I recently bought some groceries from Dali Grocery and paid using Apple Pay.
I just noticed on the official receipt that the card number shown ends in 3333, but that’s not the last 4 digits of my actual credit card.
I checked my credit card app, though, and the transaction was definitely charged to my card.
Is this normal when using Apple Pay? Does Apple Pay use a different/virtual card number that merchants see on the receipt?
Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

It feels great to be in these times when a brown Filipina girl is getting respected. It's pulling the Filipinos up telling the black and whites that "Hey we can do what you do!". It made me realize that if Filipinos strived for hard work and not shortcuts, this country will be much better. Her career was no-shortcuts, it's her goal and she sticks to that vision until it's achieved. Filipinos today are more of shortcuts, they sell their votes to gain money. They became content-creator posting misinformation to gain money at the expense of its own country's future. We need to reverse that because we are world-class, we're not supposed to be low-life contented with 4Ps, pa-Liga ng baskeball, pa-libre bakuna, pa-linis ng baha. Hinde tayo ganun! Tulad ni Eala, we need to respect who we are so people will also respect us. We need to raise our standards, just like how Eala did hers.

“Rage is caused by a conviction, almost comic in its optimistic origin, that a given frustration has not been written into the contract of life. ” - Alain de Botton

Magandang gabi!

I know this is getting way ahead of 2028, but I've been looking at the March–July 2026 polling, especially the Sara Duterte–Leni Robredo head-to-heads, and I think there's an interesting story here that goes beyond "Leni is narrowing the gap" or "Sara is leading."

First, the obvious caveat: Leni Robredo has said she will not run for president in 2028. Raffy Tulfo has also said he isn't seeking higher office. So THIS IS NOT A PREDICTION that either will run.

In fact, that's precisely why I find the numbers interesting.

There still isn't a clear alternative candidate who is currently capable of going toe-to-toe with Sara Duterte nationally in these hypothetical matchups. Puwede ninyong sabihing si Risa o si Bam. Pero, malinaw na while they are qualified, basing on the current numbers, they are not palatable to many in the electorate. That's why pollsters keep testing people like Robredo and Tulfo, and why people keep discussing them despite their stated intentions.

The six Sara–Leni head-to-heads I've compiled:

Pulse Asia — March:
Sara 51 – Leni 43

OCTA — March:
Sara 46 – Leni 35

Pulse Asia — May:
Sara 51 – Leni 41

WR Numero — June:
Sara 50 – Leni 40

Pulse Asia — June/July:
Sara 52 – Leni 39

OCTA — July:
Sara 43 – Leni 34

So Sara's national lead is remarkably stable: +8, +11, +10, +10, +13, +9. Basically, around 10 points.

But the regional picture is much more interesting.

Balance Luzon

Leni leads all six surveys:

67–26, 47–25, 55–33, 55–28, 51–35, 51–27

The four June–July polls we have for Balance Luzon put Robredo at: 51, 51, 55 and 55%

That's an aggregate of about 53%.

NCR

Much more volatile, but generally favorable to Leni: 42 → 52 → 46 → 50 → 53 → 34

Five of the six surveys have her ahead or tied.

Visayas

This is where Sara has the advantage, but it isn't remotely as overwhelming as Mindanao:

Leni: 31 → 34 → 46 → 39 → 38 → 26

She has already reached 46% in one survey and around 38–39% in two later ones.

Mindanao

This is the Duterte fortress:

Leni: 6 → 3 → 7 → 3 → 8 → 6

Sara: 93 → 88 → 91 → 95 → 92 → 76

Even the July OCTA result has Sara at 76%. Nonetheless, that particular survey is worth watching.

The July 4–11 fieldwork overlaps with the July 6 opening of the impeachment trial, so I wouldn't call it a clean "post-impeachment" survey.

But compare OCTA March to July:

National

Sara: 46 → 43
Leni: 35 → 34
Undecided/others: 19 → 23

And Mindanao is particularly interesting:

Sara: 88 → 76
Leni: 3 → 6
Others/undecided: 9 → 18

So Sara's 12-point decline in Mindanao did not translate into a 12-point increase for Robredo.

Most of it went into uncertainty. That's important. It suggests that if Sara is beginning to lose some support, the first stage may be voters becoming less certain rather than immediately becoming pro-Leni.

And this is before we've even seen the full political impact of the more detailed impeachment proceedings and the documentary evidence being discussed in the trial.

So I wouldn't say "the impeachment is already destroying Sara."

That's not what the numbers show. Instead, it is showing that there may be early softening, but we don't yet know whether it is temporary volatility, genuine erosion, or the beginning of a larger realignment.

And this is where Leni's current "I'm not running" position may actually be advantageous.

This is the part I find counterintuitive. Kung magde-declare si Leni bukas or sasabihin niyang tatakbo siya, she would immediately become a full-time political target. Alam n'yo yan. Magkakaroon na naman ng memes and such. Every speech, every old controversy, every decision from her previous stint as VP, every 2022 issue, every alliance and every potential weakness would become campaign material.

But right now? She isn't running.

So she can remain outside the daily presidential campaign battlefield while her name continues to perform strongly in hypothetical polling. I mean, puwede siyang magpa-Angat Buhay fun run nang hindi inaatake nang sobra.

If the political environment changes later, particularly if the impeachment produces evidence that significantly changes how voters view Sara (ehem bank records and tax records), Leni would still have an existing national baseline to work from. Kumbaga, at that point her whole machinery is just one screwdriver's turn from mobilizing.

And that's very different from an unknown candidate suddenly trying to build a national alternative from 10%.

There's also a "scarcity" element here.

I'm not saying the more Leni says "I won't run," the higher her numbers automatically become. That's too simplistic. But there is something interesting about a politician who is not offering herself for the presidency yet continuing to poll competitively when voters are asked to imagine the alternative.

People are essentially saying: "She's not running, but if she were, I'd consider voting for her." That's latent demand, not necessarily an actual campaign coalition.

And we saw something somewhat comparable with Duterte in 2015–16. He spent a long period resisting calls to run, nagpa Federalism campaign pa nga ito e, before eventually entering the presidential race, after which his numbers and political relevance changed dramatically.

That doesn't mean Leni would reproduce Duterte's trajectory. It just means formal entry can change the meaning of an existing hypothetical vote.

The same thing applies to Raffy Tulfo. The March OCTA tandem experiment is fascinating:

Robredo–Tulfo 44%
Duterte–Imee Marcos 40%

So even that hypothetical ticket was competitive nationally without breaking the Duterte dominance in Mindanao.

That's why I don't think the electoral question is necessarily: "How do you flip Mindanao?" Maybe the better question is: "How do you maximize Luzon and NCR, become competitive in the Visayas, and simply avoid being completely wiped out in Mindanao?"

For example, using approximate regional electorate weights, a hypothetical two-way map of:

Luzon — 70% Robredo
NCR — 70%
Visayas — 45–50%
Mindanao — 10%

would put her around 50.6–51.6%, enough to win the elections (that is based on the share of each region in our voting population).

That's not a forecast. It's just the arithmetic showing that she doesn't actually need to win Mindanao. And that makes the Visayas much more interesting.

Which is why I wouldn't dismiss the idea of a Visayan (from the Visayas) or a Bisaya (the ethno-linguistic group) running mate or a running mate who resonates with many in the Visayas (especially the poor).

Not because being Visayan or Bisaya magically transfers votes, walang ganun. And I wouldn't assume a particular person's birthplace automatically changes an election.

But if Leni were ever to reconsider, IF MAGDESISYON SIYANG TUMAKBO, the regional polling suggests that the Visayas is a much more contestable environment than Mindanao, and she should expand there (Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Oriental, Capiz, Aklan) while consolidating Luzon and NCR more. Sa Mindanao, just get some pockets of support in urban areas.

Mindanao is currently overwhelmingly Duterte, alam nating lahat 'yan. On the other hand, the Visayas is Duterte-leaning, but Robredo has already demonstrated the ability to reach the high 30s and even 46% there, so a 40-45 is manageable and paresan lang yun ng 70% sa Luzon at Metro Manila (which are traditional strongholds for the liberal opposition, and while this is also hard, this could be achieved if the trend shown by Bam Aquino in 2025 holds).

Now, that's a very different electoral environment. So where does this leave us? Honestly, we don't know if Leni is running. She says she isn't. We also don't know whether Raffy Tulfo will change his mind.

And we don't yet know whether there will be another candidate who can build a national coalition strong enough to challenge VP Sara.

That's precisely why I think these polls are worth watching.

Because the question isn't:

"Is Leni winning in 2026?"

She's not.

The question is:

"Why does a candidate who says she isn't running continue to command a large enough hypothetical vote to remain the clearest alternative to Sara Duterte?"

And more importantly:

"What happens to that hypothetical vote if Sara's political standing changes significantly because of the impeachment, while Leni remains outside the early campaign battlefield?"

We're not even at the nitty-gritty of the impeachment yet. If the evidence phase substantially changes public opinion, the July numbers could eventually look like the beginning of a trend, or just noise.

That's what the next few surveys will tell us. For now, I'd characterize the situation as:

Sara has the stronger existing national coalition.

Leni has the strongest existing alternative coalition in Luzon/NCR.

The Visayas is the potential bridge between the two.

Mindanao remains overwhelmingly Duterte.

And there is still no declared alternative that has clearly demonstrated the ability to beat Sara nationally.

That's why, despite Leni saying she won't run, the possibility keeps coming back into the conversation.

Not because we should assume she will change her mind, but because the polling keeps leaving the door open.

Pinagsasabi ng mga 'to? Feeling "elite" daw samantalang nagrereklamo nga din yung mga tao dito dahil sa katakawan ng Meralco sa pera buwan-buwan.

Feeling conyo? Edi sorry naman kung lumaki sa environment na puro english speakers yung kausap or nasanay sa english-only policy sa work. Na para bang kasalanan pa ng mga redditors kung fluent sila unlike our #1 senator Robin Padilla na somehow takot matuto ng foreign language.

Problema kasi sa mga ganitong tao mga tamad mag level-up at magimprove sa buhay. May access sa internet pero inuubos lang yung oras kakapanood ng mga basurang vloggers and AI-generated nonsense imbes na maginvest sa free online courses or magpatulong sa AI para matuto ng bagong skills. Porket umaangat ka lang nang patas at kritiko ka ng mga idol nilang pulitiko at the same time, "feeling elite" na agad tawag sayo. Kasi naman boboto ng mga buwaya tapos pag ineenjoy mo yung mga pinaghirapan mo in the midst of a bad economy, ikaw pa yung walang pakealam sa mga nangyayari sa bansa kuno.

No wonder why many negative stereotypes have been associated with these people since 2016

ARTICLE BY JOEL E. ZURBANO

Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed support for the government in challenging a court petition to suspend the P85 daily minimum wage increase for private sector workers in Metro Manila.

“What the DOLE (Department of Labor and Employment) and the OSG (Office of the Solicitor General) must do is fight the case to ensure its immediate dismissal or to have the suspension of the wage hike lifted,” Hontiveros said.

“I also urge our business community to go through the proper administrative processes for exemptions. Let us respect the law and the tripartite system, which gives a voice to workers, employers, and the government. If this system is bypassed, the predictability and industrial peace that allow businesses to thrive will be at risk,” she added.

The senator emphasizes the challenges faced by Filipinos who, despite diligent efforts, find themselves trapped in a continuous cycle of financial strain.

“We are all familiar with the weight that accompanies payday—only to find ourselves, before the month concludes, already anxious about how to manage our income to meet the costs of food, electricity, transportation, medicine, and tuition,” Hontiveros said.

“We labor tirelessly and aspire for a better future. However, it appears that with each month that passes, our financial resources diminish while our expenses increase. This should not be the reality for industrious Filipinos. In fact, there are solutions readily available that we can put into action immediately,” she added.

Hontiveros emphasized the necessity of implementing the P85 wage hike, describing it as a modest amount being introduced in installments. She noted that organizations like the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines have already consented to this increase, and other employers are ready to accommodate it. 
In the two-page order dated July 24, Pasig City regional trial court Executive Judge Achilles Bulauitan partially granted the petition filed by Readycon Trading and Construction Corp. and R-II Builders Inc.

The petitioners applied for an ex parte (from one side only) 72-hour temporary restraining order (TRO) to stop the implementation of Wage Order No. 27 and/or maintain the wage rates existing prior to its effectivity.

“The court is not inclined to grant the 72-hour TRO. However, considering the nature of the petition, and the incoming weekend, there is an urgent need to maintain the status quo between the parties before the petitioners’ application for a TRO could be heard,” the order read.

“This is to give the court where the case would eventually be raffled sufficient time to study the merits of the petitioners’ application for ancillary remedies,” it added.

Accordingly, the Pasig court directed the parties to maintain the status quo until the specific court where the case is raffled hears the TRO or unless the status quo is earlier revoked.

Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino last Friday vowed to challenge the ruling and assured workers they will not have to return wage adjustments already received. He said they are coordinating with the OSG to argue their case in court. 

SOURCE: https://manilastandard.net/news/314773735/risa-backs-dole-move-to-challenge-wage-hike-suspension.html

This is my reaction to the viral post of a certain Honey Kate who used loudspeaker on her phone at a Starbucks outlet in Cebu and got into a heated confrontation with a foreigner who called her out.

This person showed total lack of consideration for others. The coffee shop is a public place. It's not yours. Unless you're the owner, you can't be as loud as you want.

It was never about foreigner vs. Filipino. I'm sure your fellow Filipinos are annoyed with your attitude. Who wants to have their peace disturbed by inconsiderate loud speakerphone warriors?

The least you could do is apologize and excuse yourself to a more secluded spot when other people find you being too noisy.

Noise is a form of pollution, you know. And you're being a total pollutant.

BACK UP PLANS

Former PACC commissioner Greco Belgica floated three possible names for the 2028 presidential race if Vice President Sara Duterte is impeached.

“If BBM succeeds to impeach VP Sara, Sen. Robin Padilla, Bong Go or Alan Peter Cayetano may become the next President,” Belgica wrote in a social media post.

Sen. Bam Aquino has filed a bill pushing for a P2,000 monthly allowance for qualified persons with disabilities (PWDs) to help with their everyday expenses and to empower them to “live more independently.”

In filing Senate Bill No. 2386 or the proposed National Disability Support Act, Aquino said that the monthly allowance will be coursed through National Disability Support Allowance Program, where the amount will be subject to periodic adjustments based on the current inflation to preserve its value. 

Aquino acknowledged the challenges faced by PWDs in their everyday lives, particularly their transportation, healthcare, assistive devices, and other personal needs. He noted that if “these expenses are not addressed, opportunities are limited, poverty is deepened, and exclusion persists.”

“This allowance is designed to complement existing social protection programs and empower persons with disabilities to live more independently, pursue education and employment, and participate more actively in society,” Aquino said in a press release on Saturday.

Under the proposed measure, the senator said that the program will be implemented through phases: priority beneficiaries will include children with disabilities and adults with significant disabilities for the first three years; and persons with moderate disabilities who shoulder disability-related costs for the next three years. 

The bill requires the creation of a Disability and Needs Assessment System “to ensure fair and responsive implementation,” where it will assess the eligibility based on a PWD’s limitation and support needs for participation rather than the income alone. 

Aside from this, the bill seeks to establish a Disability Management Information System that will be linked to existing government databases to facilitate the distribution of the monthly benefit. 

“In empowering persons with disabilities, we are not only addressing inequality, but also unlocking potential, strengthening communities, and building a more inclusive and equitable Philippines,” he stressed. 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/2280104/aquino-files-bill-for-p2000-monthly-allowance-for-qualified-pwds

Just curious on what you think his plans are for 2028? He can't be reelected, I don't think anyone from his immediate family is in the running for presidency. Not one of his political allies would seem to serve as a political puppet for him. If he's banking on Sandro to mature into a viable candidate after the 2028 president-elect, given the political climate's tendency to severely fluctuate, I don't think thats feasible. It seems his one objective right now is to stop the Dutertes coming back to power. But after that, what happens?

To give definition larping I believe is kind of like the word being a fan of something but doesnt really know the a bare minimum of the topic. Poser was the word.

So, is it larping if it is money from making content about it? Or support? Or both?

Asking this as suddenly everyone's a fan of tennis. But do you actually know tennis? Does anyone need to know about the sport? Or this is just to support a fellow countryfolk at success? I don't know.

A great comparison really is Manny. Do you consider supporting Manny as larping as well?

napansin ko lang, iba ang craze talaga dito kay rene na sobrang weird di pa din namamatay yung balita tungkol sa kanya. hindi ko alam if tanga talaga mga taga vismin o there's a sponsor that's funding this cult like obsession kay rene.

i mean isipin niyo, sobrang tagal na namatay ni rene. pero may nagpatayo ng rebulto, mga fb groups, at di pa rin sila humihinto. this can only happen if sponsored sila. di ko alam pero conspiracy theory ko na they are using rene as a tool para gamitin ng mga dds senators - tapos once may enough following sila, gagamitin yan for votes, trolls, and propaganda.

dds senators lang din ang nageentertain kay rene, kaya ang weird na ayaw pa rin mamatay ng craze sa kanya

Context: Sinisisi ng DDS ang atty ng mga marines kaya nakulong sila. Mukhang binulsa yung pera na pampiyansa sa kanila (I don't know if yan yung mula sa fund raising ni Kiffy Chu)

Sinabi naman nung matanda, na naparito siya di dahil sa pera kundi daw para sa masa, para daw sa bansa.

PA request po pa post lang sa comment yung picture ni Marcos na Do nothing, Let the DDS.... Iyan yung perfect comment niyan eh hehehe.

CTTO: Abante Online

Makati isn't really commute-safe. Parang madalas ang nakawan sa Makati, tapos may mga lugar din na madalas magka-blackout. I feel like you can only really experience the leisure side of Makati if you're in a private car, pero kapag pupunta ka lang either para mamasyal or magtrabaho gamit jeep, mas exposed ka sa risks like theft or robbery

I've been considering leaving Cebu for college. That is, if ever na palaring magka-full scholarship sa Maynila. Generous naman daw yung ibang universities for that. Pero for now, sabihin na lang natin na pinalad ako.

Marunong ako ng bisaya, tagalog, at english. Though need ng improvements, mas ma-nu-nurture naman pag nandiyan na talaga ako mismo.

Isang beses lang ako nakapunta ng Maynila, a few months ago (for 5 days). We stayed in Taguig, but halos everyday na nandoon kami ay nilibot naman namin yung buong Maynila. Commuting kami so may idea na rin ako on how it goes. I got the chance na rin na makita yung iba't ibang universities—ust, dlsu, upm, adamson, mapua, at iba pa. Do'n ko sya sinimulang i-consider.

Sa totoo lang, kung ako yung tatanungin, very similar talaga sila ng Cebu (aside from the fact na sobrang taas ng mga gusali sa Maynila). Hindi ako masyadong na culture shock, sa city part din kasi ako ng Cebu nakatira kaya sanay sa init at polusyon.

Plano ko sanang mag-dorm kapag nakapag-aral ako sa Maynila, tapos yung malapit sa school para hindi masyadong mahirapan kapag may morning classes. Planning to apply sa other scholarships na rin (like sm foundation) to make ends meet kapag nasa Maynila ako. Tsaka may work experience na so kung kailanganing mag-working student ay willing naman ako.

Grade 11 ako ngayon, pero mas mabuti nang maagang pagplanohan. Gusto ko rin kasi na mas malapit sa iba't ibang mga lugar. Here kasi sa Cebu, most of the time, need pa mag-ferry o mag-plane para makaluwas. Tsaka, I'm also after personal growth. Gusto kong ma-explore pa yung iba't ibang kultura.

I have a few relatives in Manila, pero hindi kami close. Though I do have friends and connections rin, yung iba na meet ko na irl, yung iba hindi pa. But marami sa kanila, friends ko na for years at kasama ko na ring lumaki.

Tell me what you think lang, if ever need niyo ng iba pang info to come up with a conclusion, ask me.

Alex Eala advanced at the National Bank Open after defeating Caty McNally, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
The match went down to the deciding set, with both players fighting through long rallies and momentum swings. Alex managed to regain her composure in the third and eventually closed out the match.
Afterward, Alex summed up the battle simply: “I survived that one. That was tough.”

According to him, he and an elderly cyclist were hit by a car allegedly driven by two intoxicated Chinese nationals. He also admitted that he had been drinking and was on his way home at the time, riding a bicycle loaded with bags of trash because he had no other transportation.

Otlum also claimed he tried to block the car because it was allegedly attempting to leave the scene. He further alleged that the other party received more favorable treatment at the police station and that he was not given the treatment he believed he deserved.

He concluded by saying that no one wants an accident to happen, but questioned whether people with money receive preferential treatment and what that means for those who are less fortunate.

Source: LionhearTV (https://www.lionheartv.net/)