Here are today's headlines – the latest news in the Philippines and around the world:
- Will Tito Sotto lead the Senate in the 20th Congress?
- Comelec records dismal internet voting turnout at 19%
- Bangko Sentral to temporarily suspend coin deposit machine operations
- MILF scores big wins in Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, but suffers losses elsewhere
- Filipino mountaineer dies during Mount Everest quest
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/may-16-2025/
- Will Tito Sotto lead the Senate in the 20th Congress?
- Comelec records dismal internet voting turnout at 19%
- Bangko Sentral to temporarily suspend coin deposit machine operations
- MILF scores big wins in Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, but suffers losses elsewhere
- Filipino mountaineer dies during Mount Everest quest
https://www.rappler.com/video/daily-wrap/may-16-2025/
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Today on Rappler
00:06Former Senate President Tito Soto says several senators had approached him about being the next Senate President.
00:18Internet voting records a dismal 19% in the 2025 midterm elections.
00:23The Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas will temporarily suspend coin-depositing machine operations in some Greater Manila malls.
00:31The United Bank-Samoro Justice Party wins big in Maguindanao, Tawi-Tawi, but loses key races elsewhere.
00:37And a Filipino mountaineer passes away during a Mount Everest quest.
00:44Will the Senate see a leadership shake-up?
00:46Responding to reporters' questions, former Senate President Tito Soto says several senators had approached him about being the next Senate President.
00:52He says,
00:53I'd be lying if I said no. Some people have been talking to me.
00:57Soto reveals, I've been talking to about three or four people. That's it.
01:01And they're saying their peers are ready to support me. I told them, if we have 13, I will accept.
01:07Soto is among five candidates of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s alianza para sa bagong Pilipinas slate poised to win in the Senate race.
01:14Soto served as Senate President from 2018 to 2022.
01:17Senate President Chief Escudero, meanwhile, says he would not cling to the position if other senators have the numbers.
01:24The 20th Congress will open against the backdrop of Vice President Sara Duterte's impeachment trial at the Senate.
01:31It's a dismal turnout for internet voting in the 2025 midterm elections at 19%.
01:36Around 232,000 overseas Filipinos voted via internet voting out of the expected 1.22 million.
01:44The Commission on Elections had overhauled the system to boost turnout for Filipinos abroad.
01:49About 21,000 Filipinos abroad voted using the old modes, either by going to embassies and consulates or by mailing in their ballots.
01:56These methods had a slightly higher turnout of 32.43%.
02:00This is the first time the COMELEC implemented internet voting.
02:04Most of the 1.24 million registered Filipinos overseas were expected to vote online.
02:10But only about 240,000 out of the 1.22 voters in the internet voting area signed up for the online system.
02:18The Banco Central ng Pilipinas says it will temporarily suspend operations of coin deposit machines
02:23in select malls in the Greater Manila area starting Tuesday, June 17.
02:27The coin deposit machines can be used until Monday, June 16.
02:31BSP says it is suspending operations of the machines to conduct a thorough review of better ways to recirculate idle coins
02:37and serve Filipinos' coin exchange needs.
02:40The coin deposit machines were launched in June 2023 to recirculate loose change back into the economy
02:45and promote cashless transactions.
02:47Since then, it has processed around 1.5 billion pesos worth of coins.
02:51While the operations of the coin deposit machines are suspended,
02:54the BSP says Filipinos can deposit their FIT coins in their bank accounts.
02:58Those without bank accounts can also bring these FIT, unfit, and mutilated coins to banks
03:03and other financial institutions under the BSP's Piso Caravan program.
03:09The United Bangsamoro Justice Party, the political wing of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front,
03:14delivers a sweeping victory in the two Maguindanao provinces, Tawi-Tawi and Cotabato City,
03:18but lost in other top races elsewhere.
03:20UBJP-supported candidates won against powerful political families,
03:25including the Mangudadatus and their allies in the Maguindanao provinces.
03:29In Maguindanao del Sur, UBJP candidate and former Talayan mayor Ali Midtimbang
03:33defeated Governor Miriam Sanki Mangudadatu.
03:36His running mate, Ustad Sisham Nando, son of a late MILF leader,
03:40won the Vice Governor's seat, beating former Mamasapano mayor Benzar Ampatuan.
03:44Former Maguindanao Governor Esmael Totong Mangudadatu, also backed by UBJP,
03:49narrowly defeated incumbent Representative Muhammad Tong Paglas in the congressional race.
03:54Other MILF-backed candidates who won are former Sultan Qudarat Mayor Tukao Mastura
03:58and former Datu Blasin Swat Mayor, Marshall Sin Swat.
04:02The loss was a setback for Mariam and Suharto Teng Mangudadatu's political family,
04:06which had long-controlled politics in the Maguindanao and Sultan Qudarat provinces.
04:10But the MILF and its party also lost in some provinces, like Basilan,
04:14where UBJP-backed candidate Jay Hataman Saliman lost to his uncle,
04:17Representative Mujib Hataman, for the gubernatorial race.
04:21In Lanao del Sur, the UBJP faced a big loss when Governor Mamintal Adyong Jr. of the Lakas Party
04:26defeated their candidate, Fiat Makarambon.
04:30Filipino mountaineer Philip P.J. Santiago passed away on Wednesday, May 14,
04:35in his bid to reach the peak of Mount Everest.
04:38He was 45.
04:39The Himalayan Times reports Santiago drew his last breath at Camp 4
04:43while preparing for the summit push of the highest mountain on Earth,
04:46which measures 29,032 feet above sea level.
04:50The Himalayan Times adds he is Mount Everest's first foreign casualty of the season.
04:55Santiago's cousin, broadcast journalist Emil Sumangil, said on Wednesday,
04:58the climber was expected to reach the summit on Thursday, May 15.
05:02Santiago died at Camp 4, which sits along the edge of the so-called death zone at 26,000 feet,
05:07where the absence of supplementary oxygen results in the deterioration of bodily functions or death.
05:12Sumangil says in a Facebook post, quote,
05:15the family respectfully requests privacy as we grieve and process these events.
05:19Your understanding, support, and prayers are deeply appreciated.
05:22Santiago advocated access to clean drinking water and the cure of children's cancer.
05:27And that's today's rap.
05:30I'm JC Gutinga.
05:33Click the link below for the full story.
05:34Follow us on Rapplers YouTube, Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok.
05:38Stopped.