This week, Donald Trump returns to the White House with a set of bombshell executive orders — one of which Filipino-born California Attorney General Rob Bonta has responded to with a lawsuit. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, controversy forces opposition figure Senator Risa Hontiveros to amend the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill.
In case you missed it, here are some of the most important State of Affairs stories this week.
Davao City Disputes Traffic Ranking

Among 500 cities studied in the 2024 TomTom Traffic Index, Davao City was ranked 8th slowest city in the world.
Davao City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMMO) disputes the rankings, saying that if the index’s data on congestion was true, it was a sign of Davao City’s progress and that the congestion is caused by a lack of discipline among drivers.
Donald Trump Returns to the White House

Trump’s return to presidency has raised several concerns, mostly about how it marks a continuous global shift to conservatism and distrust in liberal or democratic policies.
Journalist and Human Rights Watch senior researcher Carlos Conde wonders aloud: “Will Trump 2.0 be disruptive enough for Filipinos to take a long hard look at America and, necessarily, at themselves and the values that they formed in their adoptive country?”
Meanwhile, the inauguration performances kept us distracted — for the wrong reasons.
Fil-Am Attorney Claps Back at Trump’s Plan to End Birthright Citizenship

22 states including California, where Quezon City-born Rob Bonta is attorney general, have filed a lawsuit against Trump’s executive order denying citizenship for U.S.-born children of immigrants.. “The president’s executive order attempting to rescind birthright citizenship is blatantly unconstitutional and, quite frankly, un-American,” the Filipino-American lawyer said.
Several Politicians Oppose the Anti-Teen Pregnancy Bill

On Monday, January 20, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that he was “shocked” and “appalled” by the provisions of the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Act of 2023 — provisions that Senator Risa Hontiveros says are products of a disinformation campaign against the bill.
Due to the pushback from religious groups and other lawmakers, Hontiveros has amended the bill, stating that CSE will only apply to children 10 years of age and older.
Espionage Act of 1941 Due for Reform Amid Chinese Spy Threat

After the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested a Chinese national suspected of being a spy, the National Security Council urged Congress to pass amendments to the Espionage Act of 1941, which will consider newer technologies used for espionage and impose heavier penalties.
New House Bill Seeks the Death Penalty for Corrupt Politicians

Zamboanga del Norte Representative Khymer Adan Olaso has authored and filed a bill seeking to impose the death penalty by firing squad for corrupt government officials.
Olaso says that existing laws are not enough to “deter public officials from engaging in corrupt practices.” Without naming anyone, he writes in the explanatory note: “The misuse of public funds and betrayal of public trust not only undermine the government’s legitimacy but also deprive millions of Filipinos of essential services, infrastructure, and opportunities for growth.”