Presidential contender Grace Poe may be out of the 2016 race after a Commission on Elections (Comelec) division unanimously voted to cancel her Certificate of Candidacy. The Comelec’s 2nd division granted the petition filed by lawyer Estrella Elamparo who argued that Senator Poe did not meet the minimum residency requirements to run for president as state in the Philippine constitution. Poe said she is “disappointed” in the decision but said she will continue the fight and appeal the decision. She slammed what she called “excuses” used by critics to exclude her from the 2016 elections. The senator is also facing 3 other disqualification cases.

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An Olongapo court has found US Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton “guilty beyond reasonable doubt” of homicide in the death of Filipino transgender woman Jennifer Laude. Judge Roline Jinez Jabalde of the Olongapo City RTC issued the court’s verdict on Tuesday, December 1, sentencing Pemberton from 6 to 12 years of imprisonment. The final charge was lowered from murder to homicide. Judge Rabalde also ordered the incarceration of Pemberton at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa, but a last minute appeal was filed which allowed Pemberton to return to Camp Aguinaldo, where he has been staying while awaiting trial. The camp of Pemberton is currently studying its legal options.

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Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said Tuesday, December 2 (December 1 US time), that he will use the majority of his Facebook shares to help build a better world. Zuckerberg posted a letter to his daughter that he and wife, Priscilla Chan, will commit to spend our lives doing our small part to help solve” the challenges the world faces. The couple also committed to give 99% of their Facebook shares – currently valued at $45 billion – during their lives towards this end.

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After being slammed by the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for cursing Pope Francis, Rodrigo Duterte said he would withdraw if the body asks, but would challenge bishops to a debate about the Catholic church’s “sordid history” alluding to sexual abuse scandals that have rocked the church in recent years. He even hinted that he himself endured abuse in the hands of a priest during his high school years at the Ateneo de Davao. Duterte added that his use of expletives was “a slip of the tongue” and that his anger was directed at the government for forcing the public to endure traffic jams during Pope Francis’ visit.

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Representatives of indigenous peoples from all over the world gathered in Paris to make their collective voice heard during the UN Climate Change convention, calling on political world leaders to do more for the climate and to protect the rights of indigenous peoples. “If our leaders were really committed to ending the climate crisis, they will put more pressure on corporations to stop oil drilling, to stop coal mining, to stop making emissions,” said Sina Brown–Davis, a Maori speaking for the COP21 delegation of Pacific indigenous peoples. Indigenous peoples, who own, occupy or manage about 65% the world’s land surface, “have been largely excluded” from national climate change mitigation and adaptation plans, according to the UN Development Programme (UNDP).

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December 1 marked World AIDS Day – a time when the planet puts a spotlight on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). But while interest has declined on the issue, the rates of new HIV/AIDS infections have not. At the end of 2014, UNAIDS found that 36.9 million people were living with HIV, some 1.2 million had died, and 2 million additional people were infected. The situation in the Philippines is even more sobering. In April 2015, the Department of Health (DOH) identified 6 cities where HIV prevalence was above the United Nations’ threshold of 5%: Quezon City, Manila, Caloocan, Cebu, Davao, and Cagayan de Oro. By surpassing 5%, HIV in those areas are considered “uncontrollable” by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) standards. On November 27, the DOH said there is one case of HIV detected every hour. World AIDS Day 2015, therefore, is not just a celebration of past successes, but a call to reach new heights in ending HIV/AIDS said the UNDP.

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AirAsia head Tony Fernandes vowed on Tuesday, December 1, to ensure the airline industry learns from the AirAsia QZ8501 crash, following the release of findings that pinned blame on the pilots and faulty equipment. “There is much to be learned here for AirAsia, the manufacturer and the aviation industry. We will not leave any stone unturned to make sure the industry learns from this tragic incident,” Fernandes tweeted. He added: “My heart and deep sorrow goes out to all the families involved in QZ8501.” Flight QZ8501 went down in stormy weather on December 28, during what was supposed to be a short flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Investigators say that the pilot’s reaction to faulty equipment led to a series of fatal errors and resulted in an inability to control the aircraft.

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The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, December 1, temporarily ordered the Commission on Elections (Comelec) not to deactivate the registration of 2.5 million voters who failed to have their biometrics taken for the 2016 elections. SC spokesman Theodore Te said the SC’s temporary restraining order (TRO) covers the Comelec’s “No Bio, No Boto” (No Biometrics, No Vote) policy. The TRO was filed by militant groups and other petitioners. The Comelec clarified in a resolution on November 3 that voters with incomplete or corrupted biometrics data will be allowed to vote in May 2016. Petitioners argue that the policy will disenfranchise millions of voters who were unable to have their biometrics registered in time.

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The Philippines’ largest liquor producer Emperador said Tuesday, December 1, it would purchase a major Spanish brandy and sherry brand, representing its latest foreign acquisition after obtaining Iberian vineyards and a Scottish whisky giant. Emperador said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that it had reached an agreement to purchaseSpain’s Fundador from US-based Beam Suntory for €275 million ($291 million). Emperador, which started as a brandy maker in the Philippines, has been expanding its global presence in recent years. Last year, it paid £430 million ($649.18 million) for Scottish whisky maker Whyte and Mackay and €60 million ($63.53 million) for half of Spanish brandy producer Bodega Las Copas.

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Country star Bryan White is still amazed to this day that his song “God Gave Me You” led him to Manila. The singer, who will perform at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday night, December 1 said, that if there is one thing he learned, it is never to underestimate the power of music. White was equally amazed by the #AlDub phenomenon and added he was “glad to be a part of it.” During his guesting on Eat Bulaga last Saturday, Bryan performed the song and was happy to learn that he became part of the storyline.

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