Faces of the News: December 22, 2024
Sonny angara
Education Secretary Sonny Angara did not hold back in showing his dismay after his former colleagues in Congress, especially those on the bicameral conference committee, slashed the Department of Education’s (DepEd) draft 2025 budget by about P12 billion. The bulk of the cut was in the agency’s computerization program.
“After all the promises and nice words, sadly Congress cut the President’s proposed budget for the [DepEd],” he said in a social media post. Angara noted that Congress, in previous years, had consistently added to what the executive branch proposed for DepEd. But this year, it was different: P748.6 billion was after the “bicam.” Angara’s lament later drew reassuring words from President Marcos who, according to the DepEd official, had pledged to “remedy” the huge budget cut.
The President had also directed other Cabinet members, especially Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, to discuss the situation. DepEd’s case was one of the reasons Malacañang deferred the signing of the P6.235 trillion national budget supposedly on Dec. 20. —KATHLEEN DE VILLA
Jude Acidre
The Tingog party list representative was recently forced to explain why his group got chosen as a partner of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) and Philippine Health Insurance Corp. for a rural-health development program. This was after Sen. Ronald dela Rosa questioned the selection of Tingog and not other agencies more relevant to the initiative, like the Department of Health.
After drawing criticism for several days, Acidre announced the group’s withdrawal, saying its further participation would only “detract” from the program’s goals. Under the partnership, the DBP would provide local government units access to its hospital loan program, while PhilHealth will ensure timely reimbursements to the hospitals.
According to Acidre, tingog was there only to help local governments navigate the process and would have nothing to do with fund disbursements or the selection of recipients. Dela Rosa had accused Tingog of using the program for reelection. The group’s other representative, Yedda Romualdez, is the wife of Speaker Martin Romualdez. —KRIXIA SUBINGSUBING
Mary Jane Veloso
Amid a media frenzy, former death row inmate Mary Jane Veloso was finally flown back to the Philippines on Dec. 19 after spending the last 14 years in an Indonesian prison for drug smuggling. The histori moment, the product of diplomatic talks, saw her being admitted to the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City where she will be serving the remainder of her life sentence.
From there, Veloso, her loved ones, and her supporters renewed their appeal to President Marcos for executive clemency. It was a bittersweet moment for the Nueva Ecija native, whose case had dragged on for three presidencies and required the involvement of migrant support groups such as Migrante, and with politicians of all stripes taking up her cause.
In 2010 Veloso was found guilty of smuggling drugs to Indonesia after 2.6 kilograms of heroin was discovered in the lining of her suitcase. She was sentenced to death by firing squad, but the execution was deferred thanks to a last-minute appeal by then President Benigno Aquino III, which was eventually granted by his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo. —JACOB LAZARO
JD Cagulangan
It’s safe to say that JD Cagulangan can ask for nothing more as he ended his collegiate basketball stint in glorious fashion.
The spitfire UP Maroon guard was key to bringing the UAAP crown crown back to Diliman after just a gap of two years, in a down-the-wire title series last week against a familiar foe, the De La Salle Green Archers, the school where he began as a varsity cager.
After the 66-62 Game 3 victory on Dec. 15, Cagulangan brings with him some of the valuable lessons he had learned in a Maroon uniform.
“Coach Gold [Monteverde] said life is not fair. That made a mark on me because there are instances that our journey had its ups and downs and I realized that it’s true,” said Cagulangan, who capped his UAAP journey as a two-time champion and a finals MVP. “So in everything you do, you need to give your 100 percent.”
His future plans as a baller remain unclear, but word has leaked that he may soon be flying to South Korea to play as an “import.” For now, another conversation thread has formed as to whether he can be considered the greatest Maroon ever. —ANGEL B. DUKHA III
David Corenswet
With the recent trailer drop for director James Gunn’s upcoming “Superman” film, fans finally got a first good look of the franchise’s new lead star, david corenswet, both as the iconic superhero and his alter-ego, the Daily Planet reporter Clark Kent.
While initial reaction was mixed when it was announced last year that the 31-year-old American actor would be inheriting the red cape from Henry Cavill, Corenswet seems to be steadily winning people over as a potentially worthy successor. The trailer has been receiving mostly positive feedback, with not a few viewers looking forward to a fresh approach to the man of steel.
There are two notable details in this new version: the return of superman’s red trunks, and the live-action cinematic debut of his canine sidekick, Krypto. The trailer, whose overall mood exudes hope and compassion for mankind, also gives a glimpse of Superman’s arch nemesis, Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult), and Kent’s love interest Lois Kane (Rachel Brosnahan).
Slated for a July 11, 2025 premiere, the film will formally launch the rebooted dc universe under the leadership of Gunn and DC Studios cochair and co-CEO Peter Safran. —ALLAN POLICARPIO
