Faces of the News: June 1, 2025
Darlene Marie Berberabe
Lawyer Darlene Marie Berberabe was recently appointed by President Marcos as the next Solicitor General, the second woman to assume the post that serves as government’s legal representative. Until she got the new job, Berberabe, 56, was the dean of the University of the Philippines’ College of Law. She took her oath of office before Mr. Marcos on May 29 as the replacement of Menardo Guevarra, whose courtesy resignation was accepted by the President.
Berberabe’s appointment removed her from the list of contenders for the post of Associate Justice in the Supreme Court. Her designation as Solicitor General is not her first post in the government, having served as chief executive officer of the Pag-Ibig Fund from 2010 to 2017. In 2023, she became dean of the UP College of Law—the institution where she earned her bachelor of laws degree in 1999.
She also finished her undergraduate philosophy degree and her master’s degree in philosophy at the same university. She is the widow of the late professional basketball player Samboy Lim and the mother of athlete and 2019 Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Jamie Lim. —JULIE M. AURELIO
Romando Artes
On May 26, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chair Romando Artes announced the return of the odd-even scheme on Edsa. It was a measure meant to ease the impact of the highway’s two-year rehabilitation, which starts June 13. Artes said a monthlong dry run of the odd-even scheme will commence on June 16, with a possible extension.
Vehicles with plate numbers ending in 1, 3, 7 and 9 are prohibited from Edsa every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Those with plate numbers ending in 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 are not allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Sundays, all vehicles are allowed to use Edsa. During the dry run, Artes said violators will be issued traffic violation tickets, but none will be fined yet.
He said the odd-even scheme is expected to reduce the traffic volume on Edsa by about 40 percent, and if the Skyway operator decides to open some segments to the public for free, that would be another 10 to 20 percent in volume reduction. “With this, we expect that traffic will flow faster and there won’t be a ‘carmaggedon’ on Edsa, [since] travel speed will increase,” he said. —JEROME ANING
Kiko Aquino Dee
Another Aquino has stepped forward into public life to be one of the voices asserting the country’s sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone, amid China’s refusal to recognize a 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its sweeping claims over the South China Sea. Kiko Aquino Dee, a grandson of former President Corazon Aquino and nephew of former President Benigno Aquino III, joined the third civilian mission of the Atin Ito Coalition last week.
The trip was made more special by the staging of a peace and solidarity concert in the waters off Pag-asa (Thitu) Island on May 28. Dee said the arbitral ruling was really a “major legacy of the Aquino administration,” referring to the presidency of his uncle, who brought the Philippine case to the arbitral tribunal at The Hague.
For Dee, “it is our mandate to defend and preserve that legacy.” He described the sea concert as deeply “P-Noy-coded,” referring to the late former president by his nickname. Aquino, for one, was also known as a music buff, he added. He described the peace and solidarity concert as “a people power at sea,” showing a peaceful way to assert Filipinos’ rights in the West Philippine Sea. —NESTOR CORRALES
SEVENTEEN
K-pop boyband Seventeen just turned 10 years old, a remarkable feat in an industry that either unwittingly or forcibly tears apart idol groups in what some call the “seven-year curse.” And what’s a milestone birthday without a big bash at the iconic Jamsu bridge in Seoul to give fans a free concert and a preview of a new album aptly called “Happy Burstday”? Guests who couldn’t be accomodated near the main stage spilled over to Hangang Park, while those aboard rented yachts on the Han River waved light sticks, cheering on the members.
The event eventually drew in 350,000 guests—a relatively modest number compared to the millions of fans the group has attracted over the years and that even the Hollywood Reporter took notice of. Rosy words aside, the article also slapped with the hard truth: one after the other, members are coming of age for military enlistment.
Member Woozi assured fans, however, saying their absence as a full 13-member group is “a long preparation phase for the next album that’s going to be even better and greater.” —IRA P. PEDRASA
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron
In a scene straight out of “Candid Camera,” Brigitte Macron was captured by TV cameras getting handsy with her husband, French President Emmanuel Macron, as they touched down in Vietnam on May 26 for the first leg of a Southeast Asia tour. As the aircraft door opened, Brigitte— who was out of shot—was seen pressing both of her hands across her husband’s face before apparently pushing him.
Minutes later, Macron offered his arm to his wife as they descended the stairway, but Brigitte gave him a cold shoulder and opted to cling to the railing. In the wake of the viral footage that had since been dubbed “le slap,’’ Macron tried to play down the interaction with his wife as playful banter.
“There’s a video showing me joking and teasing my wife and somehow that becomes a sort of geo-planetary catastrophe, with people even coming up with theories to explain it,” he said. The Elysee initially denied the authenticity of the footage, before eventually deciding to downplay it instead, according to the media. Macron confirmed its authenticity.
