Context Dispatch

The trust and satisfaction ratings of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte took divergent paths in the October poll of Acquisition Apps Inc., owner of the biggest online market research panel in the country. The survey period showed the widening rift between the President and his VP. Marcos’ trust rating rose to 59.3 percent in the October 16-19 survey, up from 58.8 percent in September, while his satisfaction rating rose to 46.9 percent from 46.4 percent. His ratings are better in Luzon and Visayas while Mindanao, considered a bailiwick of VP Duterte, showed the highest dissatisfaction. Meanwhile, the trust rating of the VP declined to 56 percent from 56.8 percent while her satisfaction rating slipped to 48 percent from 48.7 percent.

Politicians hoping to leverage TikTok to boost their campaign during next year’s electoral race will have to look at other social media platforms to do that. TikTok Philippines public policy manager Peachy Paderna said the short-form video platform won’t air political advertisements to foster an environment “that brings people together…, not divide them.”Tiktok along with Meta—Facebook, Instagram and Threads—and Google pledged support to the Commission on Elections’ campaign against misinformation and disinformation during the 2025 elections.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA has hoisted Signal 1 in 15 areas in the country’s Eastern seaboard as Tropical Depression Kristine moved into Philippine waters early Monday. With still a few days before making landfall, Kristine could still intensify and become a full blown typhoon.

Almost a quarter of a century later, a Taguig City Regional Trial Court found 17 Abu Sayyaf men guilty of kidnapping of foreign and Filipino tourists on Sipadan Island, Malaysia in April 2000. The Department of Justice said in a statement that the accused were found guilty of 21 counts of kidnapping, and serious illegal detention with ransom. The Abu Sayyaf men, including those listed in the United Nations Security Council’s Sanctioned List, were sentenced with life imprisonment for each count of the crimes.

The House Quad Committee turned over to the Office of the Solicitor General voluminous documents on sprawling properties in Pampanga acquired by Philippine Overseas Gaming Operations majority owned by Chinese nationals for proper disposition. QuadCom chairman and Surigao del Norte Rep. Ace Barbers said vast tracks of land acquired by illegal POGOs run by foreign nationals maybe subjected by the government for forfeiture proceedings since the Philippine Constitution only limits land ownership to Filipinos or companies that are at least 60 percent owned by Filipinos. Lands acquired by POGOs runs to thousands of hectares since only one POGO already hold 300 land titles.