Faces of the News: March 9, 2025
Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), with Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga at the helm, nullified on Friday a nearly 23-year-old contract with Blue Star Construction and Development Corp., the developer of Masungi Georeserve, and gave it 15 days to vacate the land originally meant for a housing project for government employees.
The order was handed down while Yulo-Loyzaga was on “personal leave,” and the notice was instead approved by Environment Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna, the officer in charge. In a letter to Blue Star president Ben Dumaliang, the DENR cited “legal infirmities” in the 2002 supplemental agreement to its 1997 joint venture agreement with Blue Star.
The contract covers the additional 300 hectares of the total 430 hectares of land in Tanay, Rizal, that was allotted for the construction of Garden Cottages, a low-cost housing project.
The area comprises what is now known as the Masungi Georeserve, an ecotourism and conservation site popular to tourists and run by a foundation created by the company. —Kathleen de Villa
Jay Ruiz
A week into his new post as head of the Presidential Communications Office, acting Secretary Jay Ruiz found himself in a firestorm over the P206-million government contracts awarded to a media company he was previously affiliated with.
Ruiz, a former ABS-CBN reporter, went on the defensive and lashed back at online news site Politiko for reporting he allegedly benefited from the deals cornered by Digital 8 Inc. from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO). Ruiz denied being an owner, incorporator or shareholder of Digital 8, and called the Politiko piece “fake news” and a “demolition job.”
The site earlier reported that Ruiz and former PTV 4 general manager Ana Puod cofounded Digital 8, and that the company won a P178.5 million contract from the PCSO in October 2024, and another P27.552-million contract in December.
Ruiz said he initially planned to stay quiet about the matter but was surprised that other news outlets picked up the story. He maintained that he only acted as the company’s “authorized representative” in a joint venture with IBC 13, but that he left the company on Jan. 17. —Julie M. Aurelio
Mikey Madison
Her Best Actress win for the title role in “Anora” at this year’s Oscars held March 2 in Los Angeles (March 3 in PH) was one Mikey Madison did not expect. She was up against four other nominees, with her strongest rival being Demi Moore for the ’80s sexpot’s deglamorized role in “The Substance.”
While Moore snagged best actress trophies at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards, Madison took home the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (Bafta) equivalent. In “Anora,” she plays a sex worker whose life goes awry when she marries the son of a Russian oligarch.
It has since been compared to the 1990 movie “Pretty Woman,” which starred Julia Roberts in a similar role and circumstance. On accepting her Oscar, Madison honored the community of sex workers, saying she would continue to support them as an ally.
“All of the incredible people, the women I’ve had the privilege of meeting from that community has been one of the highlights of this incredible experience,” she said. Aside from Best Actress, “Anora” took home the awards for Best Picture, with Sean Baker winning Best Original Screenplay, Best Editing and Best Director. —Raoul J. Chee Kee
Robert Ace Barbers
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers is being accused of libel by several social media influencers who claimed they suffered sleepless nights in fear after he asked authorities to place certain “narco-vloggers” under investigation.
Barbers shrugged off the complaint filed on March 5, wondering why the complainants felt alluded to since he never really referred to the “narco-vloggers” by name. For him, the legal action was just another attempt to derail the ongoing House investigation into the spread of fake news and disinformation on social media.
He noted that the libel complainants were also among the persons invited to the House inquiry by the so-called tri-committee, but had repeatedly snubbed the hearings and had gone to the Supreme Court to have them stopped.
Aside from showing cowardice, he said, they are exploiting the judicial process to shield their slanderous online attacks against people who disagree with their political views. Barbers was formerly one of the heads of the House joint panel that investigated the drug war and other controversies during the Duterte administration. —Jeannette I. Andrade
Justin Trudeau
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday did not mince words, calling the new US tariffs “very dumb” and accusing President Donald Trump of appeasing Russia while mounting a trade war against Canada.
Trudeau said Canada would retaliate with tariffs on more than $100 billion worth of American goods against Trump’s 25-percent tariff imposition. “Today the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their closest friend.
At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” Trudeau said.
But later, on Thursday, Trump postponed the 25-percent tariff on many imports from Canada and Mexico, after his policy caused the US market to tank and worried American consumers.
The tariffs were meant to stop the smuggling of fentanyl but they have hurt US trade relations with its two immediate neighbors. After a phone call with Trump, Trudeau said Canada will not back down until the “unjustified” US tariffs are lifted.
