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Of BJE MOA-AD, ARMM Polls and Oil Price Updates

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So, it’s not a “done deal” yet — insofar as the government is concerned, although the MILF Vice-chair for Political Affairs claims otherwise. Presidential Peace Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. even calls it a mere “meeting of minds” and “initialing of documents” so as to preserve its authenticity.

Oral arguments in the Supreme Court are scheduled on August 15, Friday. The BJE MOA is expected to be staunchly defended by Rodolfo Garcia, chair of the government panel.

Meantime, we are nearing the ARMM elections and it seems that all is quiet. I don’t know if this has anything to do with our attention being currently diverted to this BJE MOA issue. But that article emphasize that it has more to do with most candidates running uncontested and for those with rivals — them being geographically apart, thus the less incidence for a more “contact” kind of fight. This — considering how immensely deliberated and challenged the JBE is, sounds like good news. One less thing to worry about for the government, I suppose. Also, due to the Senate’s inaction on the matterm, there seems to be a very slim chance that a postponement on the elections will happen as requested by the MILF relative to the BJE MOA.

Director General Avelino Razon Jr. urged critics of the BJE MOA not to “talk of war” or set the stage for such. Arroyo on the other hand has ordered The Armed Forces to be vigilant at all times. She has left for China this morning for the Beijing Olympics.

This forces us all to sink into a wait-and-see mode as we wait for developments to happen.

As a side note, there’s been an announcement by Eastern Petroleum that they will be implementing a rollback in the price of gasoline by 1 peso per liter which takes effect 6AM tomorrow, August 8. — this is good news! Let’s us expect and hope other oil companies to follow suit since oil price in the world market has been dropping — now at USD118 per barrel from the previous USD147 high in July. At least now, we are feeling the ripple effect.

One response to “Of BJE MOA-AD, ARMM Polls and Oil Price Updates”

  1. Slow Progress is Still Progress. : A Day In The Life Of RJ

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● About Me
Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera Marmol aka RJ Marmol profile picture

I’m RJ Marmol — writer, musician, and independent creator based in Manila.

I write songs, essays, and books about the messy overlap between money, overwhelm, creativity, identity, and rebuilding. Much of my work circles around what happens when life stops feeling manageable — and how we try to think clearly, make decisions, and keep moving anyway.

I’m also the author of Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur, a nonfiction book published under Steady Hand Press. The paperback edition is listed under my full publishing name, Cecilia Regina Aquino Blanquera.

On the music side, I release work as HeyRJ. On the writing side, this site is where I gather my books, essays, notes, and whatever I’m building next.

Music

HeyRJ is my sonic soul project. I create raw, minimalist-style and deeply personal music interpretations that feel like a late-night conversation with your truest self.

By blending lo-fi acoustic textures with poetic honesty, my work explores love, loss, grief, healing, and the quiet in-betweens of life. Each song is a letter — a journal entry — a gentle companion for when the world feels too loud or too quiet.

While my catalogue began with intimate cover renditions, my work is increasingly being shaped by original writing, drawing from years of poems, lived questions, and emotional survival.

“Stuck Home Syndrome” released on March 20, 2026 is my first original 20-track album written during a period when time felt compressed and days began to blur into each other. The songs came from sitting with thoughts that had nowhere else to go — unfiltered, repetitive, and sometimes uncomfortable. It’s a concept album that isn’t built around singles or polish. It’s closer to a continuous inner monologue, recorded with minimal production and very little ornamentation and meant to be listened to as one cohesive body of work. The goal wasn’t to resolve anything, only to document how it felt while it was happening.

On May 29, 2026 I released new original singles – “Rapturous”, “Uh Huh”, “Look At You”, “All That” and “Blew Print”. I continue to release both original and cover songs and intend to so for as long as I can so check back every once in a while — you might. just find something you’ll like.

For business inquiries relating to music, email me at: heyrjmusic[at]gmail[dot]com or my personal email at: rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com.

Books

Rebuilding Under Debt: Thinking Clearly When Everything Is a Blur

A nonfiction book about what debt does to the mind — and how to begin functioning again when financial stress has made everything feel blurred, urgent, and overwhelming.

Rather than treating debt only as a financial math problem, the book explores the emotional and cognitive realities of financial distress: shame, decision fatigue, avoidance, panic, relationship strain, and the difficulty of making sound decisions while mentally depleted.

Published under Steady Hand Press. It’s available worldwide in ebook and paperback formats on Amazon. Bookstores and libraries can also be order it wholesale via Ingram.

Contact

For book-related inquiries, media requests, bookstore questions, or discussion-group invitations, you can reach me through the contact page on this site or send me an email to rjmarmol[at]gmail[dot]com or hello[at]steadyhandpress.com

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