Friday, July 3, 2026


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Pinoy migrants, balak ipatapon ni Trump sa Libya

Venus L Peñaflor
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Pinoy migrants, balak ipatapon ni Trump sa Libya

MAYNILA. Tinawag ni Senate President Francis “Chiz” G. Escudero na malupit at hindi makatarungan ang plano ng Estados Unidos na ipa-deport sa Libya ang mga Asian immigrants, kabilang na ang mga Pilipino. Ang naturang hakbang ay bahagi ng kampanya ni US President Donald Trump para ipatupad ang kanyang mga pangako sa mga mamamayan ng Amerika.

Ang plano ni Trump ay umani ng malawakang pagkondena mula sa iba’t ibang bansa at mga human rights advocates, na nag-aalala tungkol sa kaligtasan at kapakanan ng mga imigrante sa Libya, isang bansa na kilala sa kasaysayan ng malupit na pagtrato sa mga migranteng dumaraan doon.

“Ang mga Pilipino ay hindi mga kamelyo na itatapon sa ilang disyerto ng Libya. Sila ay mga tao na karapat-dapat na bigyan ng lahat ng karapatan ng isang estado na nag-aangking pinahahalagahan at itinataguyod sila,” pahayag ni Escudero. Ayon sa kanya, hindi dapat ituring na isang “parusa” ang pagpapadala ng mga Pilipino sa isang bansa na may kasaysayan ng malupit na pagtrato sa mga imigrante.

Dahil sa mga alalahaning ito, pansamantalang itinigil ng isang US judge ang deportation proceedings ng mga imigrante, kabilang ang mga Pilipino, patungong Libya. Si Judge Brian Murphy ng Massachusetts ang naglabas ng kautusan na nag-aatas ng pansamantalang suspensyon ng deportasyon, batay sa kanyang court order na inilabas noong Marso.

Ang Libya, ayon sa mga ulat, ay may malupit na kasaysayan ng pang-aabuso at kalupitan sa mga detainees. Isinasalaysay ng mga international human rights groups na ang mga migrante sa Libya ay madalas na nakakulong sa mga squalid detention centers, kung saan sila ay dumaranas ng pangingikil, pang-aabuso, panggagahasa, at iba pang uri ng karahasan. Ayon sa isang fact-finding mission na sinusuportahan ng UN, napatunayan ang mga krimen laban sa sangkatauhan sa Libya, tulad ng pagka-alipin, sapilitang pagkawala, tortyur, at pagpatay.

“It’s hell on earth for migrants,” sabi ni Tarek Megerisi, isang senior policy fellow sa European Council on Foreign Relations. “All they will have are different forms of abuse — if they are lucky enough, they will end up on a rickety boat in the Mediterranean,” dagdag pa ni Megerisi, na isang Libyan.

Nagbigay din ng panawagan si Escudero kay Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez na suriin ang kalagayan ng mga Pilipinong nakatakdang i-deport at tiyakin na magkakaroon sila ng sapat na legal na tulong, kung kinakailangan. Ipinahayag din ng senador na handa ang Pilipinas na tanggapin ang mga Pilipinong may problema sa immigration, kung nais ng Estados Unidos na i-deport ang mga ito.

Tinanggihan ng Comelec na pumasok ang EU obeservers sa polling place

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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Tinanggihan ng Comelec na pumasok ang EU obeservers sa polling place

MAYNILA. Hindi pinayagan ng Commission on Elections (COMELEC) ang hiling ng European Union Election Observation Mission na makapasok sa loob ng mga polling place sa darating na 2025 midterm elections na nakatakda sa Mayo 12.

Ayon kay Comelec Chairman George Erwin Garcia, ang pagbibigay ng ganitong pahintulot ay direktang paglabag sa umiiral na batas ng Pilipinas. Tinukoy niya ang 1987 Constitution at ang Omnibus Election Code (OEC), partikular ang Article 7, Section 52(k) B.2 na nagsasaad:

“Members or units of any citizen group or organization so designated by the Comelec, except its lone duly ­accredited watcher, will not be allowed to enter any ­polling place except to vote, and shall, if they so desire, stay in an area at least fifty meters away from the polling place.”

“They (EU observers) asked, why are you not allowing us? I told them our Commission is ­willing to face the consequences simply because that is our law,” pahayag ni Garcia.

Ipinaliwanag pa ng poll chief na ang pangunahing tungkulin ng Comelec ay ipatupad ang batas, hindi labagin ito.

“Under the Constitution, the Comelec is there to enforce and administer the laws. Eh kung kami pa mismo ang violator ng batas natin, paano natin madi-disqualify ang mga kandidatong lumalabag sa batas kung ang Comelec mismo ang violator ng batas natin?” aniya.

Bagaman pinapayagan ang mga dayuhang election observers na magsagawa ng pagmamasid sa eleksyon sa bansa, malinaw na hindi sila maaaring pumasok sa loob ng mga polling place nang walang pahintulot mula sa chairman ng Electoral Board.

“Basic lang eh, hindi mo pa susundin. Basic lang na ito lang ang pupuwedeng pumasok. Kahit mag-issue kami ng resolution na papayagan sila, that resolution will be declared null and void. That resolution is illegal. Because a resolution that is contrary to law is no valid resolution at all. Iyan po ang maliwanag na paliwanag,” dagdag pa ni Garcia.

Sa kabila nito, iginiit ni Garcia na bukas pa rin ang Pilipinas sa mga international observers hangga’t sumusunod ang mga ito sa mga umiiral na alituntunin ng batas.

‘He chose to be one of us’: Peruvians celebrate Pope Leo XIV as their own

Venus L Peñaflor
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‘He chose to be one of us’: Peruvians celebrate Pope Leo XIV as their own

LIMA, Peru. Joy and pride swept across Peru on Thursday as the country celebrated the election of Pope Leo XIV, a missionary-turned-bishop with deep ties to the South American nation, as the new head of the Roman Catholic Church.

The new pontiff, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, holds dual citizenship in the United States and Peru, making him the first pope from either country. Born in Chicago in 1955, Prevost became a Peruvian citizen in 2015 and served for nearly a decade as bishop of Chiclayo in northern Peru.

As white smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel and the announcement of Pope Francis’ successor echoed across the globe, cathedral bells rang in Lima, signaling a historic moment that many Peruvians immediately embraced as their own.

“For us Peruvians, it is a source of pride that this is a pope who represents our country,” said Isabel Panez, an elementary school teacher standing outside the Lima Cathedral. “We would like him to visit us here in Peru.”

Standing for the first time on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV addressed the people of Chiclayo in Spanish, paying tribute to the city he once called home. Chiclayo, a bustling urban center near Peru’s northern Pacific coast, was where Prevost served as bishop from 2014 until 2023, when Pope Francis summoned him to Rome to lead the Vatican’s Dicastery for Bishops.

“He came from Chicago to Chiclayo, the only difference is a few letters,” recalled Diana Celis, a local who attended Masses celebrated by Prevost during his time in Peru. “That was his way of making us feel like he belonged here.”

Prevost’s tenure in Peru was marked not only by pastoral care but also by hands-on action in times of crisis. Janinna Sesa, who worked with him through the Catholic nonprofit Caritas, recounted his tireless work during the 2022 floods that devastated Chiclayo and nearby communities.

“He is the kind of person who will put on boots and wade through the mud,” Sesa said. “He delivered food and blankets in a white pickup truck, slept on a thin mattress on the floor, and ate the peasant diet of potatoes, cheese, and corn. But if carne asada and Coca-Cola were around, he would gladly enjoy those too.”

Sesa also credited Prevost with spearheading efforts to purchase two oxygen-production plants during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, which claimed more than 217,000 lives in Peru. “He worked so hard to find help, that there was not only enough for one plant, but for two,” she said.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte praised the newly elected pope in a video message, calling his election a “historic moment” for both Peru and the United States.

“He chose to be one of us, to live among us, and to carry in his heart the faith, culture, and dreams of this nation,” Boluarte said, recalling that Prevost’s Peruvian citizenship was “an expression of his profound love for Peru.”

Not all reactions were celebratory. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP) raised concerns over Prevost’s handling of clergy abuse complaints during his time as bishop of Chiclayo, particularly in 2022. The Peruvian Bishops’ Conference has not responded to requests for comment on the allegations.

Still, many in Peru view Pope Leo XIV as a symbol of hope and unity. “That’s a beautiful area, but one of the regions that needs lots of hope,” said Thomas Nicolini, a Peruvian student in Rome, referring to Chiclayo. “Now I’m expecting that the new pope helps as many people as possible, and tries to reignite, let’s say, the faith young people have lost.”

Rev. Edinson Farfán, the current bishop of Chiclayo, described Pope Leo XIV as a man deeply attuned to the Church’s social mission. “He will be very sensitive to the social doctrine of the Church and will undoubtedly be attentive to the signs of the times,” he said.

As Pope Leo XIV begins his papacy, Peruvians across the country are watching with pride, hopeful that one of their own will carry their voice to the heart of the Vatican.

Leo XIV shocks the world as first American pope, vows to continue Francis’ mission

Venus L Peñaflor
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Leo XIV shocks the world as first American pope, vows to continue Francis’ mission

VATICAN CITY. Cardinal Robert Prevost, a 69-year-old Chicago-born missionary with deep roots in Latin America, was elected as the 267th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Thursday. Taking the name Leo XIV, he becomes the first pontiff from the United States.

White smoke rose from the Sistine Chapel chimney, confirming that the College of Cardinals had reached a decision following the death of Pope Francis last month. Minutes later, Leo XIV stepped onto the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet a cheering crowd.

“Pace a tutti voi,” the new pope declared in fluent Italian, “Peace be with you all.” He also spoke briefly in Spanish but did not address the crowd in English.

Although born in Chicago, Prevost holds dual citizenship with Peru, where he spent much of his life in missionary work and later served as bishop of Chiclayo. He became a cardinal only in 2023 and was considered a long shot for the papacy due to his reserved public persona and limited media exposure.

His appointment was immediately celebrated in Peru. President Dina Boluarte’s office posted on X: “Su cercanía con los más necesitados dejó una huella imborrable en los corazones del Perú” (His closeness to those most in need left an indelible mark on the hearts of Peru).

Back in the United States, the news triggered both celebration and controversy. Former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social:

“What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!”

However, previous social media activity from Prevost’s X account showed criticism of both Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s policies. Scholars like Villanova University’s Professor Massimo Faggioli suggested that the very divisiveness of the Trump-era politics may have swayed cardinals toward electing a pope who could respond with compassion and clarity.

“The international upheaval of the rhetoric of the Trump presidency, paradoxically, made possible the impossible,” said Faggioli.
“Trump has broken many taboos, the conclave now has done the same — in a very different key.”

Pope Leo’s address included gratitude to his predecessor Francis, and a reaffirmation of the Church’s commitment to social justice and outreach.

“La Chiesa deve essere sempre vicina al popolo, specialmente a chi soffre,” he said, “The Church must always be close to the people, especially those who are suffering.”

Francis, the first Latin American pope, led the Church for 12 years and introduced numerous reforms, including a willingness to engage in open dialogue about controversial issues such as the role of women in the Church and LGBTQ inclusion. Leo XIV is expected to continue many of those initiatives.

His appearance in traditional red papal garments over a white cassock marked a contrast with Francis, who famously rejected many papal formalities. Reactions in St. Peter’s Square ranged from surprise to joy.

“I’m just thrilled. I hope this can bring to America a more loving community. I think there’s a lot of hate in America. I think there’s a lot of racism. I have experienced it,” said Lailah Brown, 28, an African American pilgrim from Seattle.

“I hope America does not embarrass the pope,” she added.

Yet, not everyone was jubilant. SNAP, the U.S.-based advocacy group for victims of clerical abuse, expressed “grave concern” over Leo XIV’s election, citing past allegations that he failed to act decisively against predatory priests in Chicago and Peru.

“You can end the abuse crisis, the only question is, will you?” the group asked in an open statement.

In a 2023 interview with Vatican News, Prevost acknowledged the need for transparency, saying the Church “must be honest and courageous” in addressing abuse allegations.

Back in Chicago, the Catholic Theological Union, where Prevost earned his master’s degree in 1982, erupted in celebration.

“It was an explosion of excitement and cheers that went up in the room … many of us were just simply incredulous and just couldn’t even find words to express our delight, our pride,” said Sister Barbara Reid, the school’s president.

She praised Leo XIV as “an intellectually brilliant man” with a “compassionate heart” and “a leader who listens to the cries of the poorest.”

The choice of the name Leo holds deep historical resonance. The last pope to take that name, Leo XIII (1878–1903), was renowned for championing social justice and laying the groundwork for modern Catholic social teaching, values that Prevost has consistently upheld.

Before coming to Rome in 2023 to lead the Vatican office responsible for selecting bishops, Prevost served as bishop of Chiclayo for eight years, gaining respect for his dedication to the poor and marginalized.

With the world now watching closely, Pope Leo XIV faces the monumental task of shepherding a global Church through a time of internal reform, geopolitical unrest, and rising secularism, a challenge he appears ready to embrace with humility and conviction.

Anak ng vendor at PWD, top 1 sa PMA Class 2025

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Anak ng vendor at PWD, top 1 sa PMA Class 2025

MAYNILA. Gumawa ng kasaysayan ang 23-anyos na si Cadet First Class Jessie Ticar Jr. matapos niyang maging valedictorian ng Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Siklab Laya Class of 2025. Anak ng isang vendor at Person with Disability (PWD), nakamit ni Ticar ang pinakamataas na Grade Point Average (GPA) na 9.52 percent, isang pambihirang tagumpay sa kabila ng mga pagsubok sa buhay.

Si Ticar ay ikaapat na kadete sa kasaysayan ng PMA na nakatanggap ng summa cum laude status. Ang mga naunang nakatanggap nito ay sina Cavalier Artus noong 2021 na may grade na 9.51, Cavalier Gaerlan noong 1995 na may 9.38, at Cavalier Lorenzo noong 1997 na may 9.32.

Ayon sa mga ulat, si Ticar ay bunso sa tatlong magkakapatid. Ang kanyang ina ay isang vendor na nagtitinda ng ballpen at envelope sa Quezon City, habang ang kanyang ama ay isang dating taxi driver na ngayon ay isang PWD dahil sa sakit.

Bilang valedictorian ng Class 2025, tatanggap si Ticar ng siyam na medalya, kabilang ang Presidential Saber, JUSMAG Saber, Tactics Group Award, Natural Sciences Plaque, Army Professional Courses Plaque, Army Saber, Australian Defense Best Overall Performance Award, Gen. Antonio Luna Award, at Humanities Plaque. Ang kanyang pagtatapos ay itinakda sa Mayo 17, kung saan si Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang magbibigay ng Presidential Saber.

Ang PMA Class of 2025 ay binubuo ng 212 lalaki at 54 babae, na magsisilbing mga bagong lider ng Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Knife attack injures 2 at Tokyo subway station; suspect arrested

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Knife attack injures 2 at Tokyo subway station; suspect arrested

TOKYO, Japan. Panic briefly gripped commuters during the Wednesday evening rush hour as a man wielding a knife attacked two passengers on a train arriving at a Tokyo subway station. The suspect, identified by authorities as a 43-year-old man, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.

The incident occurred aboard a train pulling into the subway station when the attacker slashed a man in his 20s in the head as he boarded a car, Japan’s national broadcaster NHK reported. A second victim, a man in his 30s, suffered a slashed finger while he and other passengers subdued the attacker.

NHK quoted a witness who saw the suspect holding a knife inside the train car. “He did not resist when other passengers seized him,” the witness said. The same witness added that upon returning to the platform, he saw the first victim, bleeding and slumped on the floor, asking for an ambulance.

Authorities said the injuries to both victims were not believed to be life-threatening.

Following the attack, Tokyo Metro Co. temporarily suspended operations on the line to allow for the inspection of train cars involved in the incident.

While Japan is widely regarded as one of the safest countries in the world, incidents involving random knife or homemade explosive attacks have increased in recent years, sparking public concern over safety in traditionally secure public spaces like trains and stations.

Police have not yet released details about the suspect’s identity or possible motive, and investigations are ongoing.

No decision on new pope as black smoke marks first vote

Venus L Peñaflor
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No decision on new pope as black smoke marks first vote

VATICAN CITY. Black smoke drifted from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday evening, signifying that the cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic Church failed to choose a new pope during the first round of voting in the conclave.

Thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square held their breath as they awaited the traditional signal from the chapel’s narrow flue. The smoke, which appeared more than three hours after the conclave commenced, clearly indicated that the day’s vote was inconclusive.

This delay was notable; it took an hour longer than the first smoke signal during the 2013 conclave that elected the late Pope Francis.

White smoke will indicate that a new pope has been chosen, though few expected such a result on the first day. No pope in modern times has been elected in the opening ballot of a conclave.

Still, several cardinals expressed hope that the conclave could conclude by Thursday or Friday. They emphasized the importance of demonstrating unity following the polarizing 12-year papacy of Pope Francis, who passed away last month.

The 133 cardinal electors, aged under 80 and eligible to vote, will spend the night in two Vatican guesthouses. There, informal discussions may continue ahead of the next voting session on Thursday morning. According to the conclave procedure, they are expected to hold two votes in the morning and two more in the afternoon daily until a candidate secures a two-thirds majority, at least 89 votes this time.

Their only communication with the outside world during the voting period is through the smoke signal. Ballots are burned with special chemicals: black smoke when no decision is made, and white when a pope is elected.

Papal conclaves in the modern era have been relatively short. The 2013 conclave lasted just two days, as did the 2005 gathering that selected Pope Benedict XVI.

In the lead-up to the conclave, cardinals offered diverse visions of what they expect from the next leader of the 1.4-billion-member global Church. Some seek continuity with Pope Francis’ more inclusive and reformist direction, while others prefer a return to traditional practices. Many cardinals are reportedly looking for a more “measured” and “predictable” pontificate.

In a homily delivered before the conclave, 91-year-old Italian Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, who is no longer eligible to vote, urged his fellow cardinals to rise above personal interests:
“You must set aside every personal consideration and keep in mind only … the good of the Church and of humanity,” he said. He further emphasized that the new pope should embrace the Church’s diversity: “Unity does not mean uniformity, but a firm and profound communion in diversity.”

Pope Francis, the first pontiff from Latin America, faced resistance from ultra-conservatives during his papacy, with some accusing him of heresy due to his progressive stances, particularly his openness to the LGBT community, his outreach to Protestants and Muslims, and his willingness to offer communion to divorced Catholics.

As of now, no clear frontrunner has emerged. Italian Cardinal Pietro Parolin and Filipino Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle are widely seen as top contenders. However, if neither gains traction, attention could shift toward other candidates based on geography, theological alignment, or shared languages.

Other possible papabili (pope-hopefuls) include French Cardinal Jean-Marc Aveline, Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, American Cardinal Robert Prevost, and Italian Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa.

This conclave sees a record number of participants, with 133 cardinals from 70 countries, compared to 115 cardinals from 48 nations in 2013, reflecting Pope Francis’ efforts to diversify and internationalize the College of Cardinals during his tenure.

One key consideration for the electors is whether the next pope should again come from the Global South, where Catholic populations are rapidly expanding, or whether leadership should return to Europe, or perhaps even for the first time, to the United States.

Earlier in the day, cardinals processed into the historic, frescoed Sistine Chapel to the sounds of Latin chants and organ music. Michelangelo’s “Last Judgment” loomed over them as they took a solemn vow of secrecy by placing their hands on the Gospels.

“Extra omnes!” declared Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the Vatican’s master of ceremonies, Latin for “Everyone out!” signaling the start of the sacred and secret proceedings. The chapel’s heavy wooden doors then closed, sealing the cardinal electors off from the world.

Although no formal discussions are allowed during voting sessions, it is widely understood that strategic conversations continue during breaks and meals, with support shifting as potential candidates rise and fall.

The world now waits as the cardinals continue their deliberations behind closed doors, guided by ritual, prayer, and an enduring sense of purpose to choose the next shepherd of the Catholic Church.

Walang Pinoy na nadamay sa sagupaan ng India at Pakistan — DFA

Venus L Peñaflor
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Walang Pinoy na nadamay sa sagupaan ng India at Pakistan — DFA

MAYNILA. Tiniyak ng Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) nitong Miyerkules, Mayo 7, na walang Pilipinong nasawi sa nagpapatuloy na tensyon at sagupaan sa pagitan ng India at Pakistan.

Sa opisyal na pahayag ng DFA, sinabi nitong mahigpit nilang binabantayan ang sitwasyon sa rehiyon at nakikipag-ugnayan ang mga embahada upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng mga kababayan doon.

“Our Embassy in Islamabad has confirmed that there are no reports of Filipino casualties in the incident,” ayon sa DFA.

Dagdag pa ng ahensya, “We call for a peaceful resolution to the current issues.”

Pinayuhan din ng DFA ang mga miyembro ng Filipino community sa mga apektadong lugar na manatiling maingat at mapagmatyag sa gitna ng patuloy na tensyon sa nasabing rehiyon.

Batay sa pinakahuling tala ng DFA, tinatayang nasa 1,300 na Pilipino ang naninirahan sa India, karamihan ay mga propesyonal at nagtatrabaho sa IT at engineering sectors, habang humigit-kumulang 700 naman ang nasa Pakistan, kalakhan ay mga kasapi ng diplomatic at humanitarian communities.

Matatandaang sumiklab ang panibagong sagupaan matapos akusahan ng India ang Pakistan ng pagpapabagsak sa limang fighter jet nito. Bilang tugon, iniulat ng India na isinagawa nito ang serye ng air strikes laban sa siyam na umano’y “terrorist infrastructure” sa teritoryo ng Pakistan, kabilang ang ilang lugar na umano’y may kaugnayan sa mga Islamist militants na iniuugnay sa pag-atake sa mga Hindu tourists sa Kashmir noong nakaraang buwan. Sa nasabing pag-atake, 26 katao ang nasawi.

Patuloy na binabantayan ng DFA ang mga kaganapan sa rehiyon upang tiyaking ligtas ang mga Pilipino sa mga apektadong lugar.

Sustaining voter education even if ‘bobotantes’ don’t cooperate

DC Alviar
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Sustaining voter education even if ‘bobotantes’ don’t cooperate

Ours is a country of “bobotantes” with some wise enough to feign foolishness, but, more important, more and more are wiser enough to try and try until change happens. If the electorate cares less about voter education, that is part of the challenge. That is why voter education should be sustained, not just when elections are approaching.

Voter education is an ongoing campaign that serves as preparation for the upcoming elections. We utilize non-election years to promote physical and e-resources and forums that will broaden voters’ understanding of the democratic process, as discussed in this space last year. (https://tutubi.ph/who-should-we-not-vote-for-anak-no-singit-too/)

In the Philippines where one in five high school graduates can hardly understand a simple story, 18 million of them “functionally illiterate” (PSA, 2025), voter education will be more effective if all sectors—government, the traditional media, civil society, and the citizens—work together to strengthen voter participation and decision-making.

Although people meet the criteria of the Commission on Elections to vote, we still think that these voters need to be updated by fact-checking organizations that also play a role in helping to ensure that candidates and their platforms are not just based on propaganda, but on real data and facts. (https://tutubi.ph/anyare-mahina-ang-voter-education-malakas-ang-propaganda/) It is important to provide voters with access to accurate information to combat mis/disinformation.

Several higher education institutions and media organizations have consistently launched campaigns to teach voters how to check the credibility of the information they see, hear, or read, but chronic obstructions exist from within. There is a dire need to include those from their academic and journalistic ranks as the target audience of voter education.

The rotten ones are not disappearing from their ranks! And if the problem is already taking root, they must be uprooted and continue planting good seeds. What we thought at a conference is that these academic personnel and media workers will gradually be dismantled from respected institutions until they are relegated to a pushover position (pipitsugin) and lose their clout.

Continuing the planting of good seeds of voter education, the esteemed individuals and institutions will maintain a positive outlook that their patriotic dealings are sufficient and appropriate to be able to instill goodwill among families and patrons who will return the favor by giving their contributions to building a more progressive and decent society.

Above all, we implore the aid of Almighty God to effect change in us this May and in subsequent polls. Deuteronomy 1:13 tells us: “Choose some wise, understanding and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

Choose the best. Be wiser enough.

We repeatedly ask: “Why is it that after so many elections, our standards haven’t gone up?” (Mega Scene, 2016). All of us need to change from within—within our hearts and minds—and it has to be a holistic approach to thinking, integrating emotions with intellect, not viewing them as separate entities.

Kung sports lang sana ang lahat

Back in the day, I always won when I read articles by Dennis Eroa, a seasoned sports journalist. As early as the elims, the teams I supported seemed very much okay to be out of the picture, or out of bounds, because of balanced (sports) news, fearless views he and his newspaper kept on saying. Isang coach nga eh tanda kong galit na galit din sa nasulat niya pero naipagtanggol naman si Dennis ng editor niya. Surely not a libel case to prosper. With the stack of details, it’s as if he has taken you to the arena when you read his action-packed articles in the leading broadsheet, the Inquirer.

Our condolences and prayers to the family and friends of Matias Dennis Urlanda Eroa (February 24, 1965 – April 30, 2025).

Cardinals begin sacred and secretive process to elect new pope

Venus L Peñaflor
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Cardinals begin sacred and secretive process to elect new pope

VATICAN CITY. In a moment charged with tradition, suspense, and global attention, 133 cardinals from around the world entered the Sistine Chapel on Wednesday to begin the conclave, the solemn and secret process of electing the next pope, the 267th leader of the 1.4 billion-strong Roman Catholic Church.

This conclave, the most geographically diverse in the Church’s 2,000-year history, includes cardinals from 70 nations. It comes in the wake of Pope Francis’ resignation due to health reasons and caps off a historic 12-year papacy marked by progressive reforms and global outreach.

Francis personally appointed 108 of the 133 cardinal-electors, drawing heavily from nations across the Global South, including Mongolia, Tonga, and Sweden—countries never before represented in a conclave. His choices, which exceeded the traditional 120-cardinal limit, and his emphasis on younger clergy from the periphery of the Catholic world, have brought an air of unpredictability to a ritual steeped in secrecy.

After celebrating a final pre-conclave Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica—presided over by the 91-year-old dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re—the cardinals proceeded in solemn procession to the Sistine Chapel. There, they sang the haunting “Litany of the Saints” and the Latin hymn “Veni Creator Spiritus”, invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In the chapel, standing beneath Michelangelo’s imposing “Last Judgment”, each cardinal swore an oath of secrecy:
“So help me God and these Holy Gospels, which I touch with my hand.”

They pledged to avoid “any interference, opposition or any other form of intervention” from outside forces, a vow meant to shield the sacred decision from worldly influence.

Following this, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, the master of papal ceremonies, pronounced “Extra omnes,” Latin for “everyone out,” prompting all non-electors to leave as the chapel doors were shut.

Each cardinal writes his vote on a paper that reads “Eligo in Summen Pontificem” (“I elect as Supreme Pontiff”). Ballots are cast individually at the altar with the declaration:
“I call as my witness, Christ the Lord, who will be my judge, that my vote is given to the one who, before God, I think should be elected.”

The folded ballots are then collected in a gold and silver urn, counted by scrutineers, pierced with a needle through the word “Eligo”, and tied with thread. After the tally, they are burned in a chapel stove along with chemicals

black smoke for no decision, white smoke to announce a new pope.

Although a vote is not required on the first day, the cardinals typically cast one. If no winner emerges, they may vote up to four times a day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon, until one candidate receives the necessary two-thirds majority (89 votes).

Historically, conclaves have varied in length. Pope John Paul I was elected on the third ballot, Pope John Paul II on the eighth, and Pope Francis on the fifth in 2013.

Many cardinals admitted they had little time to become familiar with each other before the conclave, leading some to speculate that the voting process may take longer than usual. “Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see,” advised Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican’s ambassador to Syria, as he entered the final pre-vote discussions.

Outside the Vatican, advocacy efforts surged. Young Catholics issued open letters insisting there is no Church without youth, women, and lay voices. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse urged the selection of a pope committed to transparency and reform. Supporters of women’s ordination released pink smoke over the Vatican in a symbolic gesture for gender equality in the Church.

Who Could Be Next?

While identifying frontrunners in a conclave is notoriously speculative, three names have surfaced repeatedly among observers:

  • Cardinal Pietro Parolin (Italy, 70) – Secretary of State and a key figure in Francis’ administration.
  • Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle (Philippines, 67) – Head of the Vatican’s evangelization office and potential first Asian pope.
  • Cardinal Péter Erdő (Hungary, 72) – A conservative archbishop and legal scholar from Budapest.

The next pope will face daunting challenges: whether to continue Pope Francis’ path of reform and inclusion, especially in matters concerning women, LGBTQ+ Catholics, the environment, and migrants, or to reverse course and seek to heal internal divisions. The ongoing clergy abuse crisis remains a critical issue hovering over the process.

For now, the world watches and waits for the signal from the Sistine Chapel chimney. When white smoke rises and the words “Habemus Papam” echo through St. Peter’s Square, a new chapter in Catholic history will begin.

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