OPINION

FIRING LINE: ‘No manhunt’ for Bato By Robert B. Roque Jr. | May 19, 2026 Senator Ronald dela Rosa should stop comforting himself with the phrase “no manhunt.” Because even if authorities refuse to call it that for now, all indications point to one reality: his world is getting smaller. Border controls are up. Leads…

FIRING LINE: Bato saved by Alan’s gavel By Robert B. Roque Jr. | May 14, 2026 While the circus that unfolded in the Senate last Monday appeared to be triggered by Senator Ronald dela Rosa’s frantic reappearance after six months in hiding, even the blind can see the larger game at play: wresting control of…

FIRING LINE: CHED guns for lower education By Robert B. Roque Jr. | May 12, 2026 If the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) had come up with a truly responsive and well-grounded reform of the General Education curriculum, then how come we’re now seeing major pushback from the academe? The mandate of CHED is not…

FIRING LINE: What the latest poll tells Senators By Robert B. Roque Jr. | May 7, 2026 Don’t look now, but if you’re rooting for Sara Duterte to win in 2028, the numbers are starting to tell a less comfortable story. Take the latest Pulse Asia survey, for example: the Vice President is still ahead,…

FIRING LINE: Another bridge bites the dust By Robert B. Roque Jr. | May 5, 2026 “London Bridge is falling down, falling down…” is a well-known nursery rhyme meant to entertain young children miming as they sing. Up in Northern Luzon, however, it seems that bridge falls are a recurring headline. Over the weekend, the…

FIRING LINE: Charging the middle  By Robert B. Roque Jr. | April 30, 2026 Nowadays, it seems everyone on Facebook wants to be counted among the 4Ps beneficiaries. And I don’t blame them. Because when “ordinary Filipinos in the working class” open their electric bills and discover they are helping shoulder discounts for others, their…

FIRING LINE: A test of Marikina’s leadership By Robert B. Roque Jr. | April 28, 2026 The persistence of illegal gambling in our communities is not just a matter of vice — it is a reflection of how deeply organized networks can embed themselves into everyday life when oversight falters. A recent emailed complaint I…

FIRING LINE: DepEd’s new calendar: Reform or experiment? By Robert B. Roque Jr. | April 23, 2026 Summer vacation is in. But what’s very much around the corner is a big change in School Year 2026–2027, as the Department of Education (DepEd) is pushing full steam ahead with its proposed three-term school calendar. For those…