Gina Lopez, former secretary of environment and natural resources, once warned that “nature will fight back if we abuse it.” Today, that warning is no longer rhetoric — it is a statement grounded in evidence. www.rappler.com/voices/thoug...

Against land grabbers, quarrying interests, & political obstruction, the Masungi Georeserve defends the Upper Marikina watershed. It restores limestone ecosystems, protects reforested mountains, & guards water sources from those who view land only as a commodity. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

Happy birthday Sister Mary John Mananzan! How to be you!

Floods are no longer seasonal inconveniences in the Philippines. They are national political events that expose how development aggression, regulatory capture, and corruption have reshaped our land and water systems to serve powerful interests. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

Grateful to be the humble servant in the vineyard of the Lord. Happy to bloom where I was planted. Always hopeful.

Happy to be part of a panel on the Philippine experience and practice of multilateralism in the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs. I spoke about our role in the climate negotiation processes in the last 30 years.

United Nations Day at the Department of Foreign Affairs. Secretary Tess Lazaro and Mr. Arnaud Peral, the United Nations Resident Coordinator, led the toast.

UN Day at Department of Foreign Affairs. Happy to share to an audience of diplomats and students my insights (illustrated through many stories from my 35 years of engagement) on the contribution of the Philippines to global cooperation on climate change.

Renei Dimla’s Republika ng Pipolipinas reminds us that hope begins in defiance. Cora Vitug, the farmer who founds her own independent nation “Pipolipinas,” embodies the ordinary Filipino who refuses silence. manilastandard.net/opinion/column…

On eagle’s wings, flying from the homeland to my other home. May the stars and wind guide us this night!

In my happy place in Mindanao. Here, I learned to fight a dictatorship and for social justice and democracy, for the poor and our country. Here, I learned to pray.

On eagle’s wings, to the great island for a human rights mission.

The Senate’s resolution urging International Criminal Court to place former president Rodrigo Duterte under house arrest carries no legal weight. It is a hollow gesture — politically charged, legally baseless, and morally corrosive. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

Lecturing at Office of Solicitor General on advisory opinions on climate justice by International Tribunal on Law of the Sea & International Court of Justice. I included implications of these opinions on our environmental jurisprudence & its relevance to our corruption crisis.

Happy to be the guest speaker at the academic convocation of the Centro Escolar University. I think I did well, especially because of the sing-along sections of my talk. We sang Ben and Ben’s Kapangyarihan at the beginning and ended with the new Taylor Swift song Opalite.

Earlier: oral midterms for my University of Makati environmental law class. They surprised me with their Happy Teacher's Day virtual background. So I put on my Neruda cover - to tell them I love them too!

Happy to meet Noni Abao, director of Bloom Where You Are Planted. Its the first Cinemalaya film I watched. I will be watching others.

Happy teacher’s Day Chad and Jurain, Rosh and Mao, Rose and Rius, Pia and Victoria and other Lumad teachers. We will have a reunion soon. We will rebuild the schools and they will be better.

Lets all bloom where we are planted! Thanks Noni Abao for such a powerful film! Everyone an Agnes, Amanda, and Randy! Tigilin ang pag-aatake sa mga aktibista! Hustisya para sa lahat ng pinaslang ng estado! Bilangong politikal, palayain!

Happy Myles, watching a concert in Manila for the first time in seven plus years. Nagkanta ug sayaw pa! Watch the videos!

The acquittal of Mabinay 6 is a relief, but it cannot undo the years of unjust detention they endured. I must say though that Myles has become stronger as a person and more committed to social change after seven years, six months, and 28 days in unjust detention.

Happy to visit the good, bright future of the Philippines - Mayor Vico Sotto, my student and former colleague at the Ateneo School of Government. Mayor Vico, as I have written and tell everyone, is the real thing in good governance.

Four gestures for the United Nations on its 80th anniversary! Its an imperfect institution, but it is essential for human rights and humanitarian crises, international cooperation on climate, biodiversity and other sustainability issues, and global peace and security,

Thank you St. Therese for your gentle whispers in these past months as I struggled with burdens! You reminded me to offer my pain and suffering so others may be healed and that I did! Photos are from our 2012 pilgrimage to Lisieux.

I heard the news today oh boy. We will miss you, Kierkebark!

Reminders from the pandemic.

My best moment in this journey. Trinity Church, Downtown New York,Thursday, 25 September. Praise the Lord, Oh my soul!

Boarding soon. Grateful for this trip & all the connections made. 2026 looks good for Klima and all the work that we do. Special thanks to Bryce for his patience and dedication in assisting me. I am so lucky to have colleagues that are the most competent and caring in the world. Dios mabalos!

At the City College of New York. Alumn includes: Felix Frankffurter, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, Judd Hirsch, Woody Allen, Tony Curtis, Ben Gazzara, Stanley Kubrick, Edward G. Robinson, Jonas Salk, Richard Schiff and Eli Wallach went to school here.

Book launch,at the City College of New York, of Gani Serrano’s Reimagining Sustainability. Thanks Marie Lisa Dacanay for inviting me. Its a fitting close to my climate week.

Tonylavs, contemplating with fearless girl the New York Stock Exchange in Wall Street.

Protests must therefore focus on the very centers of power. Congress and the President must be compelled to act, even if it is against their self-interest and the interests of their families. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

A Last Quarter Storm is coming, political not meteorological, though we will see plenty of typhoons as well. Like the First Quarter Storm of 1970, it will be intense and may lead to clashes like those already seen in Mendiola last Sunday. manilastandard.net/opinion/column…

With Nelson Mandela, inside the United Nations Headquarters.

Happy to listen to Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teresita Lazaro speak in the high level forum on loss and damage at the United Nations General Assembly. President Marcos was supposed to do the keynote address but cancelled because of the corruption crisis back home.

Klima, in the United Nations headquarters!

Always a Filipino, but this week a New Yorker as well.

Tonylavs. Yesterday in Luneta and EDSA, today in Times Square. Look for my neon light.

From my room, in Times Square, with a view. I’ll take you Manhattan!

La Viña Zarate & Associates (LVZ Law) today welcomed the acquittal of their client, Myles Albasin, a 29-year-old mass communication graduate from the University of the Philippines Cebu. Albasin and her five (5) other co-accused, collectively known as Mabinay 6.

I walked for seven hours today, braving the crowds in Luneta and EDSA. I should survive this trip to New York City. Pray for me and the country everyone!

In the EDSA Trillion Peso March, with my lovely and militant Lao nieces and Bonto sisters Titay and Issa declaring “Abante, babae. Palaban, militante.”

Mga kurakot, ikulong! Marcos, singilin! Duterte, pananagutin! Kaya both! Its good to see that the youth, which comprises 3/4 of the 100,000 plus in Luneta, see this and not be diverted.

Neither age nor sickness will stop me and Satur Ocampo from fighting against corruption, injustice, and inequality. We both agree that this feels different this time, that maybe we can really change the country for the better - as long as we trust our youth and not second guess them.

Wife and husband, mag-asawa, ngayon ay lumalaban sa korapsyon at inhustisya. Papunta na sa EDSA People Power Monument.

OTW to Luneta to join the youth led march and rally to demand accountability from Marcos and Duterte. Later, I will go to EDSA to pray with church leaders for the conversion of our leaders. Four gestures: Rage against corruption and inequality under Duterte and Marcos!

More than the ICI, what is more decisive in addressing corruption is the President’s appointment of the Ombudsman. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

Our experience with investigative Commissions shows their recurring limits. This Eagle Eyes columns reflect on our history with Commissions - Agrava, Davide, Feliciano, and the Truth Commission of PNoy. manilastandard.net/opinion/colu...

Yay! Happy to be the honorary man (ally) at the oath taking of Gabriela Women’s Party List Representative Sarah Elago! Judge Minerva Lopez administered the oath.

To dismantle corruption, we must strike at all four pillars: Ban, blacklist cheating contractors. Abolish pork barrel & dismantle dynasties. Punish complicit officials & protect honest ones. Most of all, awaken citizenry that refuses to tolerate theft & impunity. manilastandard.net/opinion/3146...