The senator opens a new chapter in the family feud, which threatens to affect the whole country. After accusing her brother of being a drug addict, she claims that a leadership vacuum exists in the country; for this reason, she is calling for the vice president to take over. Political differences and a mounting corruption scandal are behind the clash. But some observers question the leadership skills of Sara Duterte, daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Following reports of beatings, torture, and abuse, including against minors, Amnesty International accused the Philippine police of using "unnecessary and excessive force" during anti-corruption protests on 21 September in Manila. The authorities have taken special security measures ahead of another mass rally on 30 November. Fears are growing of more violence and a possible pre-emptive crackdown.

While President Marcos himself is implicated in corruption allegations by a former deputy, the country's bishops warn against solutions that would destabilise the country. Cardinal David: “The Filipino people deserve truth, not rumours; responsibility, not manipulation”. Bishop Villegas: “Peace is the fruit of justice and dialogue, not unbridled ambition or force”.

A legal expert and politician, he was one of dictator Ferdinand Marcos's closest aides, designing and implementing martial law. But he was also a key figure in the 1986 crisis that ultimately brought down the regime. Still at the centre of politics, he served as legal advisor to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. even as he approached his 100th birthday. A divisive figure, he was for some, a symbol of political skill, for others, an emblem of elite impunity.

Joy Reyes, who experienced firsthand the devastation of cyclone Ulysses in 2020, shared her experience at the UN Conference on Climate Change. “I used to love the sound of rain. Now every drop brings fear,” she said. The perverse connection with international debt, which weighs heavily on the victims of other people's pollution, is a powerful one. Cardinal David calls for a tax on mining to compensate local communities.

The Catholic Church is at the forefront of relief efforts for the population affected by Tino, which has caused over 90 deaths and 400,000 displaced persons. Nearly 400 people have been welcomed into the classrooms of the Maria Ausiliatrice school. The archbishop has ordered churches to be opened to provide shelter. Over 20,000 schools have suspended classes.