Context Dispatch
Election day!
Tens of millions of Filipinos are expected to cast their votes today, May 12, in midterm elections that will fill 18,280 national and local posts—including 12 Senate seats that could reshape the political landscape for Vice President Sara Duterte and her critics; VP Sara faces impeachment charges before the Senate.
Lecture series strengthens Japan-Philippine ties through youth engagement
Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Endo Kazuya on Friday delivered a compelling lecture at Ateneo de Manila University as part of its “EmbLEM: Embassy Lectures, Encounters, and Masterclasses” series, reinforcing the strong and evolving bilateral ties between Japan and the Philippines.
SWS Poll: 4Ps, ACT-CIS frontrunners in party-list race
A Social Weather Stations poll, commissioned by Stratbase Group, revealed 4Ps and ACT-CIS leading party-list preferences just before elections. Conducted May 2-6 with 1,800 respondents, 4Ps topped with 7.67%, followed by ACT-CIS at 6.63%. Duterte Youth dropped to third with 5.88%, while Solid North Party rose to fourth (3.65%). LPGMA significantly jumped to fifth (3.04%), with Senior Citizens (2.69%), Ako Bicol (2.44%), Tingog (2.35%), FPJ Panday Bayanihan (2.14%), and Nanay (1.92%) rounding out the top ten.
DepEd clarifies no “Auto-Pass” policy, pledges literacy drive
The Department of Education (DepEd) refuted claims of an "automatic pass" policy, acknowledging that inherited systems might pressure schools to promote students despite learning gaps. Secretary Sonny Angara stressed that promotion should be based on demonstrated learning, not pass rates.
Habemus Papam!
Robert Francis Cardinal Prevost, 69, has been elected by the College of Cardinals as the 266th successor to St. Peter—the Bishop of Rome and the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church.
