Explore feed

I think Tagalog answers should be allowed in local beauty pageants in the Philippines. In the end, what matters isn't the language you use, but the message you deliver.

Another Philippine Religious Group Caught Up in International Money Laundering and Tax Evasion Cases

As the country watches Apollo Quiboloy, founder of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KOJC), face legal trouble in the United States over fraud and bulk cash smuggling charges, another Philippine religious organization is facing growing international financial controversy.

Brazilian court records place Members Church of God International (MCGI) minister Licerio "Sonny" Espayos Catan and current leader Daniel Razon in criminal proceedings in the state of Santa Catarina. These cases follow an older history of financial crimes involving MCGI (commonly known as Ang Dating Daan) founder Eliseo "Eli" Soriano and his associate Ulysses Alaer Villamin, whose bank deposits of unknown origin were challenged by Brazilian tax authorities.

Catan is a defendant in an ongoing criminal proceeding brought by the Santa Catarina State Public Prosecutor's Office in 2026. Case number 5001597-13.2026.8.24.0082 is classified as a crime against the tax order (crimes contra a ordem tributária).

Catan also appears in an official notice dated October 23, 2024 from Brazil's Attorney General of the National Treasury (PGFN), which lists him as a person connected to an earlier criminal proceeding. Razon has been charged with serious threats against a financial investigator in a local guarantee court in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. In a separate proceeding, his son Daniel Razon Jr is the subject of a federal criminal tax investigation. The case was brought in 2025 by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office before Brazil's Fourth Federal Regional Court.

MCGI's expansion into Brazil began under founder Eli Soriano, who extended the church's TV evangelism across South America. In 2013, MCGI was sending additional workers to strengthen its Latin American operations. Brazil was Soriano's main overseas base until his death in February 2021.

After taking over leadership of the church, Razon built a reputation as a philanthropist through cash donations and other charitable activities aimed at police and government agencies at home and abroad, including in El Salvador, Brazil, and Colombia.

The financial controversy predates the newly discovered cases. In October 2020, Brazil's Administrative Council of Tax Appeals (CARF) upheld the tax assessment against Villamin and imposed a 150 percent aggravated penalty for tax evasion. In March 2021, the same council upheld a similar penalty against Soriano's estate.

Sources:

Public Prosecutor's Office of Santa Catarina v. Licerio Espayos Catan, Case 5001597-13.2026.8.24.0082
https://www.escavador.com/processos-judiciais/500xxxx-1320268240082-d63c9d84d4

MCGI Minister Licerio Catan, tax-responsibility notice naming Licerio Catan, p. 21
https://www.gov.br/pgfn/pt-br/servicos/editais-de-notificacao/editais-2024/EDITALDEABERTURADEPROCEDIMENTOADMINISTRATIVODERECONHECIMENTODERESPONSABILIDADEN173523.10.2024.pdf

Daniel Soriano Razon: Brazilian judicial proceedings
https://www.escavador.com/nomes/daniel-soriano-razon-00564d9842

Court of Justice of Santa Catarina — Official judicial portal
https://www.tjsc.jus.br/web/processo-eletronico-eproc

Daniel Eusebio Razon Junior: Brazilian judicial proceedings, tax-crime investigation.
https://www.escavador.com/nomes/daniel-eusebio-razon-junior-08c5912161

Brazilian Fourth Federal Regional Court — Official website
https://www.trf4.jus.br/

MCGI — Expansion of church operations in South America, August 31, 2013
https://mcgi.org/mcgi-sends-workers-aid-global-propagation-effort-south-america/

Ulysses Alaer Villamin, Decision 2201-007.654, October 8, 2020
https://carf.fazenda.gov.br/sincon/public/pages/ConsultarJurisprudencia/listaJurisprudencia.jsf?idAcordao=8517438

Eliseo Fernando Soriano, Decision 2201-008.577, March 10, 2021
https://carf.fazenda.gov.br/sincon/public/pages/ConsultarJurisprudencia/listaJurisprudencia.jsf?idAcordao=8792095

Are you in a meeting?

Posting this to warn anyone who lives in Bacoor or rides jeepneys.

I was on my way home from work, around 11:40 PM. I boarded a jeepney at Burol in Molino, Bacoor. I sat at the very end. There was one woman next to me, three other people, and one big guy (remember this part).

As soon as I got on, I saw that woman's hand moving like that, so I started recording right away (sadly, I don't know how to upload the video here).

This went on for over 20 seconds, and I could tell the woman took what looked like a phone. Some people got off the jeepney, leaving just 7 of us: me, the big guy, and one other man. On the opposite side were the older thief, the victim, and a mother and her child.

I really wanted to step in, but I hesitated because the big guy could have been an accomplice and I had nothing to protect myself with. I was also in uniform, and my hospital's logo was visible, so I was scared they might come after me at my workplace.

I feel so bad for the girl and so upset with myself. I'm so sorry, ate...

I'm sharing this to remind everyone who rides jeepneys at night to always stay alert and be careful, especially when you have valuables in your bag...

:( To everyone reading this, sorry for being weak.

Philippine Embassy in Korea Highlights Contributions of Filipino Skilled Workers Who Took Part in Building the BRP Rajah Humabon PS-22 Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV)

🇰🇷🇵🇭 | The Philippine Embassy in Korea has highlighted the contributions Filipino workers made to building the Philippine Navy's new warship. The BRP Rajah Humabon (PS-22) offshore patrol vessel (OPV), built by Filipino skilled workers and about to be born, is scheduled to be delivered to the Philippines by February 2027.

Philippine officials met with about 20 representatives of Filipino workers who live in southern Korea and work at HD HHI.

At HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in Ulsan, three 2,400-ton Sulayman-class offshore patrol vessels (OPVs) and the third and fourth ships of the 3,200-ton Miguel Malvar-class guided-missile frigates are being built. The same craftsmanship of the Filipino skilled workers at HD HHI will bring these new OPVs and frigates to life until they are delivered in 2028–2029. Ships built by Filipinos, for Filipinos.

https://www.philembassy-seoul.com/news/brp-rajah-jumabon-launch-highlights-filipino-contributions-to-ph-rok-maritime-partnership

Strangely, I feel so relieved.

Philippine Luxury Motorcycle Vlogger Under Investigation for Tax Evasion in Brazil

A Philippine moto-vlogger known for featuring luxury motorcycles and supercars owes Brazil about ₱20 million in personal income tax. According to federal records, the debt carries the surcharge rates that Brazilian law sets separately for fraud, tax evasion, and collusion.

Ebenezer Mariano Dimalanta, the content creator behind RevMatch Motovlog, has failed to pay R$1,665,465.14 in personal income tax, according to Brazil's National Treasury Attorney General's Office (PGFN).

Dimalanta appeared on the Philippine motoring show Manibela, which introduced him as "Diskarteam Team Leader, RevMatch Motovlog Ebenezer Dimalanta" alongside footage of him riding a top-tier adventure motorcycle.
He is one of four Brazilian associates of Members Church of God International (MCGI) founder Eli Soriano whose tax records show large unpaid personal income tax debts. The others are his brother Eliezer Mariano Dimalanta, and MCGI minister Rodel and his wife Melanie Mangiliman.

According to Dimalanta's installment agreement records (filed in Santa Catarina in June 2024), the consolidated debt is R$1,389,820.93 (about ₱16.7 million). Of this, R$382,672.78 was the tax itself and R$574,491.62 was surcharges.

Church Association Representative

The Mangilimans each owe the Brazilian government R$605,965.47 (about ₱7.3 million) in personal income tax.

Mangiliman has been registered since August 2015 as president of Membros da Igreja de Deus Internacional, MCGI's Brazilian association, whose headquarters is in Jurerê, Florianópolis, where Soriano once settled.

In February 2025, the Santa Catarina prosecutor's office named the association and Mangiliman as parties and opened criminal proceedings.

Sources:

Procuradoria-Geral da Fazenda Nacional, public list of debtors (2nd quarter 2026) and Painel dos Parcelamentos/SISPAR (September 2026). https://www.gov.br/pgfn/pt-br/assuntos/divida-ativa-da-uniao/transparencia-fiscal-1/bem-vindo-ao-painel-dos-parcelamentos

Conselho Administrativo de Recursos Fiscais, Acórdão nos. 2201-007.654 (Villamin, October 8, 2020) and 2201-008.577 (Soriano, March 10, 2021). https://carf.fazenda.gov.br/sincon/public/pages/ConsultarJurisprudencia/listaJurisprudencia.jsf?idAcordao=8517438

Lei nº 9.430/1996, art. 44, as amended by Lei nº 14.689/2023 (surcharge rates). https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9430.htm ; https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/_ato2023-2026/2023/lei/l14689.htm

Receita Federal, CNPJ registration information 09.262.943/0001-67, Membros da Igreja de Deus Internacional. https://brasilapi.com.br/api/cnpj/v1/09262943000167

Ministério Público do Estado de Santa Catarina, Diário Oficial Eletrônico, no. 3829, February 25, 2025.

Rosalia Rosal, "Cash Mules, Tax Evasion, and Fictitious Insurance: Financing Wish Bus and UNTV," SSRN, 2026. https://ssrn.com/abstract=7457519

The sad reality of Philippine public schools

My mom sent me a text saying my sibling's school is collecting money to buy blinds for the windows.

The photos are from the homeroom teacher and the parents' group chat.

What's sad is that all six of us went through public schools, and it's been like this for a long time. If you want to make classrooms comfortable and good for studying, teachers and parents have to find a way on their own.

What's annoying is that I keep thinking about the new Senate building that cost over 30 billion pesos. How many classrooms could that money have built? It looked really luxurious.

On top of that, the Department of Education (DepEd) budget was cut further in fiscal year 2027. It was reduced by 39 billion pesos, and the budget cuts are affecting basic education facilities.

Our students deserve much better treatment.

Passive Amber Pieces

Calls in the Philippines to ease bank secrecy rules in order to curb corruption and tax evasion

Jollibee delivery missing iced coffee but receipt shows it and paper bag has a straw

Tonight I ordered Jollibee through Foodpanda. When the rider arrived, they told me the iced coffee wasn't there. They said Jollibee didn't include it in the order and that it was "okay na po 'yan" (it's fine).

The problem is that the receipt clearly lists iced coffee for ₱119. There are two items: Chickenjoy 2 pieces and Large Iced Coffee. The paper bag the rider handed me even had a straw in it.

The rider told me to report it to Jollibee directly. But I ordered through Foodpanda, so why do I have to sort this out and contact Jollibee myself? Chasing down a restaurant for something I paid for through the app is way too much hassle.

Could Jollibee have listed the coffee on the receipt but not wanted to hand it over? If that's really what happened, I'll contact Foodpanda myself to get the ₱119 refunded, so the rider doesn't get dragged into this or caught in the middle.

Saw this on my way to work. I'm telling you, I turned the car around and pulled over just to take a picture 😂

I'm dealing with a stalker and don't know what to do. Can you help?

For context, I'm 16 and in my last year of high school (female). The stalker graduated high school this year and isn't in college now. Over the summer I was friends with this person to some extent, but I realized they were a pretty bad person, so I cut off contact and went on with my life.

One day they showed up at my house and my friend's house separately and waited outside. I was scared since I'm a minor and was home alone. They kept calling and messaging me on my phone. Eventually they came through our gate and pushed a letter under the front door even though we have a mailbox. My friends got very angry and sent them a message telling them never to contact us again.

After that, they threatened me twice through TikTok messages, saying they would call my parents and tell them what I did (I didn't do anything), or show up at the local SM or my church and make my life hell. I'm sure it's them, but they're using a new name on TikTok, so I don't know if I can prove to the authorities that they sent it.

I also noticed they keep following my school's club, especially on social media, even though they aren't a student at my school. I had told them that my friends and I are members of that club. They're also still following my social media. Once I reposted a club post I helped make, and the caption had my name on it. The following week, a false claim appeared on our school's anonymous "freedom wall": "Don't join [club name], one of the officers has S.A (sexual assault) allegations." But everyone at school knows my friend, the club president, is the only officer, so whoever wrote that definitely isn't a student at our school.

Recently they've also been getting close to my friends and schoolmates, spreading things about me to turn them against me. They've even been sending private recordings of conversations with me to schoolmates, conversations I didn't know they were recording.

Honestly, they don't have much leverage over me, and I don't think they'd go so far as to physically hurt me. They're just actively trying to ruin my reputation. The worst things I've done are make some bad jokes and talk badly about a few people. Beyond the obvious, like cutting contact, what can I do? Is anything they've done illegal? How do I apply for a protection order, and would this be enough grounds to get one? I'm worried that since it's a new-name account, people won't believe me even if I show them the threatening messages.

The Missing Date: December 31, 1844 Never Officially Existed in the Philippines

Lost day! 📅⏳

December 31, 1844 never officially existed in the Philippines.

During the Spanish colonial period, the Philippines followed the calendar dates it had inherited from Spanish territories in the Americas, particularly Mexico, because of their historical connection.

Geographically located in Southeast Asia, the Philippines was using dates one day behind its neighboring Asian regions.

This unusual situation was tied to the Manila–Acapulco trade route, which linked the Philippines and Mexico for centuries.

However, as trade relations gradually shifted toward China, the Dutch East Indies, and other parts of Asia, this difference became inconvenient.

To correct the mismatch, Spanish Governor-General Narciso Clavería ordered a change to the Philippine calendar in 1844.

Instead of spending the last day of that year, the Philippines went directly from Monday, December 30, 1844 to Wednesday, January 1, 1845.

Tuesday, December 31 was officially skipped.

This adjustment aligned the Philippines' dates with those of its neighboring Asian regions, making communication and trade easier.

According to the United States Naval Observatory, the Philippines had been on the American side of the historical International Date Line due to its colonial connections across the Pacific before this change.

The change took place several decades before the 1884 International Meridian Conference set Greenwich as the international prime meridian.

The important point is that the country did not actually lose 24 hours. The official calendar simply jumped forward by one day.

December 31, 1844 remains one of the most unusual missing dates in Philippine history, not because time disappeared, but because the country changed the way it counted days.

No way 😭

Beautiful afternoon at Rizal Park in Manila [OC]

Super Typhoon Champi expected track – forecast to reach Category 5

Seagull Chat

This angel desperately needs help

Hello, a street dog in Batangas Ripa is desperately in need of help. We named him Saldy. He is one of the street dogs in our neighborhood. Of all the street dogs I've met, he is the sweetest. About half a year ago, his owner abandoned him. Neighbors who keep dogs here have been feeding him.

A few days ago he suddenly disappeared, which was strange because he was always here. Then last night he suddenly showed up again, and I nearly cried. One of his eyes is bulging out 😭 Before he disappeared, I found a strange leash in front of our house, and I don't know whose it is. I strongly suspect it was used to choke Saldy. He may also have been hit by a car, but I'm not sure.

Below are photos of his wounds. We will help as much as we can. I don't know what to do... He's a good boy, but he avoids people. He may have been secretly abused here. If you can connect me with someone who can rescue him, please send me a message.

I sent messages to PAWS and Straysworthsaving but haven't received a reply yet. I'm not asking for money. I just need help connecting with the right people. Thank you.

10,000 balikbayan boxes found abandoned at the port