PARE Urges Electric Cooperatives: Prepare Before, Not After Disasters

October 23, 2025 — Quezon City — Consumer advocacy group Partners for Affordable and Reliable Energy (PARE) is calling on all electric cooperatives (ECs) to shift from reactive to preventive disaster management, urging government regulators to enforce stronger safety measures and accountability practices after repeated outages caused by natural calamities.

Based on the National Electrification Administration (NEA)’s monitoring, Typhoon Nando left 649,808 households in 52 provinces and 12 regions without electricity, while the Magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Cebu rendered 819,843 consumer connections powerless across 10 provinces and four regions. PARE noted that while linemen risk their lives to restore power, many ECs remain inadequately equipped and lack long-term disaster-readiness.​

“Our ‘warriors of light’—our linemen—face floods, strong rain and wind, fallen poles, and dangerous live wires just to bring back light and safety to Filipino homes,” said Nic Satur Jr., Chief Advocate Officer of PARE. “But courage alone is not enough. ECs and government regulators must protect our lineworkers through proactive preparation, not post-disaster improvisation.”

PARE urged ECs and agencies covered under Republic Act No. 11039 or the Electric Cooperatives Emergency and Resiliency Fund Act (ECERF) to comply strictly with resiliency and preparedness mandates. Under the law, ECs must regularly submit vulnerability assessments, resiliency compliance plans, and emergency response plans to the NEA to qualify for disaster funding and ensure readiness before calamities strike.​

The group outlined five urgent steps to build a smarter, safer, and more resilient power sector:

1. Proactive Disaster Planning: Regular emergency drills, sufficient stockpiles of spare parts, and pre-coordinated response routes with LGU, NEA and the  National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDDRRMC).

2. Modern Safety Protocols for Linemen: Appropriate safety gears and equipments, advanced training, and recognition as first responders with access to health, insurance, and family support.

3. Infrastructure Upgrades: Replacement of old and dilapidated poles and overhead lines with climate-proof cables, buried lines, and fortified substations and transformers.

4. Transparency and Accountability: Public disclosure of restoration spending , funding and timelines to uphold consumer trust and ensure equitable use of funds.

5. Stronger Support from Government and Regulators: Enforcement of minimum disaster-preparedness standards and regular audits from the NEA, DOE, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDDRRMC) and ERC to guarantee the safety of both energy workers and consumers.

“Safety should never be negotiable,” Satur added. “When our linemen risk their lives for our communities, it becomes the duty of ECs and energy regulators to guarantee that every peso collected from consumers translates into real protection, reliable service, and transparency.”

PARE concluded that shifting from reactive to preventive EC is essential not only for protecting lives but also for keeping electricity affordable and stable. “Let’s not wait for another storm, earthquake, or disaster to teach us the same painful lesson,” said Satur. “Let’s protect our warriors of light before the next disaster strikes.”

PARE continues to advocate for affordable, reliable, and resilient energy through transparency, preparedness, and compassion-driven reform. 

Kiko Barzaga: Manufactured Maverick or Genuine Crusader?

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In a political landscape addicted to spectacle, the rise of Dasmariñas Congressman Kiko Barzaga feels like a social experiment we didn’t realize we signed up for. Overnight, the 27-year-old neophyte lawmaker became one of the most talked-about figures in Philippine politics — praised by some as a fearless truth-teller, and dismissed by others as a product of virality rather than vision.

The question now hangs heavy in the air: Is Kiko Barzaga truly newsworthy — or just the latest character in the country’s long-running political telenovela?

The Making of a Viral Politician

Before the headlines and hashtags, Barzaga was simply another member of Cavite’s entrenched political dynasty. The Barzagas have ruled Dasmariñas for nearly three decades, holding the city’s congressional, mayoral, and vice mayoral seats since 1998. Kiko himself dropped out of college but coasted into public office on the strength of his surname — first as a councilor, and then as a congressman in 2025.

His campaign had no tangible platform, no sweeping policy agenda — only a catchy jingle that went viral on TikTok. It worked. The internet made him famous before governance ever had the chance to define him.

Since entering Congress, he has gained attention not through bills or reforms, but through soundbites and spectacle. His trademark “meow” — a running gag in plenary sessions and interviews — is either endearing or embarrassing, depending on your level of patience.

But Barzaga’s antics soon morphed into activism.

A Firebrand’s Dangerous Game

Barzaga’s sudden surge in visibility came after a series of incendiary statements that rattled the political establishment.

He called for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s resignation, accused former House Speaker Martin Romualdez of corruption, and condemned Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro for allegedly harboring pro-war sentiments.

Many disillusioned citizens, fed up with what they perceive as a stagnant, self-serving government, find his defiance refreshing. To them, Barzaga is a voice that says what others are too scared to utter aloud.

But his critics argue that the congressman is all noise, no nuance. They question whether his outrage is rooted in principle — or in an appetite for attention.

When Virality Becomes Visibility

Part of Barzaga’s appeal lies in his timing. He appeared just as the public’s trust in institutions hit another low. Congress is seen as a circus, corruption investigations multiply by the month, and many Filipinos have grown skeptical that “change” will ever come from the same faces.

Barzaga’s youth and irreverence offer a break from the monotony. He is a digital-age politician who thrives on chaos — a meme machine disguised as a congressman.

Yet, his rise also exposes a dangerous media reflex: to spotlight controversy before credibility. News outlets and content creators chase clicks and engagement, often feeding the very ecosystem that rewards shock value over substance.

The Flood-Control Scandal and the Cracks in the Crusade

Barzaga’s latest surge in headlines came after he echoed accusations about corruption in flood-control projects — an issue now under probe by the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI), the Senate, and the Department of Justice.

Barzaga publicly named powerful figures, including Speaker Romualdez and former DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos, linking them to alleged kickback schemes. The accusations stemmed from testimonies of contractor couple Pacifico and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya, who claimed there were 25% kickbacks in infrastructure projects — a revelation that sent shockwaves through the bureaucracy.

But as investigations unfolded, the story grew murkier.

The Discaya couple later withdrew from full cooperation, citing legal counsel and self-incrimination risks. Meanwhile, Romualdez and Abalos categorically denied all allegations, submitting themselves to inquiry and demanding evidence. President Marcos Jr. himself assured the public that “no ally will be spared” from investigation — a line that sounded more like damage control than a declaration of war against corruption.

As of October 2025, the ICI’s official report has yet to name any official guilty of wrongdoing. No criminal charges have been filed, and the flood-control case remains mired in hearings and subpoenas.

Barzaga’s claims, while headline-grabbing, remain unproven.

A Reputation Under Fire

The firebrand congressman’s behavior has not gone unnoticed by the institutions he continues to provoke.

The Philippine Army recently recommended his delisting from the reserve force after he allegedly posted messages implying military participation in anti-Marcos protests — a move considered “misconduct” under military regulations. The House ethics committee is also reportedly reviewing his conduct following remarks about “burning Batasan Pambansa,” which he later dismissed as a joke.

Barzaga has brushed off these reprimands as proof that the establishment fears his voice. But to some observers, it’s less a mark of courage than of recklessness — the antics of a man who mistakes noise for nobility.

The Media’s Dilemma

It’s tempting to feature Barzaga endlessly. His unpredictability guarantees engagement, his memes guarantee reach, and his defiance guarantees debate.

But at what cost?

When media platforms prioritize virality, they risk elevating figures who are famous not for their policies, but for their ability to provoke. The danger isn’t in covering Barzaga — it’s in covering him without context.

His every quip becomes a headline, his every accusation a spectacle — and the lines between accountability and amplification blur dangerously.

If the media wishes to spotlight opposition, there are many seasoned lawmakers who’ve done the work quietly: Chel Diokno, Leila de Lima, Antonio Tinio, Sarah Elago, and countless others who have pushed reforms without theatrics. Yet their faces rarely grace the trending pages.

So — Is Kiko Barzaga Truly Newsworthy?

Yes. But not for the reasons he wants to be.

Kiko Barzaga is newsworthy not because he is right, but because he represents something vital about our current media and political culture. He is the mirror of our attention economy — the embodiment of how power, performance, and public frustration intertwine in the digital age.

He forces us to ask uncomfortable questions:

Are we consuming politics or participating in it?

Are we rewarding leadership or simply feeding outrage?

And in giving figures like Barzaga the spotlight, are we holding them accountable — or creating them?

Until evidence surfaces that substantiates his allegations, Barzaga remains a political phenomenon, not a proven crusader. His words are sparks, but without substance, sparks only burn briefly before fading into the noise.

Ross Flores Del Rosario, Wazzup Pilipinas Founder, says:

“In an age where the loudest voices drown out the wisest, we must remember that not every viral politician deserves validation. True leadership doesn’t beg for the spotlight — it earns it in silence, through service, not spectacle.”

#WazzupPilipinas #KikoBarzaga #PhilippinePolitics #FloodControlScandal #NewsOrNoise #PoliticsInTheAgeOfTikTok #RossFloresDelRosario #MediaAccountability #ViralButEmpty #TruthOverTrend

The World on the Edge: Humanity at the Crossroads of Catastrophe and Hope

Wazzup Pilipinas 

A new scientific wake-up call has been sounded — and this time, it’s louder than ever before. The Global Tipping Points Report 2025, led by the University of Exeter and launched ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, reveals that Earth is hurtling toward a dangerous threshold. Global warming is on the verge of overshooting 1.5°C, the point beyond which our planet could spiral into irreversible climate chaos.

Yet within the peril lies possibility — the chance to ignite positive tipping points that could transform the future of humanity.

A Planet in Peril: The New Climate Reality

The report delivers an unsettling truth: Earth’s climate and nature are already crossing critical tipping points. Coral reefs, the rainforests, and the polar ice sheets — the lungs, heart, and thermostat of the planet — are all beginning to fail.

At just 1.4°C of warming, warm-water coral reefs are dying en masse, threatening the livelihoods of up to a billion people. The Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets are melting at an accelerating pace, locking in meters of sea-level rise that could submerge coastal cities from Manila to Miami. Meanwhile, the Amazon rainforest, weakened by relentless deforestation and drought, teeters on the brink of collapse — a threshold scientists now warn could be triggered even before global temperatures hit 2°C.

These crises are not isolated. They are interconnected dominoes, each capable of toppling the other. A collapse in the Atlantic Ocean’s great conveyor belt, the AMOC, could devastate agriculture, disrupt monsoons, and plunge Europe into extreme winters. The cascading effects could unleash a “chain reaction” of global destabilization — ecological, economic, and humanitarian.

A Legal and Moral Imperative

The report stresses that preventing these Earth system tipping points is not just a scientific or political challenge — it is a human rights imperative. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has recognized a safe climate as a fundamental right, making inaction a potential violation of international law.

Every 0.1°C matters. Every year of delay increases the odds of collapse. Humanity’s collective fate now depends on halving emissions by 2030, reaching net zero by 2050, and then removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere — all while protecting nature’s resilience.

From Fear to Hope: The Power of Positive Tipping Points

Yet amid this storm of warnings, the report also charts a path toward redemption. It introduces the concept of positive tipping points — self-reinforcing shifts that can accelerate the world toward sustainability faster than anyone thought possible.

We’re already seeing them unfold:

The global spread of solar energy and electric vehicles has reached exponential growth, doubling every two to three years.

Batteries are cheaper and more efficient than ever, powering the clean energy revolution.

Climate litigation, regenerative agriculture, and nature restoration initiatives are multiplying, inspiring others to act.

Each action sparks another — a contagion of progress. As the report emphasizes, “a minority can still positively tip the majority.”

If policies, technologies, and civil movements align, humanity could ignite a “chain of action” — turning despair into unstoppable transformation.

The Global Mutirão: Unity for Survival

COP30 President André Corrêa do Lago captures this new spirit in the report’s foreword. He calls for a “Global Mutirão” — a worldwide collaboration inspired by Brazil’s communal spirit of working together toward a shared goal.

This movement would mobilize nations, communities, and businesses alike to turn tipping points of danger into tipping points of opportunity. From renewable energy to regenerative food systems, from green finance to indigenous-led conservation, the seeds of transformation are already being sown — especially across the Global South, where innovation and resilience often bloom under pressure.

From Overshoot to Overcome

The Global Tipping Points Report is clear: the window for action is closing — but it has not yet slammed shut.

If world leaders at COP30 act decisively — halving emissions, protecting ecosystems, and financing transitions justly — we can still stabilize global temperatures below 1.5°C.

If we wait for certainty, it will be too late.

If we act together, we can choose change — by design, not by disaster.

The race is on between two futures:

One of collapse and chaos, or one of renewal and resilience.

And in this defining moment of history, humanity must decide — not whether to change, but how fast.

“Every tipping point of danger can be mirrored by a tipping point of hope.

If we act together, the chain of collapse can become a chain of creation.”

— Global Tipping Points Report 2025, University of Exeter

“Humanity stands at the edge of collapse — or rebirth. Every fraction of a degree and every act of defiance counts.When communities rise, technologies evolve, and nations cooperate, the tipping points of danger become tipping points of hope. Let’s tip the world toward a future we can still believe in.” - Ross Flores Del Rosario, founder of Wazzup Pilipinas