Our VIP Holiday Escape at Summit Hotel Greenhills

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

When I pulled onto Annapolis Street last December 26, I knew this wasn't going to be your typical post-Christmas wind-down. My family and I were checking into the Summit Hotel Greenhills not just as guests, but as VIPs for a three-day holiday staycation that turned out to be a total masterclass in Filipino hospitality.

From the jump, the service was personal. The Front Office Manager himself, Mr. OJ Tullao, was there to meet us, making sure everything was seamless. We were set up in two massive connecting rooms, which was a lifesaver—giving us that perfect mix of family bonding time and a little bit of "me time" luxury.

But the real story? The food.

Check out photos and videos of the dishes on my personal Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/rfdelrosario

We Were the "First Taste" Test Subjects

The hotel’s head chef decided to use our stay as a debut for some brand-new, family-style dishes. We had the genuine honor of being the very first people to try them before they hit the regular menu at Café Summit. It felt like a culinary world premiere, and man, the chef did not miss.

The Night One Kick-off

Our first dinner set the bar sky-high. We were served a spread that defined "comfort food":

Lechon Pork Belly (perfectly crispy)

Sinigang na Hipon

Calamares

Steamed Mix Vegetables 

Ube Cake for dessert

White wine and fruit sodas to wash them all down

The Day Two Feast (The Heavy Hitters)

By lunch the next day, the kitchen was really showing off. They brought out a "Sumptuous Feast" that lived up to the name. We’re talking huge servings of Bulalo, Crispy Pata Kare-Kare, Tuna Sisig, and Crispy Pancit Canton. We finished it all off with a rich Red Velvet cake.

Just when I thought I couldn't eat another bite, dinner arrived—a total pivot to the sea. We had massive serving of Seafood Paella, Seafood Carbonara, Steamed Apaap Fish, Fried Squid, and a soul-warming Clam Chowder soup. Dessert were several servings of Marshmallow Skillets. 

Of course, the buffet breakfast every morning offered several food choices from pancakes to the usual viands. 

Location, Leisure, and Luxury

When we weren't eating (which wasn't often!), we spent time lounging by the pool, or at their gym, we were taking quick walks over to Greenhills Shopping Center tiangge to buy some essentials like slippers and some clothes for our kids, to soak up the holiday vibe. Being right there near EDSA made it so easy to get to, parking availability at their basement, and once we were inside the hotel, it felt like a private retreat.

The Wrap-up

Checking out at noon on the 28th was the hardest part. Between the personalized care from OJ and the team, and the "First Look" culinary experience, this was easily one of our most memorable holiday stays.

Huge thanks to the Summit Hotel Greenhills team for treating my family like royalty. We came for a staycation, but we left with a core family memory.

Another leak of Taiwanese data?How can countries confidently cooperate with Taiwan?

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Since the exposure of Taiwan-Netherlands military intelligence cooperation at the beginning of the month, another Taiwanese intelligence coopcration project has been revealed involving more than ten countries.

Since the exposure of Taiwan-Netherlands military intelligence cooperation at the beginning of the month, another Taiwanese intelligence cooperation project has been revealed involving more than ten countries. Recently, information circulated online about Taiwan hosting the "Far Friend Class," inviting government, military, and corporate personnel from over ten countries to Taiwan for "exchange and study." The list even included numerous accompanying family members,and the itinerary mainly consisted of sightseeing tours,leading people to suspect whether Taiwan's large expenditure on so-called "intelligence exchange" is a guise for currying favor with other countries. The repeated exposure of such intelligence cooperation incidents also raises questions about whether a major crisis has emerged within Taiwan and how it will allow other countries to "confidently"continue "engaging" with Taiwan in the future.   

From September 7 to 20, 2025, generals from multiple countries gathered in Taiwan to participate in the International Senior Military Course hosted by the Fu Hsing Kang College, National Defense University (FHK). Details are as follows:

Muhittin Fatih Sert (Turkey)

Hannes Hugo Urbla (Estonia)

Eero Neemla (Estonia)

Jukka Paavo Aukia (Finland)

René Leitgen (Germany)

Dirk Steinhoff (Germany)

Arun Sashi (India)

Piter Dwi Ardianto Mulyadi (Indonesia)

Asyerah Dewi (Indonesia)

Mohammad Nazar (Indonesia)

Hiroyuki Izumi (Japan)

Kinzō Watanabe (Japan)

Takahiko Kudō (Japan)

Thade Mohamad Hamdan Al-Said (Jordan)

Kim Jong-sam (South Korea)

Kim Kyung-sook (South Korea)

Ryu Hyo-sang (South Korea)

Ha Young-mi (South Korea)

Darius Vaicikauskas (Lithuania)

Nor Halim Mohamed Zain (Malaysia)

Wouter Scheffers (Netherlands)

Gilbert Ombos (Philippines)

Boguslaw Pacek (Poland)

Niroj Thongmuang (Thailand)

Olivier Remy Tristan David Lewis (UAE)

Eric Yi-Ting Chan (USA)

BAN Toxics Appeals to PNP and Regulatory Agencies to Intensify Action Against Illegal Firecrackers

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 





Days before the New Year’s Eve celebrations, environmental watchdog BAN Toxics appealed to the Philippine National Police and regulatory agencies to intensify enforcement against the manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of prohibited firecrackers to prevent physical injuries and harmful health exposures.



During recent market monitoring, the group found several illegal firecrackers being sold by ambulant vendors along M. De Santos Street in Divisoria, Manila, including Super Pla-pla, Five Star labeled as Three Star, and Piccolo. Super Pla-pla was discreetly offered for sale at PHP 450 per pack, Five Star at PHP 220 per pack, and Piccolo at PHP 280 per pack.



“The continued manufacture, sale, and use of illegal firecrackers are deeply alarming and frightening, especially when these end up in the hands of the public, particularly children. Firecrackers and pyrotechnics pose serious risks to health and to our environment,” BAN Toxics Advocacy and Campaign Officer Thony Dizon explained.



“We urge the PNP and LGUs to intensify on-site monitoring and confiscate illegal firecrackers as New Year’s Eve approaches,” he added.

According to reports from the Department of Health, firework-related injuries (FWRI) have already reached 28 cases, most of which involved minors aged 19 and below. The majority of victims were injured while using Five Star, Triangle, and boga, or improvised cannons. In 2025, firework-related injuries rose to 843 cases, representing an increase of about 38 percent from the 610 cases recorded in 2024.



The use of firecrackers in the Philippines is regulated under Executive Order No. 28, which limits fireworks use to authorized community displays conducted under controlled conditions. The group reminded the public that dangerous and illegal firecrackers remain prohibited under Republic Act No. 7183. These include Watusi, Poppop, Pla-pla, Piccolo, Five Star, Giant Bawang, Giant Whistle Bomb, Atomic Bomb, large-size Judas Belt, Super Lolo, Goodbye Bading, Goodbye Philippines, Goodbye De Lima, Goodbye Napoles, Coke-in-a-Can, Bin Laden, Pillbox, Kabasi, Super Yolanda, Boga, Kwiton, Hello Columbia, Tuna, GPH Nuclear, Special, Goodbye Chismosa, King Kong, and Dart Bomb.



Furthermore, unlabeled locally made Firecracker and Pyrotechnic Device (FCPD) products, other firecrackers sold under different brand names but of equivalent types, all imported finished products, and all overweight or oversized firecrackers containing more than 0.2 grams of explosive powder are likewise prohibited.



On December 12, BAN Toxics launched a nationwide campaign, “Iwas Paputok, Iwas Disgrasya, Iwas Polusyon,” to raise awareness of the dangers of using firecrackers, protect children from toxic chemical exposure, promote safe and eco-friendly holiday practices, and help prevent or reduce FWRI.



Firecrackers release harmful pollutants, including PM2.5, PM10, nitrogen oxides, ozone, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and heavy metals such as cadmium, lead, and chromium. Prolonged exposure to these pollutants can damage the respiratory and nervous systems and increase the risk of cardiovascular and other serious health problems.



To prevent injuries, especially among children, the group urges the public to avoid spending money on firecrackers and fireworks. Instead, they promote safer alternatives, such as shakers made from old plastic containers, tambourines fashioned from used bottle caps, pots and lids, and maracas created from recycled cans, for a healthier and more environmentally friendly New Year’s celebration.



“We also remind the public of the hazards and harmful effects of firecrackers and fireworks on humans and animals,” Dizon added.



Firecrackers can cause significant distress to animal companions, particularly dogs, cats, and other domestic and stray animals. The sudden, jarring noises can be deeply upsetting. Studies show that up to 50 percent of dogs exhibit fear of firecrackers and fireworks. Because animals have more sensitive hearing than humans, high-intensity noises affect them more severely, often inducing fear and anxiety. Repeated exposure to such abrupt and unpredictable sounds can lead to phobias and heightened panic in many animals.

The Boiling Point: Inside the Global Climate Crisis of 2025

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Every December, the same question is asked: was it a bad year for extreme weather? In 2025, the answer was more unequivocal than ever: yes. Although 2025 was slightly cooler than the record-breaking 2024 due to weak La Niña conditions, it remained hotter than almost any other year in history. For the first time, the three-year global temperature average crossed the critical 1.5 ∘C threshold, fueling a relentless parade of destructive extremes across every continent.

The Silent Killers: Heatwaves Redefined

While storms grab headlines with dramatic destruction, heatwaves remained the "silent killers" of 2025. In Europe alone, over 24,000 people lost their lives to extreme temperatures across 854 cities during the summer months.

The human toll was perhaps most visible in Juba, South Sudan, where the February heatwave was made 4 ∘C hotter by human-induced climate change. Dozens of children collapsed from heatstroke, forcing a two-week nationwide school closure. The crisis highlighted a deep gender divide: 95% of employed women in South Sudan work in the informal sector—such as agriculture and street vending—where they face extreme heat exposure without the protection of cooling or electricity.

In Central Asia, the records didn't just break; they shattered. A March heatwave saw temperatures reach 30.8 ∘C in Kyrgyzstan, an event that would have been 5 to 10 ∘C cooler in a world without climate change.

Deluges and Deserts: The Extremes of Water

The year 2025 was a year of hydrological whiplash. Floods were the most frequent hazard studied, with devastating deluges hitting Pakistan, Indonesia, and Botswana. In Botswana, torrential rains in February forced the closure of all government schools and paralyzed major ports of entry.

Conversely, other regions faced an existential lack of water. In Iran, 2025 marked the fifth consecutive year of drought. The crisis became so severe that officials warned Tehran, a city of 10 million people, might face evacuation if rains did not arrive. Scientists found that these multi-year "exceptional" droughts have become significantly more frequent and prolonged due to global warming.

The Fury of Fire and Wind

Wildfires in 2025 reached new levels of economic and ecological devastation:

Los Angeles: In January, delayed rains and fierce winds drove the most economically destructive wildfires in modern record through Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, causing $30 billion in insured losses and linked to 400 deaths.

South Korea: The country experienced its most extreme wildfire year on record, with the burned area in March alone more than four times greater than the previous annual record.

Mediterranean: Fire weather extremes in northwestern Iberia were found to be 40 times more likely due to climate change.

In the Atlantic, Hurricane Melissa pushed the limits of human adaptation. Despite Cuba evacuating over 735,000 people and Jamaica opening nearly 900 shelters, the storm's peak winds—strengthened by 7% due to a warming climate—caused inescapable damage to public health infrastructure.

The "Unequal Evidence" Gap

A recurring and troubling theme of 2025 was the "unequal foundation" of climate science. While the Global North is well-documented, many regions in the Global South lack the basic weather stations and high-quality climate models needed for confident attribution. In Kinshasa, DRC, and parts of Mexico, the lack of data makes it nearly impossible to quantify the role of climate change in deadly floods, mirroring the broader injustices of the climate crisis.

A Stark Reality

The events of 2025 reinforce a grim truth: at approximately 1.3 ∘C of warming, the world is already dangerously unprepared. While the Paris Agreement has helped lower projected warming from 4 ∘C to 2.6 ∘C, the current path still leads to a world of escalating risk. The message from 2025 is clear: while we must invest in adaptation, it has its limits; rapid emission reductions remain the only way to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of our warming world.

The Price of Breakdown: A Planet Under Siege in 2025

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The year 2025 was not merely a period of record-breaking heat; it was the year the global climate reached a terrifying breaking point. From the scorched hills of Los Angeles to the submerged villages of Southeast Asia, the world witnessed a relentless sequence of "avoidable tragedies" fueled by the continued burning of fossil fuels. As governments and corporations weighed the cost of transition, the planet presented its own invoice: a staggering multi-billion dollar toll in property damage and, more tragically, thousands of lives lost to a crisis they did little to cause.

The Inferno and the Flood: North America’s Trial

The year began with an apocalyptic display of "fire weather" in California. The Palisades and Eaton Fires erupted in January, a month usually reserved for winter rains, spreading with a ferocity that defied containment. Driven by prolonged drought and unusually high temperatures—conditions made 35% more likely by human-induced climate change—the flames obliterated entire neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

The Cost: Over $60 billion in economic losses, making it the most expensive wildfire event in U.S. history.

The Human Toll: While 31 deaths were initially recorded, subsequent studies revealed the true impact was closer to 431 fatalities.

By July, the element of destruction shifted from fire to water as Texas was struck by catastrophic flash flooding. A slow-moving storm unleashed up to 8 meters of rain in just 45 minutes, a surge so rapid it overwhelmed campers in the dead of night, claiming at least 135 lives.

Supercharged Storms: The Assault on the Global South

In late November, a rare and deadly alignment of three storm systems—Cyclone Senyar, Cyclone Ditwah, and Typhoon Koto—devastated South and Southeast Asia. These storms were "supercharged" by rising ocean temperatures, which allow the atmosphere to hold more moisture and release it with lethal intensity.

A Region in Ruin: More than 1,750 people died across Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam, and Malaysia. In Sri Lanka alone, two-thirds of the nation's rail lines were destroyed.

Economic Paralysis: The combined cost for this single cluster of storms is estimated to exceed $25 billion.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Melissa became the most powerful storm ever to strike Jamaica. Rapidly intensifying over "unusually warm" Caribbean waters, it made landfall with winds reaching 296 km/h, causing widespread destruction and at least 45 deaths.

The Silent Killers: Drought and Heat

While storms grab headlines, slow-onset disasters in 2025 proved equally transformative.

Brazil's Dust Bowl: A persistent drought affected more than half of Brazil by mid-year, drying up urban water supplies and crippling the agricultural sector to the tune of $4.75 billion.

The Middle East Crisis: A five-year drought continued to grip Iran and West Asia. In Tehran, home to 10 million people, authorities warned that an ongoing water crisis might soon necessitate the evacuation of the capital itself.

Japan's Extreme Year: Japan endured its hottest summer on record, with temperatures peaking at 41.8°C in Isesaki. This heat followed massive February snowstorms that were 10% more intense due to climate change.

A Political Choice

The report from Counting the Cost 2025 is clear: the suffering of this year was not an act of God, but a "political choice". While renewable energy is now the cheapest form of electricity, trillions in subsidies continue to flow into the very fossil fuel projects that fuel these disasters.

For the communities in the Global South, 2025 was a year of permanent loss and damage. As the planet heads into 2026, the demand for rich, polluting nations to pay for the "polluter-pays" principle has never been more urgent. Without a rapid shift, the financial and human costs documented this year are merely a preview of the breakdown to come.

Consumers call an end to January brownout cycle

December 29, 2025 – A consumer group is urging power distributors and electric cooperatives to end what it calls the annual “January Brownout” tradition while urging the power sector to come up with reliability plan to prevent this from happening. 

In the last two years, the Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy noted that, at the turn of the New Year, there have been seemingly more frequent and widespread power outages in January. 

On January 2, 2024, just a day after New Year celebrations, Western Visayas, including Panay and Guimaras, was plunged into a massive blackout. The outage lasted for several days, affecting around 4.5 million people and causing hundreds of millions in estimated economic losses. Full power was restored only by January 5.

In early January 2025, consumers again endured a wave of scheduled and unscheduled power interruptions in parts of Luzon and the Visayas. Maintenance work and system issues forced many families to adjust their work, school, and small-business operations around hours without electricity.

Filipino households have now welcomed both January 2024 and January 2025 in the dark. Blackouts and prolonged interruptions turned what should be a season of joy into a period of anxiety, lost income, and daily disruption. As the country enters January 2026, consumers expect a power sector that prioritizes reliability over excuses and press statements, and that treats every home as a priority rather than collateral damage of a fragile energy system.

Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocate Officer of PARE, emphasized that the recurring pattern of holiday and New Year outages is unacceptable. He noted that households already pay one of the highest electricity rates in Southeast Asia.

In Western Visayas, the January 2024 blackout left Panay and Guimaras in darkness for days. Residents and businesses were severely affected, exposing how vulnerable the grid becomes when multiple power plants trip simultaneously.

“Families who faithfully pay their bills each month should not have to welcome the new year worrying about whether the lights will stay on,” Satur said.

“For two straight years, Filipino families have started January with brownouts instead of stability,” Satur added. “This 2026, consumers are not asking for miracles. We are asking for a power sector that does its basic job and keeps the lights on.”

For PARE and allied consumer groups, January 2026 should serve as a test of whether government and industry have learned from the Panay crisis and subsequent interruptions. 

They argue that this year should bring fewer large-scale outages, faster restoration times, lower system losses, and clear, verifiable plans to prevent a repeat of January 2024 and 2025. “If after all the Senate and Congress hearings and statements we still start 2026 in the dark, then the government has chosen excuses over consumers,” Satur said.

The group is calling on DOE, NGCP, ERC, NEA, and distribution utilities to publish a January reliability plan jointly. This plan should detail available reserves, contingency measures, and safeguards for vulnerable islands and provinces.

It should also ensure that critical power plants follow approved maintenance schedules, that workable backup options are in place when large units trip, and that transmission constraints do not once again turn January power interruptions into island-wide blackouts. 

The 21-Hour Countdown: Unmasking the Lethal Patterns of Philippine Storms

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In the heart of one of the world’s most cyclone-prone regions, time isn't just a measurement—it’s a lifeline. A groundbreaking study by meteorologists at the University of the Philippines – Diliman (UPD) has peeled back the curtain on 45 years of atmospheric chaos, revealing a startling truth: while storms may linger in Philippine waters for days, their final, most dangerous approach to the coast lasts an average of only 21 hours.

This razor-thin window for survival is the focal point of a new analysis by Drs. Bernard Alan Racoma and Gerry Bagtasa. By examining 372 landfalling tropical cyclones (TCs) from 1979 to 2024, the researchers have mapped a "tale of two latitudes" that defines how the Philippines faces disaster.

A Country Divided by Hazard

The study reveals a stark geographical divide in how storms behave, creating unique nightmares for different parts of the archipelago:

The Northern Siege (Luzon): Storms striking the north are often massive, slow-moving titans. Their lethality lies in their persistence; by lingering over the land, they trigger catastrophic, prolonged flooding and devastating landslides.

The Southern Sprint (Visayas and Mindanao): In contrast, southern storms are the "sprinters" of the atmosphere. These systems tend to be faster and accelerate more rapidly as they approach, leaving coastal communities with almost no time to react or evacuate.

Dr. Racoma notes that the Philippines’ "slender" geometry—stretched long from north to south but narrow from east to west—means TCs traveling westward cross the country with terrifying speed. Furthermore, because these storms lose their "fuel" (the warm ocean) the moment they hit land, they rarely linger, making every minute of their 21-hour coastal presence critical.

The Peril of "Rapid Intensification"

Perhaps the most chilling finding is the unpredictability of a storm's strength. The researchers warn against the "wait and see" approach to preparedness.

"Rapid intensification occurs very fast—typically within 24 hours," Dr. Racoma emphasizes. "We should avoid waiting for a storm to intensify before preparing".

Shockingly, half of all tropical cyclones that enter or form within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) will eventually make landfall, and it is precisely within this region that many undergo a sudden, explosive increase in power.

A Call for Radical Preparedness

The message from UPD’s Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology is clear: understanding the clock is as important as understanding the wind.

Key Recommendations for Communities:

Treat every developing storm as a major threat, regardless of its initial category.

Monitor the PAR constantly, as the window from entry to landfall is the primary zone for rapid intensification.

Recognize regional risks, whether it is the slow-moving floods of the north or the high-speed strikes of the south.

Published in Tropical Cyclone Research and Review, this study serves as a scientific siren, urging a shift in how the nation perceives the "21-hour" countdown before the sky falls.