In today’s increasingly fragile geopolitical climate, tensions between Donald Trump and Ali Khamenei have escalated into a dangerous confrontation with global consequences. Military threats, energy disruptions, and ideological rigidity have created a volatile standoff that risks plunging the world into simultaneous crises—war, energy shortages, and mass hunger.

Amid this uncertainty, Indonesia, under the leadership of Prabowo Subianto, emerges as a decisive actor, guided by its long-standing “free and active” foreign policy doctrine. Rather than aligning with any major power bloc, Indonesia positions itself as a mediator—yet one with significant geoeconomic leverage capable of reshaping global outcomes.

First, Indonesia’s possible response to escalating tensions centers on the growing military threats and energy shockwaves. The confrontation between the United States and Iran has reached alarming levels. Trump’s warnings of overwhelming military force—threatening to dismantle Iran’s infrastructure—reflect a high-risk strategy that could destabilize the entire Middle East. On the other side, Khamenei has maintained a firm stance, signaling Iran’s readiness to resist external pressure at any cost, including confrontation with both the U.S. and Israel. At the center of this geopolitical crisis lies the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint responsible for roughly 20 percent of global oil flows. Iran’s potential closure of this route would trigger a massive global energy crisis, disrupting supply chains and sending prices soaring. The longer such disruption persists, the deeper the economic shockwaves felt across nations.

Second, Indonesia’s strategic influence lies not only in diplomacy, but in its command of global food supply chains. While much of the world remains preoccupied with energy security, Indonesia possesses a quieter yet more immediate form of leverage: food security. As the world’s largest exporter of crude palm oil (CPO), the country under Prabowo Subianto sits at the heart of a commodity that underpins everyday life across continents. With roughly 32 million tons exported annually, palm oil is embedded in a vast array of essential goods—from basic food staples to cosmetics and pharmaceuticals—making it indispensable to both developed and developing economies.

In this context, even the hypothetical suspension of CPO exports would carry profound global consequences. Supply chains would tighten almost instantly, prices would surge, and food insecurity could escalate, particularly in import-dependent nations. Such a scenario would not merely disrupt markets; it would expose the fragility of an interconnected world where access to food is deeply tied to geopolitical stability.

This reality underscores a deeper point: Indonesia’s role is not about wielding food as a weapon, but about signaling responsibility in an interdependent global system. In an era where both energy and food can become instruments of pressure, Indonesia’s position serves as a reminder that sustained peace is not optional—it is the very foundation upon which global stability depends.

Third, Indonesia’s actions reflect a doctrine in motion: its “free and active” foreign policy. This principle, first articulated during the Bandung Conference, emphasizes independence in decision-making while actively contributing to global peace. Prabowo’s approach embodies this doctrine in a contemporary context. Rather than choosing sides, Indonesia seeks to influence both parties toward de-escalation. However, this neutrality is not passive—it is supported by the credible capacity to impose global consequences if peace efforts fail.

Fourth, Indonesia advances mediation through pressure—preventing war by preventing hunger. In an unprecedented strategy, the potential suspension of palm oil exports serves as both a warning and a diplomatic instrument. By highlighting the risk of global hunger, Prabowo reframes the stakes of the conflict. War is no longer just about territory or ideology—it becomes a direct threat to the survival of billions. This approach transforms Indonesia into a mediator with meaningful leverage. The message is clear: continued escalation by Trump and Khamenei will not only destabilize energy markets but also risk collapsing global food systems.

Fifth, Indonesia promotes a vision for peace based on a two-state solution. At the United Nations General Assembly, 23rd September 2025, Prabowo has articulated a balanced and pragmatic path forward. Indonesia supports the immediate recognition of Palestine as an independent state, while also acknowledging Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation. This “win-win” solution aligns with Indonesia’s long-standing commitment to justice and coexistence, aiming to break the cycle of hostility and lay the foundation for lasting peace in the Middle East.

In conclusion, the current global crisis represents more than a geopolitical rivalry—it is a test of humanity’s ability to avoid self-destruction. The military threats posed by Trump and the defiance of Khamenei risk triggering a chain reaction of energy disruption and prolonged conflict. Yet, under Prabowo’s leadership, Indonesia introduces a powerful counterbalance. By leveraging its strategic role in the global food supply, Indonesia is not merely reacting to events—it is actively shaping them.

The warning is stark but necessary: if conflict continues, the world will face not only an energy crisis but also a catastrophic food crisis. Hunger, not just war, could define the next phase of global instability. In this high-stakes moment, Indonesia’s “free and active” foreign policy offers a path forward—one that prioritizes dialogue, balance, and shared survival over domination. The choice now rests with global leaders: pursue peace through cooperation, or risk a future defined by both war and hunger.

In the end, the path forward demands wisdom over force and dialogue over domination. As the ancient Roman philosopher, Marcus Tullius Cicero profoundly observed, “Pax est tranquilla libertas”—true peace is not just the absence of war, but a condition where people can live freely, safely, and without fear. This timeless insight reminds leaders such as Prabowo Subianto, Donald Trump, and Ali Khamenei that true strength lies not in coercion or retaliation, but in the courage to secure a just and lasting peace. Only through such commitment can humanity avoid the twin catastrophes of war and hunger and move toward a future grounded in dignity, stability, and shared survival.

During a recent conversation with a journalist, BTS was offered what many would consider a professional courtesy: candid observations about the local media landscape, cultural nuances, and the realities of dealing with Philippine journalists.

Among the points raised was a frank but fair remark — that some officials from his embassy had, on occasion, behaved in a manner many would describe as undiplomatic in their dealings with the press.

Rather than receiving the comment in the constructive spirit intended, BTS reportedly took offense, insisting such feedback was inappropriate.

A curious reaction from someone in diplomacy, where criticism and candid observations are hardly foreign concepts.

Seasoned diplomats know that honest feedback  —especially from those who regularly engage with embassies — is not an affront but an opportunity to better understand one’s posting.

Still, perhaps sensitivity is not unique to BTS.

The embassy in question has earned a reputation among journalists for treating follow-up questions after press briefings as optional inconveniences. Clarifications sought by media are often met with silence, as if the questions had disappeared into a diplomatic black hole.

Its former ambassador, meanwhile, left behind his own memorable reputation. At one diplomatic gathering, the envoy reportedly asked the host ambassador why a journalist was present at the event — despite the journalist being an invited guest and personal friend of the host.

The host ambassador, said to be visibly taken aback, reminded the envoy of precisely that.

Several ambassadors within earshot were likewise stunned by the condescending remark, noting the envoy’s apparent belief that he had standing to police a guest list that was not his own.

Inside the embassy, whispers of high turnover among local staff have only added to questions about the mission’s internal culture.

Then again, embassies often take their cue from those at the top.

If BTS hopes to survive his posting with dignity intact, he may wish to learn that diplomacy requires more than rank and credentials.

It also requires the maturity to accept honest feedback without behaving as though one has suffered a personal affront.

Tant pis.

I’ve read with bitter contempt how farmers are affected by this crisis — and the anger sits heavy because the facts are as plain as they are unforgiving.

In Benguet, a Reuters story carried by an online news organization recounts how farmers like Romeo leave their vegetable crops to rot. And all because the math of cost and profit no longer makes sense.

When it costs P18 to P20 to produce a kilo of cabbage and the farmgate price collapses to as low as P3 — even P5 to P8 on a “good” day — harvesting becomes an act of self-sabotage. Add to that the surge in fuel prices, itself a ripple from conflict in the Middle East, and the math turns cruel: labor, hauling, packaging — all rising, all eating into nothing.

So farmers stop. Buyers pull back. Consumers, squeezed by inflation, shift to cheaper, filling alternatives. And just like that, a food chain buckles from both ends.

This is why the Department of Agriculture’s fuel subsidy, finally rolling out this April, is not just welcome — it is necessary, justified spending. It promises P5,000 for farmers, P3,000 for fisherfolk, alongside a broader P10-billion cash aid program covering over 4 million beneficiaries, which is the kind of intervention that recognizes a basic truth: You cannot expect food security from producers who are bleeding.

During the Holy Week, I’ve heard of Catholic devotees trimming their Visita Iglesia routes, choosing churches closer to one another, even walking the distance, just to save on fuel. Quiet sacrifice and real adjustments are lived by Pinoys these days, knowing inflation bites, and soon the cost of food will be the bigger scourge.

Hopefully, those in government, so fond of long motorcades and frequent travel, might consider the same discipline. If meetings can be held online, perhaps they should be — stay at home, if you can’t travel without your exaggerated security convoy.

Spending should be back where it should be — with the farmers. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. says the government is doing more: mobilizing trucks to move produce, securing cheaper fertilizers, expanding Kadiwa outlets, fast-tracking farm-to-market roads, and post-harvest facilities. These are the right moves, at least on paper.

But more should be done by those in power who never tilled land nor brought crops to market. Local governments in agricultural provinces must now do the unglamorous work: Connect farmers to these subsidies, ensure the aid reaches the fields, not just the reports. This is taxpayers’ money — it must land where the pain is.

This crisis is already punishing enough without fuel. But to fail in producing our own food — in a world where supply chains are strained and imports uncertain — would be a deeper scandal.

The government must work doubly hard. And if it does — truly, decisively — perhaps this moment becomes something more than a crisis. Perhaps it becomes some form of redemption. Yes, even for Marcos Junior.

*         *         *

SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://www.thephilbiznews.com

Inevitably, and by all indications, fuel prices will rise again. If it has not already, since today is Tuesday.

Let’s take liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), for example, which is more of a fuel of necessity for most Filipino households. As of this writing (Easter Sunday) and depending on where you are and what brand of cooking gas you order for your kitchen, the real pain is already here.

Where I am from in Quezon City, the 11-kilogram LPG tank I regularly get is now brushing the P1,800 range, from the P1,160 price just a little over a month ago. And this is for a commodity government insists is not in short supply.

If that claim is true, the price is punishing for a fuel not short in supply. When LPG climbs, the stomach surely grumbles: ulam at the karinderya is either more expensive or spread out on the plate like half an order; rice servings are shaved; and the pandesal shrinks quietly without much complaint from customers.

We Pinoys are headed for dieting, abstinence, or fasting well beyond the Lenten Season. A less-fed Juan and Juana, though, may be music to the ears of the congresswoman who announced several weeks ago that our nation should be alarmed, as over 40+ percent of our adult population is obese or overweight. Well, perhaps here’s an opportunity to force a national diet.

Sadly, we can’t kid ourselves. This is certainly not a solution for better health, but about inflation tightening its grip.

Diesel is projected to spike by as much as ₱20 per liter. Gasoline and kerosene follow. Public transport, logistics, food chains — all will adjust, and never seem downward as the real pressures of wars in the Middle East and even between Russia and Ukraine bear down on the throats of nations like ours that are dependent on oil imports.

Which is precisely why the fake “energy lockdown” advisory that spread like wildfire over Holy Week is not just irresponsible — it is dangerous.

Malacañang, through Usec. Claire Castro has repeatedly shut it down: there is no energy lockdown on April 20. President Marcos Jr. himself has assured supply stability through June 30. And yet, rumor merchants persist — complete with forged logos and doomsday checklists urging people to hoard.

This is not harmless chatter. It is economic sabotage.

False claims distort behavior. They trigger panic-buying, strain supply chains, and artificially drive up prices. They erode trust in institutions at the very moment clarity is needed. In a fragile energy environment, misinformation doesn’t just mislead — it manipulates markets.

Firing Line is full-on behind Acting Communications Secretary Dave Gomez when he said there must be zero tolerance for purveyors of fake news on energy issues. The law is clear and should be applied to them — because those who deliberately spread lies in a time of economic strain are enemies from within.

They are market saboteurs, preying on public anxiety, distorting prices, and pushing ordinary Filipinos closer to panic, scarcity, and unnecessary hardship.

At this time, Filipinos must learn to consume information the way they should consume fuel in a crisis — carefully, deliberately, and from reliable sources. Not every forwarded message deserves belief. Not every viral post deserves a share.

We are already dealing with enough real problems. We do not need invented ones.

*         *         *

SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://www.thephilbiznews.com

he took the most painful thing for any human being (perhaps even for other sentient creatures) — the loss of a child — and made that the measure of his love for humanity.

when my son got sick, my deeply catholic upbringing automatically bargained with god. i asked him to take me instead.

i’ve had a well-lived life: (for the most part) i’ve been clear-eyed and honest about myself, about what i see and feel, about what i judge and act on. i’ve lived many lifetimes.

take me, i pleaded on my knees. my son is still finding his way. he is just at the starting line of his journey to his purpose and meaning.

if god were a mother, she would not give up her child. she would offer hers instead. she would fiercely and fearlessly find another way to show her love for the world.

**

for over two millennia, the propaganda of the bible is that woman is weak, or as the millennial priest in our parish said, in a particularly superior and condescending tone, during a lenten mass a couple of weeks ago, “kayo kasing mga babae” in reference to eve’s partaking of the forbidden fruit.

to disobey an unexplained rule is to be banished from paradise.

why are curiosity and independence of thought and action penalizable sins?

an internal debate that has recently found some form of conclusion: if woman were really superior to man, how come we live in a man’s construct? that god is male? that most religions, as a social control mechanism and as a cultural pool that everyone swims in, are patriarchal and hierarchical?  

because woman allowed it. because woman is “not strong enough” to make the man god’s sacrifice for power, for the power to exercise some control over other people.  

While I am a devout Catholic, I disagree with some within Catholicism who insist on attributing the title “Co-Redemptrix” or “Mediatrix of All Graces” to Mary, the divinely empowered mother of Jesus. The present Pope, Leo XIV, as well as the late Pope Francis and Pope Benedict XVI have already said that the faithful should refrain from using these Marian titles when referring to Mary.

Firstly, Pope Benedict categorically said that such attributions have no basis in scripture and in fact depart from it. Secondly, all three latest Popes emphasize that the use of such titles is confusing to the faithful because it tends to put Mary on equal footing with Jesus Christ which would not only be absurd but untrue. And thirdly, such developments come about due to the tendency of some faithful to bring down the realities of heaven according to their personal convictions even if such contradict carefully developed church doctrines throughout the ages due to the criticality of ensuring that deposits of faith must first be validated by divine revelation and not merely the promotion of earthly vested interests. In fact, the Catholic Church, which is the historian of Christianity since Jesus Christ already has the foundational, core, and developing doctrines of the faith carefully documented. This guardianship is made evident by the existence of the Holy Bible whose New Testament was written between 40 AD and 95 AD; while its Old Testament was compiled sometime between 1000 BC and 450 BC. It is also made apparent in the fact that the written Gospels and Epistles owe their substance to the earlier oral traditions of Christianity which transmitted the initial, spoken teachings and actions of Jesus as well as the “good news” (kerygma) relayed by the Apostles and early followers. Finally, the guardianship has its third pillar in the Magisterium – the teaching authority of the Catholic Church exercised by the Popes and bishops which was established by Christ when he commissioned the Apostles to teach. The 431 AD Council of Ephesus clarified the role of Mary as the Theotokos (“God-bearer” or “Mother of God” in Greek), thereby affirming the Church’s belief in the Incarnation – that Christ is one person with both human and divine natures, rather than two separate persons – debunking Nestorianism. Relative to this, Pope Benedict XVI presents the first evidence supporting my argument. Then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger opposed the “Co-redemptrix or Mediatrix of all graces” title in a 1996 internal discussion within the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith arguing that “the precise meaning of these titles is not clear, and the doctrine contained in them is not mature”. He added that, “it is not clear how the doctrine expressed in these titles is present in Scripture and the apostolic tradition”. Later in 2002, he repeated his position publicly: “The formula ‘Co-redemptrix’ departs to too great an extent from the language of Scripture and of the (Church) Fathers and therefore gives rise to misunderstandings … Everything comes from Him (Christ), as the Letter to the Ephesians and the Letter to the Colossians, in particular, tell us; Mary, too, is everything that she is through Him. The word ‘Co-redemptrix’ would obscure this origin.” While Cardinal Ratzinger expressed this point, he also noted that he wasn’t denying “the good intentions behind the proposal, nor the valuable aspects reflected in it, but nonetheless maintained that they were ‘being expressed in the wrong way’.”                   

Secondly, all three latest Popes emphasize that the use of such titles is confusing to the faithful because it tends to put Mary on equal footing with Jesus Christ which would not only be absurd but untrue. For his part, the late Pope Francis also expressed his clear opposition to the use of the title “Co-redemptrix” on at least three occasions during his papacy. The current Pope, Leo XIV, has instructed Catholics to stop referring to Mary as the co-redeemer of the world, reaffirming the belief that Jesus Christ alone redeemed humanity through his crucifixion and death. As a result of the confusion and controversy among the faithful created by the Marian attributions, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith on 4 November 2025, published Mater populi fidelis (“The Mother of the Faithful People”), a Doctrinal Note “On Some Marian Titles Regarding Mary’s Cooperation in the Work of Salvation.” The Note is the fruit of a long and complex collegial effort to get to the bottom of the controversy and arrive at a firm consensus that will guide the faithful lest they be divided by unnecessary misinterpretations of doctrinal faith, or worse, fall into grave error. The findings of the review clearly clarify the issue. “Essentially, the Note reaffirms Catholic doctrine, which has always emphasized that everything in Mary is directed towards the centrality of Christ and His salvific work. For this reason, even if some Marian titles admit of an orthodox interpretation through correct exegesis, Mater populi fidelis says it is preferable to avoid them.”  The Note’s conclusion is even clearer: “It is always inappropriate to use the title ‘Co-redemptrix’ to define Mary’s cooperation. This title risks obscuring Christ’s unique salvific mediation and can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith. …When an expression requires many, repeated explanations to prevent it from straying from a correct meaning, it does not serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful.”   

Finally, such developments come about due to the tendency of some faithful to bring down the realities of heaven according to their personal convictions even if such contradict carefully developed church doctrines throughout the ages due to the criticality of ensuring that deposits of faith must first be validated by divine revelation and not merely the promotion of earthly vested interests. While Marian devotion is apparently strong within the Catholic faith, Catholics must be careful not to fall into the error of worshipping Mary rather than Jesus Christ. Because that is what ‘Co-redemptrix’ signifies. Christ is God. Mary, His mother, is not. She is human, like us. How can a human being be called mankind’s redeemer along with God? Our admiration and devotion to Mother Mary are laudable and sweet. But do they have to overshadow even our faith in Jesus? If they do, then that would be the work of the devil who is the master of lies, deception, and treachery. Aren’t the titles already attributed to our holy mother still not enough? That we need to invent titles that elevate her to be at level with her Incarnate Son of God? While some of us may think this is alright, it is not. We the people of God must think of the world and not just our myopic groups, associations, and concerns. God is the God of the Universe and not just our Marian groups. We must think big and fully understand this doctrine of communal union which is what the Church is, as the mystical body and bride of Christ. That is why the Church also cannot be effeminate, as Christ is the groom and head of this bride.  As I listened to the priest exhort on the Seven Last Words on Good Friday, I was surprised when all he discussed for the Third Word (“Woman, behold your son … Behold your mother”) was to justify that Mary is God’s “co-mediatrix”. The priest discussed it so much, that he was no longer able to touch on all seven words by the moment his time was up before the 3:00 PM solemn afternoon liturgy and procession. This reflection is partly a reaction to my experienced surprise. It is also a reminder to that priest and us all that his exhortation was in error as the three Popes and the Note have already clarified the matter, rendering the priest’s mutterings as confusing the faithful still despite these official clarifications. Lastly, there is the issue of false teaching and parenthood. Responsible parenthood was another point used by the priest in discussing the Third Word. The point I’m driving at is simple. While true teaching is responsible parenthood, how does a “father” contradicting his Pope and the Note not be false teaching and therefore irresponsible parenthood?        

As most Filipinos go about their Catholic traditions this Lenten Season, anchored on reflection and repentance, I believe many sinners are converted. Today, Maundy Thursday, the reflection is on how Jesus washes the feet of the apostles — an act of humility and an invitation to servant leadership.

For Filipinos, it is also the day devoted to sacrifice, expressed in many ways, among them the Visita Iglesia, which is moving from one church to another, some on foot, offering prayers along the way.

It is in this light that Firing Line reflects on the plight of prisoners, who society loosely (and perhaps ignorantly) tags as the worst of sinners. They are called criminals. But if we were to see them through the same lens as the Lord, then Christ died for them, too. Shouldn’t they be visited? Aren’t they, in their own way, a treasure of souls for conversion? They deserve genuine reform and care, not just punishment.

To be fair, there is a real and measurable movement inside the country’s most troubled prison system.

This past month, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) transferred 500 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) from the New Bilibid Prison to the Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm in Palawan, a facility that now boasts a newly built dormitory capable of housing up to 1,000 inmates.

Also, the BuCor announced it is releasing 1,239 prisoners, among them 501 who had completed their sentences and 396 under expiring terms approved through the Department of Justice (DOJ) processes.

With congestion rates hovering near 290 percent, every transfer and every release matters not just in space saved, but in lives potentially improved. Overcrowding magnifies disease, weakens already fragile health conditions, and erodes any semblance of order. Medical experts have long warned of rising hypertension, respiratory infections, and even strokes among aging inmates in such conditions.

Against this backdrop, Director General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. deserves credit. His push goes beyond decongestion. Education programs have expanded. Feeding and livelihood initiatives — many with private sector partners — have taken root, and faith-based forms of moral recovery efforts have gained ground.

Much of this has been enabled by a stricter “no gang” policy within the Maximum Security Compound — a long-standing fault line in Bilibid’s troubled history.

But BuCor must try harder, as this is only implemented on the surface. Beneath encouraging statistics and the structure lies a system that refuses to fully yield; a system still lorded over by the gangs.

Firing Line spies inside the Bilibid point to the continued presence of gangs within Maximum Security. The removal of tattoos, once presented as proof of disassociation, has become, to some, little more than theater. Communication lines remain active across facilities, with inmates still checking in with so-called elders and supreme leaders — an arrangement that strongly suggests the continued use of contraband cellphones.

And while we move inmates out, what are we doing about what remains within?

Kumusta ang tubig diyan sa Bilibid? I heard water supply has to be brought in by firetrucks – not necessarily potable all the time, is it?

I heard the chronic water shortage is so severe that some inmates allegedly resort to flushing toilets with their own urine. And water supplies have to be paid for. Decongestion eases the numbers, yes, but it does not automatically restore dignity.

Catapang’s reforms are real. They deserve acknowledgment.

But reform, if it is to mean anything, must reach deeper and well into the pipes, the cells, and the shadow systems that still govern life behind bars. Until then, Bilibid is not just overcrowded. It is, like many of the DPWH, an unfinished government project.

*         *         *

SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://www.thephilbiznews.com

It’s tax payment season again — and what troubles me now, that did not before, is how a simple assessment can quietly turn into a long-term threat to one’s home.

The numbers on paper look routine enough. But remember, there’s the Republic Act No. 12001 (Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act) — the law that now pegs property taxes to updated market values through a uniform Schedule of Market Values (SMV). It promises transparency, standardization, and a more “equitable” system. On paper, it looks clean, even fair.

But in practice, it begins to feel like something else entirely.

Let’s be clear about the premise: this is a revenue measure. It raises funds by aligning taxes with current market prices. But markets rise regardless of whether the homeowner’s income does. And so, the burden shifts — quietly but decisively — onto the very people who bought their land decades ago not as an investment play, but as a place to live out their final years.

Take the case of a Filipino who, in 2004, at the prime of life, bought a modest 100-square-meter lot at ₱5,000 per sqm. It was a fair price then, earned through years of work and taxes paid to the same State now reassessing that property. Today, with development all around, that land may be valued at ₱50,000 per sqm.

On paper, the owner is “wealthier.” In reality, nothing about their daily life has changed — except the tax bill that follows.

Yes, the law offers a 6% cap on increases in the first year. A grace period, of sorts. But that is only a delay. The full valuation catches up. A tax once at ₱3,000 annually can climb toward ₱30,000 over time — for the same home, the same walls, the same life lived inside it.

And when that bill becomes too heavy to bear, the consequence is stark: the State, through the LGU, may move to take possession.

That is where the law’s inhuman edge begins to show.

There are safeguards, we are told. Senior citizens may apply for limited exemptions. There is a two-year amnesty for back taxes. LGUs are given discretion to stagger increases. But these are conditional, uneven, and often inaccessible — especially in a system where both national agencies and local governments are, by public perception and experience, notoriously vulnerable to corruption and selective enforcement.

And that discretion is precisely the problem.

Because what the law standardizes in theory, it decentralizes in practice. LGUs now hold immense power to interpret, apply, and, at times, exploit these valuations. For some, it may mean moderation. For others, it can mean aggressive collection — at the expense of residents who have neither the liquidity nor the leverage to push back.

This is how a “fair” law becomes anti-resident and literally unfair.

Modernization should not mean pricing people out of homes they have already paid for in a lifetime of work. It should not force the elderly to depend on children who are themselves struggling. And it should never reduce a home into a taxable asset first, and a human refuge second.

If the government truly intends this reform for the public good, then it must do more than defend the law. It must strictly rein in its implementation, especially at the local level.

Because if left unchecked, this will not just be about taxes. It will be about displacement, distrust, and a slow, sanctioned erosion of dignity.

The irony is glaring. These are the same ideological strains that once criticized government control of industries and pushed for privatization, arguing that professional firms could better serve the public and keep resources away from corrupt hands. So, what do they really want?

*         *         *

SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://www.thephilbiznews.com

But according to a source of THEPHILBIZNEWS, behind the clean-cut exterior, the polished smile, and the boy-next-door image, the guy has skeletons in his closet. The source whispers that he’s actually a heartbreaker — before and, more importantly, after his marriage.

Clue: He almost always lectures on ethics, integrity, media freedom, and the Philippine political landscape — on stage, in panels, and even in casual embassy gatherings.

And perhaps this Women’s Month, someone should check if he can speak from the heart on human rights, justice, and equality.

As Billy Joel famously sang — and yes, fact-checked — “Honesty is such a lonely word; everyone is so untrue.”

And as Thomas Aquinas reminds us: “Truth is the conformity of the intellect to reality.”

Lest we forget: Agere sequitur esse — action follows being.

Not six kilometers away from my neighborhood, a troubling incident had me thinking about the safety of young students.

On March 23, 15-year-old Isabelle Sophia Tablate was found dead inside a factory in Barangay Santolan, Pasig City. Days earlier, she had been on her way home from school in Quezon City. She last spoke to her father through a messaging app, parted ways with a friend at the LRT Santolan Station, and was seen walking toward the bridge. Then, nothing. Authorities said the cause of death is still under investigation.

Then two days ago, another name began circulating online: Sofia Jen Venice Ambas, 18, reported missing in Cabuyao. Last seen near a commercial strip in broad daylight, her case — like many before it — leaned heavily on public vigilance.

The Philippine National Police recently disclosed that seven Filipino minors had to be rescued and placed under investigation after being drawn into an online network operating gaming platforms. What began as casual interaction with foreign players evolved into closed chat groups where conversations turned darker — idolizing mass shooters, discussing possible attacks, and, more disturbingly, suggesting that participants take their own lives after carrying them out.

Authorities said the case only surfaced after intelligence was shared by foreign law enforcement partners. By then, the psychological conditioning had already taken hold. These were not hardened criminals. They were students — “terminally online,” as police described — slowly nudged toward a worldview where violence is spectacle and life has little value.

A similar pattern emerged in Sydney in 2024, where seven teenagers aged 15 to 17 were arrested following a stabbing incident linked to extremist ideology. Police there moved preemptively, warning that while no exact target had been fixed, the risk of an attack was real.

That convergence — young people, digital platforms, and violent ideologies — is now drawing attention at the policy level. Risa Hontiveros has called for a Senate investigation into online gaming environments, including platforms like Roblox, to establish stricter child safety standards. Her proposal includes mandatory age verification and stronger safeguards against grooming and exploitation — recognizing that these virtual spaces, while designed for play, are increasingly being used to influence and recruit.

It is a necessary move. But legislation, by itself, cannot be the only line of defense.

Because beyond the screens, there is a more immediate question: where is police visibility where it is needed most?

It’s good that the PNP has been driving for a quick two-minute response time (some even less) at crime scenes. But what about presence? What about the simple deterrent effect of officers who are not just two minutes away but actually there?

There was a time when police visibility was not just a campaign but a reality — officers stationed near school gates, patrolling busy streets, watching over the everyday routes students take. Today, even with body cameras and better equipment, that presence feels uneven, especially in areas blind to CCTV coverage.

The Department of Education and the PNP must treat this as a shared responsibility. Patrols in school zones, particularly during dismissal hours, should be a given — not an afterthought.

Because a visible police officer is more than enforcement. It is a calming presence. A signal that someone is watching.

And in moments like these, that presence may be the difference between something prevented and something too late.

*         *         *

SHORT BURSTS. For comments or reactions, email firingline@ymail.com or tweet @Side_View via X app (formerly Twitter). Read current and past issues of this column at https://www.thephilbiznews.com