Faces of the news

Sen. Loren Legarda

Sen. Loren Legarda shepherded the passage of the General Appropriations Act of 2018 as chair of the Senate finance committee. Following the signing of the P3.767-trillion national budget on Tuesday, Legarda expressed elation over the “propoor, propeople budget,” which has allocations for many of her core advocacies. “It is truly fulfilling to culminate this process with the President signing the very product of monthslong intense budget deliberations … all for a budget that indeed reforms and transforms the lives of our people,” she said. Despite tedious budget deliberations, Legarda stayed true to her other passions. In November, she championed climate justice for the most vulnerable and adversely effected nations at a climate change conference in Germany. The Philippines is doing its part, she said. “We have mainstreamed climate and geo-tagging into our budget processes. We’ll do more. We are developing policies on carbon pricing and green banking,” she said.

Sen. Sonny Angara

Sen. Sonny Angara led the Senate push for the controversial Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) measure, which Congress eventually passed and which President Duterte signed into law just last week. As chair of the Senate ways and means committee, Angara—who is seeking reelection in 2019—felt the pressure to come up with a tax measure that would be a win-win solution for a revenue-needy government and for ordinary Filipinos trying to make ends meet. The ensuing tax measure would mean a bigger take-home pay among salary earners, as it lowers their personal income tax starting Jan.1. But TRAIN also raises the excise tax on some goods and services, among them petroleum products, automobiles, tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages, to the detriment of those who would bear the brunt of the corresponding increase in prices. The taxes were expected to generate P130 billion in government revenues that would finance its infrastructure programs.

Vice Adm. Ronald Mercado

Vice Adm. Ronald Joseph Mercado was set to retire in March 2018 when he was unceremoniously relieved as the flag officer in command (FOIC) on Dec. 19. Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana claimed he ordered Mercado’s relief because the latter allegedly insisted on his choice of a combat management systems supplier for the Navy’s ambitious Frigate Acquisition Program, despite the P15.5-billion contract already awarded to Hyundai Heavy Industries. But talk in military circles has it that Mercado was protecting the interest of the Navy when he became meticulous over details for the first-ever warship of the Philippines. Mercado, a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, has remained silent about the controversy. Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero later handed the FOIC flag to a much younger officer, Rear Adm. Robert Empedrad.

Army Scout Ranger Capt. Rommel Sandoval

Army Scout Ranger Capt. Rommel Sandoval died in Marawi City while saving a fellow soldier. For acting beyond the call of duty and making the ultimate sacrifice, Sandoval was recognized a hero by the Armed Forces of the Philippines. On Dec. 20, AFP Day, Sandoval was posthumously awarded a Medal for Valor, the highest recognition given by the military to gallant soldiers. Sandoval, whose call sign was “Daredevil,” was the commander of the 11th Scout Ranger company and the highest-ranking officer who died in the five-month battle to retake Marawi City from Islamic State-inspired Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorist groups. Killed alongside him last September was his buddy, Pfc. Sherwin Canapi. The two tried to save one of their company’s team leaders who was wounded and trapped in one of the buildings in the city. But terrorists fired at them and hit Sandoval on the cheek. His wife, Maria Anna Rosario, received the Medal for Valor.

Virgilio Doctor

Virgilio Doctor, a 52-year-old cab driver, filed charges before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday against a female motorist, who allegedly hit him on the face during a traffic row. A viral video showed Cherish Sharmaine Interior, 31, berating Doctor along Congressional Avenue last weekend, with her hand briefly reaching inside his vehicle. Doctor, a stroke survivor, alleged that she had slapped him. Interior claimed she had only pointed at him. Preempting what she anticipated was his move, she filed raps against the cabbie on Monday. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board threw its support behind Doctor, and called on the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to suspend the woman’s driver’s license. LTO has summoned Interior to a hearing on Dec. 27.

Kiefer Ravena

If there were still questions as to whether Kiefer Ravena could bring his high-wire act to the pros, they were put to rest in the former Ateneo star’s PBA debut. Ravena, a scorer all his amateur career who needed to transition to the point guard slot in the pros, showed that he could handle the switch easily. His 18 points proved he could carry his scoring prowess against bigger foes but his eight assists also showed his ability to quarterback a PBA squad as he led his NLEX Road Warriors to a 119-115 victory over stubborn Kia Picanto. Moreover, “The Phenom” also notched seven rebounds—he was three boards short or a rare triple-double debut by a rookie. NLEX coach Yeng Guiao and Ravena’s brother Thirdy, who watched from the stands, said they expected this much from the No. 2 overall pick. Thirdy, in fact, said he was ready to watch his “manong” do “Kiefer things in the PBA.” Manong certainly did not disappoint.