension.
And still, Vice Ganda joked about jet skis.
while people bopped to Jet2 memes
And the nation laughed.
Because sometimes,
humor is the only thing
that doesn’t lie.
DOTr suspends a driver,
child’s hands on the wheel,
safety reclaimed.
Smokers puffed on ‘tuklaw,’
the black cigarette
and seizures struck,
like venom disguised as smoke.
Pio Balbuena clashed with a cap.
Liza Soberano said
“Mind your f**king business.”
And the internet
did exactly the opposite.
Barbie and Jameson held hands.
BINI filed a lawsuit.
Unjust vexation, they said.
And the trolls paused, just a little.
Their shine dimmed, but their fight didn’t.
They were learning
how to protect their light.
Fruit vendor struck in Laguna
truck without brakes, driver leapt away,
monsoon’s grief carved into roadside stalls,
justice demanded in the dust of Mabitac.
Mayor Vico raised his voice
not in anger, but in clarity.
He called out the broadcasters,
their Discaya interviews
echoing louder than truth.
And the people heard
the difference between spectacle
and sincerity.
M4GG : mayors united for good governance,
a viral vow against corruption,
promising resilience beyond politics and power.
August was a mirror
held up to power.
It said: You can still hide
but not for long.
And in the background,
a comedian laughed.
Not because it was funny
but because we needed to remember how.
September : The Month of Crocodiles and Clarity
September was a soap opera.
But no one was acting.
The tears were real.
The villains wore suits.
And the audience?
They were waving flags
with skulls and straw hats.
The rallies spilled into Luneta,
into EDSA,
into Instagram stories.
Gen Z led the march,
but titas and titos followed.
Because corruption
doesn’t care about your birth year.
At the rally,
Vice Ganda minced no words.
Curses flew at the corrupt,
and the crowd roared.
Because sometimes,
truth doesn’t whisper.
It shouts. It swears.
It refuses to be polite.
Nath Geralde raised her fist
mocked for underarms, yet unbowed,
her body stood for justice.
Isko Moreno drew the line.
Recto’s riot, not a bannered cause,
no group to claim the chaos,
just noise without a name.
“Ghost projects” became punchlines.
Crocodiles flooded the feed.
And every meme was a mirror.
A farm-to-market road promised,
pathways carved for farmers’ weary feet,
bridges of soil and stone
meant to carry harvests into hungry towns.
Vince Dizon appointed as DPWH secretary
Consistent in his voice of frustration,
Ghost projects haunt the nation’s roads.
echoing storms against shadows of fraud.
Richard Gomez fires back: verify your facts
Discayas hurled names,
solons tangled in the flood control
turned to chaos,
and the mess rose like water.
Nepo babies vanished from feeds,
some silenced the comments.
But their absence became a punchline,
and soon, they were memes themselves.
Escudero ousted, not resigned
₱30M shadows and flood projects stirred the Senate,
Sotto crowned in his place,
while Chiz walked away without grudges.
Romualdez stepped down.
Zaldy Co escaped, later resigned,
flood projects weighed heavy,
his seat abandoned,
but shadows chased him still
Toby Tiangco warned:
resignation is not accountability
Alcantara named names
engineers and lawmakers pulled into the flood’s shadow.
Hernandez confessed to cars and cuts,
ghost projects carved in Bulacan’s soil.”
Profit‑sharing schemes unveiled,
engineers’ voices cracked the dam of silence.”
Senate halls echoed with revelations,
corruption mapped in rivers and roads.
Villanueva turned emotional
denying flood control ties,
vowing never to betray his principle
Kiko Barzaga spoke.
Not with a microphone
but with satire.
And the people listened.
Even when the elders
rolled their eyes.
Mayor Magalong resigned from ICI.
Not with scandal,
but with quiet dignity.
And the people saw him
as one of the few
who still stood straight
when the walls cracked.
South Korea closed its vault,
P28.7‑B frozen mid‑stream
corruption’s shadow too heavy,
the loan halted before it could flow.
Discayas danced in parody,
Michael V impersonated.
Because sometimes,
truth wears a wig
and speaks in punchlines.
Floods hit Luzon.
Fake news hit harder.
Deepfakes of Sarah.
False endorsements of Alex.
And the Senate finally said:
We need a bill.
Miriam’s voice remembered
corruption’s shadow met with iron fire,
her words echo across social media,
a conscience unbent by storms.
Escudero denied the flood control accusations,
calling them a script by Romualdez,
a plot to cast him as the sacrificial lamb
in the corruption scandal’s play.
Heart Evangelista posted.
And the nation zoomed in.
She wept on screen
declaring all she owns is hard‑earned,
her tears a shield against shadows
that politics cast upon her name.
Maine Mendoza broke her silence
defending Arjo with truth and tears,
rejecting lies that painted theft,
vowing their names won’t drown in noise.
Inka Magnaye raised her voice
defending love against corruption’s shadow,
insisting not all who serve are tainted.
Private tears became public storms.
Because when politics
touches celebrity, the algorithm listens.
Jinggoy struck back,
calling Kiko ‘unfair’ for the PDAF mention
a clash of names in corruption’s shadow.
Tulfo spoke of bending the law
anger turned into viral storm,
Padilla pushed back with rule of law
Barzaga’s phone lit Congress halls,
Sandro pressed, yet silence remained.
Garin stepped in, a viral storm rose,
Romualdez’s shadow lingered in frame.
From viral storms to sharper blows,
Puno vs. Barzaga, madness hurled in Congress.
An ethics complaint filed,
justice weighed against words of scorn.
Dogs went viral in typhoon’s wake,
loyal eyes across flooded streets,
social media lit with fur and faith,
companions of chaos, symbols of hope.
Julia and Gerald broke up.
Janella and Klea?
“What you see is what you get.”
And the people
saw everything.
And before the month ended,
politicians pointed fingers
like it was an advance Halloween party.
But the masks were off.
And the people
were finally awake.
The world stood stunned,
Charlie Kirk’s death shook nations,
Jimmy Kimmel’s words sparked suspension,
a clash of grief and satire,
reminding us how fragile truth and free speech can be.
And somewhere,
someone dealing with their own battles
pressed play on Demon Hunters.
Because even rebellion
needs a soundtrack.
And sometimes,
the loudest songs
are the ones
that hold you together.
And in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene,
Enid spoke Tagalog
in Wednesday Season 2.
And every Filipino fan
sat up straighter
as if the world had finally said,
“We see you.”
And in the middle of the noise,
Kara David blew out candles.
Her birthday wish went viral,
and suddenly,
it wasn’t just hers
it was the nation’s.
A single hope echoed by millions.
September ended,
but its echoes remained.
Crocodiles and clarity,
satire and truth
reminding the nation
that awakening
is only the beginning.
October : The Month the Ground Spoke
The month began
with earthquakes.
Not just one.
Not just in one place.
Cebu. Davao Oriental
Zambales. Iloilo. Baguio
The ground shook
like it had something to say.
And maybe it did.
Maybe nature was tired
of holding up to what the people
were no longer willing to carry.
Because above the cracks,
the drama continued.
The government
performed its soap opera
with crocodiles in suits
and ghosts in the budget.
Then came the portrait.
PBBM’s headshot edited, debated, dissected.
Because even a photo
can feel like a lie
when the truth is shaking beneath your feet.
The bridge in Cagayan collapsed.
The DPWH office burned.
And still, they approved the 2026 budget
like nothing had happened.
Risa Hontiveros stood firm,
denying whispers of illegal insertions,
rumors fading against her resolve.
Romualdez faced the ICI.
Ping Lacson lost hope.
Alan Cayetano said,
“Let’s all resign.”
And for a moment,
it felt like the system
was daring itself to start over.
But the masks stayed on.
And the memes kept coming.
Kiko Barzaga skipped his hearing.
Magalong clashed with Usec Claire.
Zaldy Co’s planes were traced abroad.
And the people watched
like it was the season finale
of a show they couldn’t stop streaming.
Trillanes strikes with plunder’s charge,
Duterte and Bong Go named,
kin entwined in contracts worth billions
conflict of blood and power laid bare.
And just when we thought that we’d seen it all
the feed cracked open.
Emman Atienza. 19. Gone.
And suddenly,
the earthquake wasn’t just in the soil.
It was in our chests.
In our timelines.
In our silence.
Because grief
is not a headline.
It’s a mirror.
And her story
became a siren
for every quiet battle
we scroll past.
Mental health
was no longer a whisper.
It was a roar.
And the nation listened for a moment.
Meanwhile,
Vice Ganda threw shade.
Michael V wore another face.
Discayas juggled.
And the people laughed,
not because it was funny,
but because it was safer than crying.
Heart Evangelista posted.
And the comments turned into courtrooms.
Because when beauty meets politics,
the people demand receipts.
Emil Sumangil spoke of shadows.
Death threats followed his report
about the missing sabungeros
echoing in silence and fear.
Diwata was arrested.
Called for Tulfo.
And the internet
lit up like a siren.
Anne Curtis tried to hit golden notes.
Dennis Trillo won Best Actor.
And somewhere,
someone pressed play
on Demon Hunters
because the world was too loud
and K-pop was the only thing
that understood.
Taal erupted. Again.
And the sabungeros
remained missing.
Enrile was cleared from graft charges.
Quezon’s grandson was not pleased
with Jerrold Tarog and Jericho Rosales,
the movie sparked criticisms from historians.
Inday Barretto made a scene.
Marjorie broke her silence.
And while the ground trembled,
Taylor Swift released The Life of a Showgirl.
Sequins met sorrow.
And the world danced
on broken glass.
The Delivery Rider
became the number one movie
on Netflix Philippines.
Because sometimes,
we just want to see
ourselves arrive.
And in a press room,
President Marcos Jr. declared:
“We are ready to lead ASEAN.”
The microphones nodded.
The people raised eyebrows.
And history took notes.
But October had more faces.
Jillian Ward clashed with Chavit,
a headline that blurred
celebrity and politics.
A young woman spoke out,
harassed while applying
for a TIN ID.
Her courage cracked open
another fault line,
reminding us that justice begins
in the smallest offices.
Salonga, Jacinto, Soberano, and H.E.R.
sail into Forgotten Island
voices weaving a new myth in motion.
Emma Mary Tiglao
was crowned Miss Grand International 2025.
And for a moment,
the nation remembered
that beauty can still be a banner,
a heavy crown with hope.
Vico Sotto and Manny Jacinto
shone on TIME’s list,
their influence written in light.
And in satire’s sharpest mirror,
VP Sara became
Snow White and the 7 confidential funds.
A fairy tale rewritten,
a punchline that stung,
a story the people
couldn’t stop retelling.
October ended with fingers pointing,
bridges broken,
and a nation still standing
on trembling ground.
But this time,
the people weren’t just watching.
They were remembering.
They were connecting the dots.
They were asking:
If the earth can speak,
why can’t we?
November : The Soap Opera of Storms and Shadows
It began with a name,
Emman Atienza’s bill, her death
a glimmer of hope
but life pressed forward,
In Cebu, a police officer’s ‘bring me’ challenge
turned law into a game,
authority blurred in playful command.
In Tarlac, a teacher betrayed his calling,
an 8‑year‑old harmed,
innocence shattered where trust should have been.
Visayas drowned under Typhoon Tino,
caskets lined in Bacayan
while missing souls carried by floods.
A 15‑year‑old Cebuano pulled fifty lives from the water,
earning a scholarship in the wreckage.
Earthquakes shook Cebu and La Union,
Taal erupted, again.
The Sierra Madre rose again in debates,
Former DENR secretary Gina Lopez
was remembered about her advocacy in anti-mining
Leni’s words echoed, too.
Balamban’s mayor reminded:
lives matter more than property.
Pope Leo prayed for the Philippines,
yet Uwan grew as wide as the nation,
men smiling as they fled Aurora’s fury.
Slater Young’s Monterrazas probed,
Bela Padilla clashed with Cojuangco.
From lens to voice,
the viral cameraman steps forward,
turning witness into word.
BPO voices rose in the storm
complaints against employers carried on typhoon winds.
Corruption surfaced like rot :
Zaldy Co’s suitcases of cash,
₱100B projects revealed, later denied,
Malacañang’s shadows are thick.
ICC can’t confirm an arrest warrant for Bato,
DPWH chiefs fled probes,
Pangilinan pushed back against Bato’s claim,
rejecting ‘pinklawan’ posturing after Zaldy Co’s video
while Bato growled,
‘Why are the pinklawans and communists silent?’
a feud echoing in the halls of dissent.
Comelec summoned Marcoleta,
ten days to explain the shadows
machines of truth or corruption’s shadow?
Ghost projects haunted DOH.
President’s SALN revealed,
CIDG moved against Kiko Barzaga
law’s weight pressing on his name.
Farewells came steady:
Juan Ponce Enrile died,
not mourned, not celebrated.
Rosa Rosal’s curtain fell
a veteran actress remembered,
her grace lingering beyond the stage of life.
Gina Lima gone, her ex undone,
a sudden silence ringing like sirens in the night.
Chocolate Lover closed after 36 years,
A guard in Zambales robbed a bank.
Discayas’ Rolls Royce sold,
no victory in the auction’s echo,
just wealth dissolving into silence.
Manny Villar’s fortune fell by sixteen billion,
the crown of richest Filipino slipping away,
wealth’s empire shaken in a single tide
Soap operas filled the gaps :
Philippine looper Ferdinand Dela Merced
was declared persona non grata in Negros Oriental
his rhythm was cut off by the province’s decree.
Aj Raval revealed five children,
two with Aljur.
Vitaly Zdorovetskiy baptized in prison,
faith as armor.
Ken Chu wept in China,
HyunA collapsed mid‑song at Waterbomb Macao,
a star’s light flickering under the weight of the stage.
Nic Chien shared top surgery’s journey.
Anjo Yllana unearthed Tito Sotto’s past,
Katseye drowned in death threats,
Makagago exchanged blows with FLM.
Pepe Herrera, with courage unmasked,
spoke of mental health.
A voice of candor,
turning silence into strength.
Fhukerat, barred at Dubai’s gates,
his journey halted by shadows of ‘national security.
Ellen Adarna exposed Derek Ramsay’s betrayal,
Restaurants earned Michelin stars,
Golden from Kpop Demon Hunters
reached the Grammys, Oscar eligibility whispered.
French documentary on the Philippines
nominated for an Emmy.
Wicked: For Good broke records,
Andrea Brillantes and Darren Espanto
stood beside Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo.
Palawan crowned the world’s #1 island.
Bulacan rises with a promised gateway of 100 million dreams
a world’s biggest airport in the making,
people hoping it will take flight,
though doubts linger in the air.
Miss Universe Drama :
Ahtisa Manalo, Miss Universe Philippines,
shone in her festive costume,
and claimed the crown of 3rd runner‑up.
She was later honored with “Beyond the Crown,”
a recognition that glowed brighter than placement,
celebrating her grace beyond the stage.
But the stage turned perilous.
Nawat’s insult, calling Miss Mexico ‘stupid’
it echoed across the pageant halls,
yet Bosch rose above, crowned Miss Universe,
her victory a defiance against humiliation.
Miss Jamaica fell,
later blamed for “not paying attention.”
A viral clip stirred whispers :
Miss Israel denied the side‑eye
toward Miss Palestine,
the tension replayed in endless loops online.
Then Olivia Yace renounced her title,
a queen stepping down,
her crown laid heavy with disillusion.
The glamour cracked further,
owner Raul Rocha was charged
with drugs, arms, and fuel trafficking.
An arrest warrant followed,
for ex‑CEO Anne Jakrajutatip,
issued by a Thai court,
the empire shaken at its core.
And yet, amid the storm,
Miss Universe winner Fatima Bosch stood firm:
“I won’t back down.”
Her defiance crowned the chaos with resolve.
The pageant drama spun like silk.
Across another stage,
Myrna Esguerra lifted the flag at Miss International,
finishing 4th runner‑up
a quieter triumph,
a reminder that even in the shadow of scandal,
the Philippines still shines.
Global voices pierced the noise:
In a Slovak cathedral,
the Pope blessed a rave
a priest DJ spinning hymns into dance,
faith pulsing with bass and light.”
Pope Leo, with gentle gravity,
warned children of AI’s shadow,
urging wisdom before the machine’s allure.
Olivia Rodrigo, with Filipino blood in her veins,
slammed Trump’s DHS
‘Don’t ever use my songs for racist, hateful propaganda,’
her voice is a shield against distortion.
Trump redefined degrees,
nurses, educators, therapists erased.
Trump barred diabetics and the obese.
Obama warned: old men refusing to step down
cause eighty percent of the world’s problems.
Fil‑Am nurses fought back,
hope flickered, then dimmed.
In Hong Kong’s inferno,
Filipino workers counted in smoke and sorrow,
aid reaching across seas to hold them safe.
Mexico waved corruption flags,
a military junta promised ruin.
Yet youth and resilience rose:
40,692 passed the NLE
Two Cebuana sisters spots on the topnotchers,
Alex Eala shone at WTA.
Emman Bacosa opened his heart to Manny Pacquiao,
then joined Sparkle,
meeting Jillian Ward.
World Happiness ranked PH 57th,
but VAWC cases climbed,
and Mica Nicdao’s videos of abuse
became echoes of the statistics,
faces behind the numbers
a chorus of broken promises,
justifying why fewer couples
tie the knot in the Philippines.
Global A320 grounding clipped the skies,
seventy‑eight Philippine flights grounded mid‑dream.
Family Drama in the Palace :
Zaldy Co’s revelations continued,
PBBM declared: “I don’t negotiate with criminals.”
Sandro Marcos dismissed the ₱50B insertion as lies,
while First Lady Liza’s hand was seen
manipulating the prices of rice, onions, and sugar.
INC rallies in protest
asking why transparency falters,
why democracy must be fought for
by a community once allied with PBBM.
Imee Marcos, beneath the glare of the rally,
called out her brother
revealing his addiction to drugs.
But the palace walls closed in,
PBBM later disowned her,
bloodlines fractured under the weight of power
half the nation sympathized,
half raised their eyebrows in doubt.
Usec Claire Castro faced off with Malou Tiquia
a duel of voices,
political tempers flaring like thunder in the halls.
Ralph Recto rose as Acting Executive Secretary,
while Go took the helm of Finance.
In Digos, the police chief tagged as a person of interest
in the barangay chairman’s FB Live shooting.
A shirtless child drove into virality,
seatbelt forgotten, danger at the wheel.
Another, grade five, trembled on Tuklaw’s breath
innocence twice exposed,
youth steering peril in the public eye.
Laguna arrests: two Chinese nationals
posing as Filipinos unmasked.
Alice Guo, convicted, bound to reclusion perpetua
a life sentence etched in the courts.
Cassandra Ong, released from the women’s correctional walls,
yet her passport stripped,
freedom taken by the state’s hand.
The PH government sought Interpol’s notice for Harry Roque,
while the ICC rejected Duterte’s plea for release.
DILG spoke of silence, no arrest confirmed,
a medical certificate left Roque stranded in The Hague
his passport canceled,
identity clipped by the machinery of law.
Comelec cleared Escudero
and Lubiano of ₱30‑M donations,
while Arjo Atayde faced ICI,
insisting innocence in flood control’s shadow.
DPWH’s Dennis Abagon fell to NBI’s arrest,
and charges rose against eight ‘congtractors,’ pleading not guilty.
Henry Alcantara returned ₱110‑M in restitution,
yet Romualdez untouched, no charges, no probe.
Where is the rest of the money,
and why does silence shield some names?
Sara’s hushed stance on replacing PBBM,
then later declared she was ready.
The Senate approved ₱899‑M for the OVP,
funds flowing as questions linger on power’s horizon.
Typhoon Verbena swept through Palawan and Panay,
winds tearing at homes, floods rising in Cebu
47,000 lives disrupted,
yet communities stood, asking how many storms must we endure.
DTI declared the ₱500 Noche Buena,
Malacañang moved to justify,
and the people, staring at empty tables,
felt Christmas being robbed from their plates.
Kabataan Party-List stands in the chamber,
Paolo Duterte asks: “Is it anti-corruption, or just anti-Duterte?”
And Renee Louise M. Co replies with fire:
“We can be both.”
Anti-Marcos, anti-Duterte, anti-corruption,
because when we say lahat ng sangkot, we mean lahat dapat managot.
The arena shifts, Paolo and Sara vs Usec Claire,
Usec Claire vs Robin Padilla,
Each clash a spectacle, each line a burn.
Binified concert conquered the arena
And then the streets spoke again :
Catriona Gray thundered:
“Every time we stay quiet, corruption wins.”
Religious leaders raised their voices,
Jonvic Remulla watched as Manila’s protest passed without incident.
And above the Trillion Peso March,
a double rainbow arched the People Power Monument
a sky’s reminder of hope beyond corruption’s shadow
Before November closed,
Bubble Gang mocked Zaldy Co with ‘12 days of Kurakot’
laughter breaking through a month of stress,
a comic chorus reminding us humor survives
even in corruption’s shadow.
So November ended:
soap operas, storms, corruption, deaths, escapes,
rainbows over protests,
algorithms torturing minds,
pageants spinning crowns,
politics confusing,
but dots connecting.
Is this the beginning of healing,
or just another act in the endless play?
The nation breathes, tired,
yet still standing in the floodlight of history.
December : The Month of Light and Ashes
Mirror, mirror on the wall…
Who's the baddest of them all?
Is this reflection a verdict, or just a shadow?
Are the results enough, or do consequences still wait at the door?
Barzaga faces Ethics’ blade, suspension carved in the hall.
Zaldy Co drifts toward exile, passport clipped, borders closing in.
Derek Ramsay sweeps absence,
Ellen Adarna gone, ash settling in quiet rooms.
The Palace feast turns battlefield:
Paolo Duterte strikes at Roque’s ₱500 claim,
celebrities roar, hunger rises,
Gatchalian shrugs off “no work, no pay.”
Pampanga’s mayor branded graft, fugitive in shadows;
₱500 Noche Buena defended as sparks flew.
A blind soldier salutes Marcos, gratitude burning in the dark.
Dynasty’s heir urges anti‑dynasty bill,
irony reflected in the mirror’s fire.
MTV shuts its global channel, chorus fading into ash.
Twin Lakes crowned ASEAN heritage,
nature rising as politics burned.
A lone bettor clutches ₱155.2M hope,
lightning striking fortune in the dark.
COA flags ₱14M foreign flames, Marcos’ trips marked by excess.
Cong Meow suspended sixty days, another tribute silenced.
Kiko Barzaga, also suspended, writes:
“No more hope for our country,”
then deletes his posts within a day.
Rep. Leandro Leviste calls it “tragic”
to prioritize Barzaga over Gardiola, justice misplaced.
VP Sara backs Barzaga,
dynasty shielding dynasty, alliances forged in fire.
Barzaga laments: no rent, cup noodles for survival.
Kim Chiu drags family to court, scars exposed in public fire.
Six CIDG fall for Bataan theft, integrity burned to ash.
Lacuna files complaint vs. Isko, accountability lit again.
335 guards still on OVP payroll,
shadows of waste reflected in the mirror.
EdCom warns: 85% of learners cannot read,
voices smothered by neglect.
Debt climbs to ₱17.56T, peso chained beneath the weight.
Roque insists ₱20 too much, hunger restless in the feast’s shadow.
CIDG trails DPWH exec to Israel, accountability slipping away.
ICI crowns district engineers powerful,
shadows stretching across the land.
KMJS asks: Yolanda housing still unbuilt,
promises burned by neglect.
Nine seafarers freed from Oman’s grip, a spark of light in ashes.
Solgen Berberabe defends Duterte’s arrest,
law and loyalty clash in fire
Sabrina Carter warns Trump: “Do not use my music,”
White House replies, echo heavy, burn global.
KPop Demon Hunters crowned Best Animated Film in New York
and Time’s Breakthrough of the Year,
art blazing across cultures, spectacle crowned in global flame
In Davao, a jeepney driver offers free rides,
his son’s licensure triumph was rewarded
with DPWH work, and resilience carried home.
First Family faces lifestyle check, mirrors turned toward power.
Lisa of Blackpink steps out in Filipino GVN sneakers,
pride stitched in every step.
Jonathan Yu tops licensure exam, 4,268 pass,
engineers crowned in fire.
Babes Singson resigns from ICI, pillars shifting.
Ahtisa Manalo returns triumphant, Miss Universe 3rd runner‑up,
Fatima Bosch crowned, asking: “How do you buy a crown?”
Palace urges Congress: speed 2026 budget,
lifeblood pressed to pass.
Miss Universe stage turns courtroom,
Nawat sues Bosch, crown aflame.
PBBM’s satisfaction rate falls 21%, cracks reflected in the mirror.
Miley Cyrus silences “Party in the USA,”
protest against Trump’s shadow.
Trump struggles to stay awake on live TV,
fatigue broadcast globally.
Marcos Jr. announces pay hikes for the military,
loyalty bound tighter in fire.
De Lima pushes the autism care program,
compassion rising where neglect burned.
Ahtisa admits the truth: she assumed the Miss Universe Asia title,
glamour stripped bare.
Byron Garcia files complaint over SWAT photo,
authority clashing with image.
Mama Lulu abroad decries ₱500 Noche Buena,
anger sparks across oceans.
Pope Leo urges U.S. mercy, avoids Venezuela’s warpath,
and welcomes immigrants.
VP Sara emerges as 2028 contender,
dynasty’s flame carried forward.
Kim Cruz enters Forbes “30 Under 30,” art blazing as rebellion.
Proposed U.S. law ends dual citizenship,
borders tighten, belonging questioned.
Harry Roque urges PBBM to step down,
succession whispered to VP Sara.
UP‑PGH completes first pediatric liver transplant,
nine‑year‑old boy saved,
hope stitched in the nation.
DHS weighs Guam‑CNMI visa waiver, Philippines proposed,
freedom flickers across the Pacific.
Erice declares ICI has lost credibility with Singson’s exit,
pillars fractured, trust burned away.
ABS‑CBN ends bond with TV5,
partnership unraveling in the media arena.
FLM’s licence suspended, authority clipped, consequence burns.
Sandro Marcos volunteers to face ICI,
the dynasty's heir reflected in the mirror’s fire.
Remulla warns ICI may demolish, trembling under scrutiny.
GSIS grants ₱4B cash gifts, SSS disburses ₱18.8B,
relief glowing in December’s cold.
PNP supports award for Zaldy’s arrest,
fugitive shadows pursued by law’s fire.
The last full moon of 2025 rises, silver flame over light and ashes.
Jose Cadiz resigns from DOJ, accused bagman,
power crumbling in fire’s glare.
Showtime hosts donate ₱1M to disaster‑ stricken contestants,
compassion rising against ash.
TV5 cancels survival show, Sandara Park unpaid.
Lisa of Blackpink stars in Tygo with Don Lee and Lee Jin Uk,
fame blazing across cinema.
Ombudsman charges Sarah Discaya,
₱96.5M ghost project dragged into fire.
De Lima files bill vs illicit enrichment, wealth weaponized,
law sharpened beyond plunder.
Marcos Jr. moves to remove Health Secretary Herbosa,
anomalies filed, trust scorched.
Hidilyn Diaz vows SEA Games return, strength forged in discipline,
and promises a torch against doubt.
China bans LGBTQ, identity outlawed,
love silenced beneath the state’s flame.
A woman arrested for faking AI screenshots,
technology twisted, truth contested in the arena.
SexBomb Girls ignite a sold‑out reunion, nostalgia blazing on stage.
South Korea blocks absent parents from pensions after a child’s death,
law sharpened against neglect.
Angelica Panganiban extends grace to Ellen Adarna,
friendship offered after past storms.
50 Cent produces a Diddy documentary, truth and spectacle colliding.
Supreme Court strikes down ₱60B PhilHealth transfer,
trust fractured in the chamber's fire.
Rowena Guanzon goes viral in PGMN,
mall clash with Ronald Llamas spilling into public flame.
Baguio’s temperature drops, December’s chill wraps the city.
VP Sara Duterte shrugs at impeachment complaints,
the dynasty's armor is steady.
Bong Revilla faces arrest for malversation and plunder before Christmas.
Janet Napoles sentenced to life
for pork barrel scam, corruption condemned.
Julia Gomez qualifies for fencing, father Richard’s support a shield.
NBI issues warrant for Sarah Discaya,
ghost projects hunted by law’s blade.
Usec Castro criticizes Robin Padilla, counsel contested in arena.
Zaldy Co’s passport cancelled, exile sealed,
fugitive flame extinguished.
Fatima Bosch walks out of a Telemundo interview,
crown heavy, spectacle fractured.
Jennie of Blackpink delights Filipino Blinks,
joy blazing across the crowd.
Typhoon Wilma churns, storm gathering,
nature’s fire beyond control.
DOJ charges Atong Ang and 21 others with kidnapping and homicide.
DENR files case vs Monterrazas Project,
land and law entwined in consequence.
KMJS shows community flood control,
resilience built where institutions falter.
Bomb threat shakes Batangas court,
justice trembling under danger.
Gretchen Barretto’s case dismissed,
celebrity flame extinguished.
Corruption continues to purge as Napolcom dismisses
seven Caloocan police officers for illegal arrest.
Labor coalition demands Ralph Recto resign, accountability refused.
Peso sank to ₱59.22 per dollar, the nation weighed down by debt.
Sophie Kinsella dies at 55, Shopaholic voice silenced.
Cardinal David declares:
“NINAKAWAN NA NGA ANG BAYAN, BAYAN PA RIN ANG MAGBABAYAD,”
outrage burning against corruption.
Mexican accounts of Raúl Rocha frozen,
Miss Universe co‑owner bound by law.
China executes former executive, corruption punished with death.
Ken Chu of F4 declines reunion, nostalgia fractured.
Tinio mocks Paolo Duterte’s 17 travel requests,
duty blurred with spectacle.
Bong Revilla faces DOJ over flood control,
defense staged, consequence looming.
PBBM proclaims: “Ako na ang pinakamasuwerte,”
self‑crowned in fortune.
Two Ukrainian children sent to the camp of North Korea’s elite,
innocence displaced.
U.S. to demand five years of social media history,
travelers bound by digital chains.
Xi pledges $100M aid to Palestine, relief amid Gaza’s ashes.
Bulgaria’s government steps down, protests victorious, power toppled.
DSWD files graft raps vs 14 Iloilo officials, corruption dragged into fire.
BI confirms Bondi suspects Sajid and Naveed Akram
arrived in Davao, danger crossing borders.
Pokwang clarifies viral kariton clash, her brother, license suspended.
DOTR offers free MRT‑3/LRT rides Dec 14‑25,
holiday relief gifted in rails.
PNP dismisses 1,043 personnel,
corruption purged, ranks thinned.
Sandiganbayan clears Herbert Bautista of graft,
law flickers between condemnation and release.
PDEA warns against peyote abuse, hallucinogenic danger.
Fight erupts in NAIA, tempers clash beneath the nation’s gaze.
A fur‑mum hailed a hero, dogs tossed to safety from fire.
Gerard Opulencia returns ₱40M,
restitution dims corruption’s flame.
Philippine navy on alert after China rocket launch,
vigilance braced at sea.
DSWD Chief offers ₱100K reward for dog mutilator,
cruelty hunted by justice.
Russia sentences ICC judges and prosecutors,
retaliation over Putin warrant, law clashing across borders.
Three Filipino fishermen injured,
two boats damaged at Escoda Shoal,
Chinese vessels harass, sovereignty scarred in waves and flame.
Bicam approves ₱86.8B increase for DepEd,
education lifted as nation’s torch.
DOH health aid rises to ₱51B, debate ignited,
care entwined with consequence.
Vince Dizon appeals to restore DPWH projects,
pillars demanded back from cuts.
DepEd allocates ₱1.04B for Special Needs Education,
inclusion lifted in the chamber's fire.
Jinkee Pacquiao’s aide defends her and Manny,
family name shielded in spectacle.
Sen. Tulfo objects to Dizon’s bicam appearance,
conflict sharpened over infrastructure’s fate.
Bride‑to‑be missing in Quezon City,
silence heavy in December’s shadow.
Kim Yo Jong spotted with a Chinese foldable phone,
power entwined with surveillance.
Lacson insists Dizon must own errors,
10,000 projects weighed in accountability’s blaze.
Robin Padilla warns: character assassination a national security threat.
Vico Sotto cautions against AI ads using his image,
vigilance raised against deception.
Jefferson Utanes, Filipino voice of Son Goku,
dies at 46, nostalgia mourned.
Ayala Land sells 50% stake in Alabang Town Center
for ₱13.5B, commerce reshaped.
Leviste urges Singson formula,
₱60B savings demanded in 2026 budget.
Bondi beach probe eyes PH trip of suspects,
Palace slams ISIS training ground claims.
Villar group confirms Lucio Co’s Crystal Bridges
acquires PrimeWater, empire reshaped.
Farmers in Cagayan Valley and Bicol receive land titles,
justice planted in soil.
Gatchalian declares and insists: no secret bicam,
no pork in LGU funds, transparency demanded.
ICC seeks further observation on the Duterte case,
jurisdiction tested across borders.
A teacher feeds a student a cockroach,
cruelty scars innocence in the classroom’s flame.
Vince Dizon vows Edsa rehab on Dec 24,
Metro Manila’s veins reshaped in progress.
Bicam sets OVP budget at ₱889M, OP at ₱28B
crowns weighed in the currency's blaze.
Claudine Barretto admits anorexia relapse,
fragility confessed, strength sought in shadow.
PhilHealth gains ₱16.5B boost, care expanded,
survival defended in the chamber's fire.
New computation yields ₱20.7B savings
for 10,000 DPWH projects, miscalculation corrected.
DPWH to recruit new graduates, corruption prevented,
agency reforged in vigilance.
Filipinos march with fire in their stride,
flags lifted high, colors blazing wide.
277 medals crowned the nation’s fight
50 gold, 73 silver, 154 bronze shining bright.
Ranked 6th overall, yet 2nd in Olympic sport flame,
70% of victories are carved in the global game.
EJ Obiena vaults to his 4th gold, record set in sky’s embrace,
Mazel Alegado, just 11, youngest champion, skateboarding’s grace.
Marcial bears the flag, 5th gold in boxing’s roar,
Agatha Wong claims her 6th in wushu’s lore.
In the arena’s blaze, unity sings,
strength and pride crowned as the nation’s wings.
Earth trembles in Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur
magnitude 5.4 shakes December’s ground.
Jesus Falcis clashes with lawyers,
words sharpened into courtroom flame
Guanzon steps back, debate declined;
Libayan and Barzaga game on,
voices locked in the public arena.
US Congress approves $2.5B security aid for the Philippines,
alliances forged in steel and shadow.
Without any warrant, Sarah Discaya surrendered to NBI,
the people watched her weep
and history will remember the scapegoat's complicity.
Ex‑DPWH executive found by Kennon Road river,
consequence final, ghost carried into ash.
Cabral’s body identified, DNA test urged;
The family calls it an accident, foul play not dismissed.
Dashcam shows Cabral at Kennon Road, NBI probe confirmed.
Ombudsman preserves his gadgets, ex‑DPWH power questioned,
shadows of corruption exposed.
Cabral’s computers turned over to the Ombudsman,
corruption’s trail preserved.
Her alleged list of lawmakers’ projects left with Rep. Leviste,
shadows of power exposed.
Sec. Dizon denies Leviste’s documents,
yet allocations revealed, budget’s map exposed.
Rep. Ridon warns Leviste may face ethics complaints,
shadows of power contested.
3D scans show Cabral not pushed, truth traced in stone’s silence.
Sarah and Curlee Discaya face DOJ,
flood control ghost projects drag them into fire.
Contractor Sally Santos returns ₱15M to DOJ,
restitution dimming corruption’s fire.
Ex‑DPWH engineer Alcantara returns ₱71M,
restitution offered, corruption dimmed.
Zaldy Co camp denies Forbes basement claims,
The Palace calls Cabral files gossip.
A 6‑year‑old girl held hostage, wounded in face and arm.
A 5‑year‑old caroler assaulted and killed,
innocence extinguished in December’s dark.
Child of twelve killed by firecracker, playmate critical,
family mourning deep in ash.
Five men linked to a firecracker that killed a child,
accountability sought in darkness.
Two children burned by firecrackers’ spark, nails torn away.
DTI warns: do not touch spent firecrackers,
danger lingers in ember’s spark.
House of firecrackers explodes, a child caroling silenced,
grief rising in December’s smoke.
Woman slain by partner’s blade, December shadow heavy.
Two guards shot in sleep, suspect seized.
Modern jeepney driver shot by fake passenger,
lawlessness striking in transit’s flame.
Crashes wound the old and young,
streets scarred by steel and speed.
Bus falls into ravine, four lives lost,
twenty‑three wounded in steel’s descent.
150 families burned from fire, one man caught stealing,
beaten in the crowd’s flames.
Quezon City fire consumes fifty homes,
a hundred families displaced in the blaze.
VP Sara Duterte denies Ramil Madriaga’s allegations,
and the dynasty shields itself in glare.
Supreme Court upholds guilty verdict on 3 cops
in Kian Delos Santos’ killing, justice carved in stone.
Budget signing eyed by PBBM, reenactment possible,
numbers blaze in the chamber's fire.
₱243B placed in unprogrammed appropriations,
budget reshaped in chamber’s blaze.
Commissioner Fajardo resigns, only Reyes remains,
the chamber thinned of its original flame.
Ex‑PNP chief Torre sworn as MMDA head,
power reshaped in the city’s veins.
PNP details suspects at NAIA,
Palace rejects terror‑training claims, sovereignty defended.
MMFF floats parade despite rain,
spectacle blazing in December’s streets.
A student gifted a hollow block and blouse,
exchange turned spectacle.
Gloria Diaz faces backlash for lavish Christmas meal,
the spectacle weighed against hunger’s fire.
Content creator goes viral, exposing cheating girlfriend
betrayal laid bare, the public watches love unravel.
Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop passes,
his name etched in December’s silence.
Sherra de Juan found at last, custody claimed, yet whispers linger,
debts heavy, will there still be a wedding?
Infant taken by a nurse in disguise, returned at last to parents’ arms,
A similar attempt shadows Tondo’s ward.
So many shadows crossed our days,
fires, floods, and blades of sorrow carved into memory.
Names etched in silence, scandals blazing,
innocence lost, justice demanded, voices clashing in the public arena.
Yet through the grief, the nation breathes,
families rebuild, hope rekindles,
hands reach for light beyond the smoke.
December’s arc ends, but hearts remain unbroken,
ready to embrace the dawn of 2026.