September 2026 Recap: Res Ipsa Loquitor (No Comment Unless I Can't Help It)

September 2026 Recap: Res Ipsa Loquitor (No Comment Unless I Can't Help It)

For September, I will try not to comment on anything, or will try to make very minimal response if I can't help it. Let these hilarities, absurdities, oddities, preposterousness, and unbelievability speak for themselves. No need to intrude myself upon any of them with lengthy unfiltered comments.

Obviously, all texts in double quote pairs are lifted text; outside those quotes, the texts are mine.

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Viral: "'Forda' content, babae dinilaan ang bentang hotdog saka ibinalik sa warmer sa 7-11."

"Lalaki, naglagay ng deodorant sa kilikili sa grocery store saka ibinalik sa shelf."

>>> Dugyot! At sobrang red flag. Imagine being the one chancing upon those items at the store. These pranks are going too far, aren't they? Is there psychosis or sociopathology involved here? I wonder.

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Septembah quickly opened with the usual Jose Mari Chan memes. As they say, IFYYK (If you know, you know.) >>> Chan is around 80 years old, I would learn randomly. He says he stays healthy by avoiding pork and beef. Ouch.

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The seemingly unending rains in August continued on this month.

"Stranded motorists endure hunger, fatigue in almost 24-hour traffic in NLEX." >>> In its aftermath, stories trickled in of how people survived the all-day-long traffic at NLEX because of flood in San Simon, Pampanga. I could just imagine how they answered the call of nature and all, on top of other basic needs.

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"Para umano may maipambayad sa utang dahil sa sugal, nagkunwaring dinukot ang isang estudyante sa Lipa, Batangas. May video pa siyang umiiyak at naghahabilin para magmukhang legit at magbigay ng ramsom ang kaniyang mga magulang."

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"Bagong hanging bridge sa Indonesia, biglang gumuho habang pnasisinayaan. Agad nirescue ang mga nahulog sa ilog." >>> Lintek na engineer ang engineer nyan. O baka substandard na naman ang ginamit na materyales?

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"Nine days after disaster, two pulled alive from Nepal hydropower tunnel."

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A new silly dance craze is performed to the tune of "Para lang sa yo ang giling giling ko." >>> Reminds me of a photo of a random man I posted on social media that earned laugh reacts despite his serious demeanor. When I took a closer look, his shirt has a large red heart with the caption in small fonts, "SOLO ka sa puso ko."

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A warrant of arrest was issued to VP Sara Duterte.

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While Luzon was being overly drenched, a severe drought was slowly devastating the rest of the country, it is reported. Talk about climatic irony.

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Oh, what fun steps: NSync's "I Want You Back" dance trend. Every step looks like it's been made just for me.

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"Fires are smoldering on the surface and underground in Indonesia, which is in a severe and widespread drought. Some of these are tropical peatland fires, which burn slowly, release higher amounts of air pollution, and are notoriously difficult to extinguish because they smolder at low temperatures and often burn underground."

This affected air quality in the Philippines, but this one happened before. I was in Manila at the time, and the haze was unsettling.

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"Steel bars recovered from the rubble of a collapsed building in Angeles City, Pampanga, were traced to a steel manufacturing plant under investigation, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) said. The disclosure was made during the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs’ second hearing on the domestic steel industry, where lawmakers continued to examine the possible use of substandard steel products in buildings and other structures."

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"US feminist icon Gloria Steinem dies at 92." - Everything in her obit about women's rights at a time when women were second-class citizens seems agreeable until you learn about her "abortion rights" advocacy which easily sounds like "mass murder of innocents," if you think about it.

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"A postmortem: When the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli floods tore through Nuwakot, Nepal, they swept away almost everything in their path. Homes, roads, and entire structures were destroyed. But one house remained standing. Footage of the house quickly went viral, and much of the internet called its survival a miracle. The engineering, however, tells a different story. The house survived because of how it was built. It had a reinforced-concrete frame, with steel reinforcement running continuously through the foundation, columns, and beams. This tied the entire structure together into a rigid system capable of resisting forces from different directions." >>> To engineers in RP: Build like this house.

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"At 9:20 in the morning, Rajendra Dawadi received a phone call. Minutes later, the school he was standing inside would be gone. Rajendra is the principal of Tribhuvan Trishuli Secondary School in Nepal's Trishuli Valley. On August 26, 2026, a friend upstream warned him that a massive flood was racing toward the area. Around 900 children were already inside the school. Hundreds more were still arriving. Rajendra didn't wait to see how bad it would become. He rang the school bell. Teachers emptied the classrooms and began moving the children uphill toward higher ground. At the same time, Rajendra called the school bus drivers and ordered them to stop or turn around. One bus had barely crossed a nearby bridge before part of the crossing collapsed behind it. Then the flood arrived. ... The school had 1,643 students. All of them were kept out of the disaster zone because adults acted before there was time to hesitate. No complicated rescue. No extraordinary equipment. Just a warning, a school bell and one decision made quickly enough."

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"Double Summa: For many students, earning one degree with the highest academic distinction is already an extraordinary achievement. For Javi Gamboa, it became the culmination of a journey that led him to graduate with two degrees and summa cum laude honors from the prestigious Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Gamboa completed a Bachelor of Science in Economics with concentrations in Finance and Management, graduating summa cum laude. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the School of Arts and Sciences, likewise graduating summa cum laude."

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The Philippines’ flooding crisis has been building for more than eight decades.
Mahar Lagmay, executive director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute and head of Project NOAH, said repeated flooding in Metro Manila and other parts of the country reflects decades of failure to carry out a master plan drafted in 1941. >>> Is it just me or what, but generations of RP politicians and policymakers hate implementing master plans, no?

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Like a cliffhanger of a movie was this search and rescue operation done for the potential survivors or, worse, casualties of an SUV that fell into Tarlac River when a span of Agana Br. they were crossing at the height of torrential rain and flood in Tarlac suddenly broke off. One survivor arose, saying he tried his might to save himself, while one body showed up one after another in unexpected places: Dagupan and Bayambang in Pangasinan and Bauang in La Union. Not long after, the car was recovered too in Tarlac River, but one boy remained missing.

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Breaking: After nearly two decades, the critically endangered Mindoro Bleeding-heart (𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘢 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘦) in the forest of Mindoro has been captured on camera, a remarkable moment for Philippine biodiversity and conservation." >>> Dear editors and proofreaders: capitalizing common names of birds is just plain grammatically incorrect. You are violating your own rule.

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"I'm pleased to introduce the Tawi-Tawi Imperial Pigeon (Ducula tawitawi)—a new species from the rainforests of Tawi-Tawi Island in the southwestern Philippines. I described and named this bird in an article published today in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. It has a distinct song and a pure white throat, which distinguish it from its closest relatives."

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National Artist for Literature Resil B. Mojares joined our Creator on September 5, 2026. >>> A highly regarded writer whose works are inaccessible to the likes of me. I am puzzled that I am not familiar with his work despite myself being an omnivore. Must hunt down his books online. I am pissed off that they are 404 territory in computerspeak. Can't be found.

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Lea Salonga receives Hollywood Walk of Fame star!

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"Vice President Sara Duterte did not have a mugshot taken during her booking at the Quezon City Regional Trial Court, with her lawyer saying she instead submitted her own photographs to the court on Saturday."

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People have become afraid of crossing certain bridges and experiencing torrential rains.

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While two bodies of missing drowning victims in Tarlac unexpectedly turned up in our town and in faraway Dagupan, someone was still missing and he was identified as Harvey Collado, the driver and owner of the SUV they rode in, and a nurse and graduate of PSU-Bayambang Institute of Nursing. Another victim was also a nurse, two of them were teachers, and the lone survivor is a student. Sad, sad day for all of us. They could have been someone we know or, God forbid, someone close to anyone of us.

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"Nepali woman found alive days after family began mourning rites."

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"Former House Speaker Martin Romualdez was arrested while he was admitted at a hospital."

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"Former senator and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao returns to government service as lead convenor and secretary of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC)." >>> This means he just replaced Lope Santos III.

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"Through Proclamation No. 1414 s 2026, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has declared 10 new national artists, four years after the last ones were named. The new National Artists are Nicanor Tiongson and Gregorio Brillantes (Literature), Imelda Cajipe Endaya and Nunelucio Alvarado (Visual Arts), Gabriel Formoso (Architecture), Rafael “Nonoy” Froilan (Dance), Maria Beatriz “Patis” Tesoro (Design), Armado “Bing” Lao (Film and Broadcast Arts), Teodoro Hilado (Theater), and Alfredo S. Buenaventura (Music). This year’s declaration, signed by the president on September 1, is the first to have a woman in the visual arts category in Endaya, a master printmaker. It is also the most declarations to date since the award was given in 1972. >>> Been waiting for upturned eyebrows on any of the names mentioned, but so far each honoree seems to have received "no objections, your honor."
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For some reason, people seemed to be hopping on an AI-generated '80s trend. Since I lived through that era as a high schooler and college student, I didn't have to use ChatGPT. I just have to go find and dust off my old school photo albums. It must be somewhere around the house, somewhere long forgotten.

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Ex-Anthropic researcher: AI could "kill us all by the end of the decade."

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Five killed and 80 missing after Philippines ferry fire.

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"Cayetano siblings left Philippines, BI confirms." Rumors have it that Legarda and son as well went out of the country.

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A “Junglegate” tempest brewed in literary circles. You could look it up.

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Is this fake news or what? "San Pedro man sold his left testicle for P23 million pesos. >>> Looks like poverty is solved ultrafast, when you're willing to lose an essential part of your manhood.

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"Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara lived to 105, worked 18-hour days into his centenarian years, and believed most people age themselves faster than biology demands. He argued against conventional retirement at 65, stressing that loss of purpose and social bonds accelerates decline. As a leader at St. Luke’s International in Tokyo, he transformed Japan’s preventive health policy and helped make it the world’s longevity champion. His spartan routine—restricted diet, stair climbing, long-range scheduling, and sustained curiosity—defies popular wellness dogma. Emerging research now confirms that isolation, purposelessness, and chronic stress trigger inflammation and cellular aging far beyond genetics alone."

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Another controversy: Francis Libiran's appropriation of the Maguindanaon inaul fabric didn't sit well with the culturati. Marian Pastor Roces was particularly livid.

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Two priests in just one parish in Cubao died almost at the same time of illness in the hospital.

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"After former Inquirer Sports columnist Recah Trinidad left, PDI founding chair Eggie Apostol also passed away."

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Viral: A dog placed on a high chair at Pizza Hut widely drew ire among the dining public.

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Most puzzling! >> "Tragic NYC duo killed in subway crash ID’d as longtime friends, recent Rutgers grads just starting out in their careers."

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"S. Korean drug lord tried to flee from PH prison using heavy-duty drone"

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Word/phrase of the month: Amici curiae

Sample usage: "Nagbigay ng kani-kaniyang opinyon ang apat na inimbitahang 'amicus curiae' o friends of the court tungkol sa 16 na kinakailangang boto para ma-convict si Vice Pres. Sara Duterte. Mula sa 24 na bilang ng mga senador, apat ang hindi nakadadalo sa paglilitis ng Bise. Nakakulong kasi sina Sen. Jinggoy Estrada at Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, nagtatago si Sen. Bato dela Rosa, at naka-medical leave si Sen. Loren Legarda." >>> Amicus is singular, amici plural.

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New cat species identified in Bolivia, first in over a century: the tilcayo miniature leopard.

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"Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte made his first in-person appearance at International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday (September 16) to face charges over his 'war on drugs' that killed thousands. The 81-year-old first attended court in The Hague via video link and skipped several hearings as he was too ill, claimed his defence team." >>> What's with the curls in his hairdo?

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Other pa-victim alerts:

- A Filipino tourist in Switzerland claimed to have been bullied by fellow Filipino tourists while she was having a pictorial. It turned out that she was taking her sweet time while there was a beeline for the particular spot she occupied like it's her own.

- A fish vendor put Zonrox bleach on her fish after being by apprehended by authorities. It turns out that she's one defiant, law-breaking constituent.

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Vatican declares environmental destruction a sin against creation and the Creator in a major doctrine.

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"Six have been confirmed dead while 17 are injured in a school shooting in Banga, South Cotabato." >>> Involvement in "deep dark web" and Satanism were blamed this time. Totally demonic series of crimes.

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"The Philippine Supreme Court First Division acquitted former first lady Imelda Marcos of seven counts of graft on September 9, 2026, completely overturning her 2018 conviction. According to the high court's decision written by Associate Justice Rodil Zalameda, the Supreme Court ruled that state prosecutors failed to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt."

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Everybody seemed to be dancing to the tune of "Mapapa-ooh-la-la sa giling ko."

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For some reason, people are hopping on an AI-generated '80s trend. Since I lived through that era as a high schooler and college student, I don't have to use ChatGPT. I just have to go find and dust off my old school photo albums. It must be somewhere around the house, in corners long forgotten.

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"Descendants of Austro-Hungarian ethnographer Ferdinand Blumentritt have turned over three sets of 19th-century heirlooms to the National Museum of the Philippines. The collection includes an unpublished three-page letter Jose Rizal wrote to Blumentritt from Dapitan, two watercolor portraits of Blumentritt’s daughter Dolores painted by Juan Luna in 1899, and a 19th-century Japanese silk parasol embroidered with the Philippine flag. The items had been kept for more than a century in Kufstein, Austria, by Blumentritt’s descendants."

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September 21 was made a holiday in Manila. Worth a solemn remembrance talaga ha?

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Mga bahagi ng katawan ng 27-anyos sinilid sa suitcase at ice box, suspek sariling kapatid > Let us not forget that heinous crimes like this which were nauseatingly numerous during Noynoy's time as president, together with the 'tanim-bala' controversy, is what gave rise to Duterte's massive following. Let's not forget recent history so early and so easily.

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Nutribun Republic: "First, threatening to block FB. Now, Discord and Reddit. What are you guys doing? I'm confused. Who's running this sh*t show?"

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The Houthis of Yemen attacked Saudi Arabia!

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"Dalawang construction worker, nahuli ng foreman na naghahalikan sa oras ng trabaho."

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"Viral ang isang vlogger matapos ireklamo ang nabili niyang kwek kwek sa Sorsogon, dahil wala raw itong itlog."

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"'Forgotten Island' has debuted with a 100% Tomatometer rating on film and TV review website Rotten Tomatoes." >>> Finally, a Hollywood movie the capitalizes on Filipino myths while liberally using Filipino talents!

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"Free rhinoplasty and blepharoplasty offered by group in Batangas!"

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The grave threat from the coming Super El Niño was all over the news. At least a hundred thousand deaths around the world were predicted. >>> Dear, Lord, please prove them wrong!

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Bishop Fulton Sheen was declared as “Blessed” by the Vatican.

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A nationwide transport strike loomed.

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"Haiti’s transitional leader went to the U.N. asking the world to take his country seriously. Edgard Leblanc Fils called for solidarity and respect for Haiti’s history. Then he reached for a drink. He skipped the glass, lifted the whole pitcher, and drank from it. Water ran over his hands, face, and suit while he was still at the mic."

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"An argument erupted inside a Norfolk Walmart where a 77-year-old Fil-A man was attacked by the parents of a young black store employee — an assault that left the old man dead the next day. He was just trying to defend his aggrieved wife." >>> The man reportedly had a heart ailment, and the couple was thinking of retiring in the Philippines.

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Mary Jane Velso, drug mule convicted in Indonesia and extradited to RP, was freed by PBBM.

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Other viral stuff for some reason: Lyca Garainod's song "Puede nang Mangarap" and the gyrating dance steps usually associated with male strippers or "macho dancers" but are now being danced to elicit laughs.

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Stupid thought for the month. If used clothes are called pre-loved clothes, then are unused clothes unloved clothes?

No, probably just ill-fitting.