[Rappler’s Best] Gates of heaven, gates of hell

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'The battle-scarred Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy got a tongue-lashing from US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance'

Ramadan, the holiest month for the world’s estimated 1.8 billion Muslims, began on Sunday, March 2 — a time of fasting, reflection, and prayer. Families in the Islamic City of Marawi prepared for it by gathering on Saturday, March 1, for pegang, a ceremonial feast of faith and sustenance.

Rappler’s Paterno Esmaquel II and Errol Almario also joined Muslims at the Manila Baywalk last Friday, February 28, for their tradition of moonsighting, and showed us what it’s all about.

The weekend buzz was not about the gates of heaven being opened for us mortals, however, as the battle-scarred Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy got a tongue-lashing from US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance in their disastrous joint press conference at the White House on Friday. World leaders reacted to the clash that left US Republicans divided and moved Ukrainians to rally around their president. In London, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer committed to Zelenskyy the United Kingdom’s “full backing…for as long as it may take.” (READ: UK, European leaders join forces to draft Ukraine peace plan to take to US)

While Europe appears to be Trump’s pet peeve nowadays, a legal scholar reminds us that the American president who’s redefining the global order draws inspiration from someone in the region: Viktor Orban, Hungary’s nationalist prime minister who won his fourth consecutive term in April 2022, two months after Russia — a country that Orban had cozied up to — invaded Ukraine.

In this Thought Leaders piece, diplomat and human rights leader John Shattuck, who once served as US ambassador to the Czech Republic, said: “Since Orban is Trump’s political model, Hungary is a window into what the US could become during Trump’s new term.” Their similarity is striking, said Shattuck, who lays out the Orban playbook and benchmarks it against what Trump has been doing. America needs to draw lessons from Hungary, he added. “Resistance to the assault on democracy is not only possible, it’s essential, and it can work.”

In the Philippines, democracy is yet again tested as we brace for the midterm polls that are dominated by those blessed with money, machine, and meta narratives. 

Reelectionist senator Imee Marcos went as far as gate-crashing the annual Panagbenga flower festival in Baguio City aboard her own float. Rappler’s multimedia producer Cara Oliver asked: did the presidential sister break the rules? Yes she did, and as a result she (and other candidates) were banned from joining future Panagbenga events.

In any case, here’s a peek into two of the country’s battleground provinces for the May elections — Bulacan (over 2.1 million registered voters) and Batangas (nearly 2 million registered voters):

• While covering a sortie of the administration senatorial slate in Bulacan on Friday, Bonz Magsambol asked Bulakenyos about what they want addressed in these elections. It’s the rising cost and inefficient supply of…water, they said. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. changed tack in this particular stop, as he highlighted his candidates’ qualifications and did not attack the rival camps.
• Dwight de Leon identifies the key races to watch out for in Batangas, which feature two sons of celebrity-mothers: Lucky Manzano, son of reelectionist governor and actress Vilma Santos-Recto, and Leandro Leviste, son of former broadcaster-turned-senator Loren Legarda.

Here are some of Rappler’s bests that you shouldn’t miss:

Jasmine Payo reminds us of the late Pitoy Moreno — the fashion icon from the 1950s to the ‘80s and whose work will be celebrated in an exhibit in June.

JR Isaga and Philip Matel profile Adamson’s volleyball super rookie Shaina Nitura, who does not let her poor eyesight stop her from setting big goals for her team.

Steph Arnaldo gives us the reality check on instant noodles, notwithstanding the “no-MSG,” “more nutrients” branding.

Dwight de Leon takes stock of the reelection chances of the prominent “quadcom” members of the House of Representatives.

Lian Buan cites a flaw in the implementing rules and regulations of the Good Conduct Time Allowance law.

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– Rappler.com

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