The Gateway

𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗱𝗮𝘆𝗲𝗴 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗔𝗦 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀

May 21, 2026 — The College of Arts and Sciences Student Council (CASSCO) conducted its Panagdayeg 2026: CASSCO Recognition Day at the CAS AV Hall at 9:40 a.m. to honor the student leaders of the college.

The program formally opened with an inspirational message from Dr. Eva N. Mendoza, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, who emphasized the importance of service, dedication, and leadership among students.

Certificates and medals were awarded to the different organizations and groups under the College of Arts and Sciences, including the scholars, The Gateway, and the AdHoc committees, in recognition of their contributions and accomplishments throughout the academic year.

Mr. Ronel John Duarte also delivered an inspiring message highlighting the significance of leadership not only within the institution but also in serving the country as a whole.

The recognition program then proceeded with the awarding of certificates and medals to the constitutional committees, councilors, and executive officers of the student council.

An open forum was also conducted to address concerns, reflections, and messages from the participants. The event concluded with the closing remarks delivered by Mr. Conan P. Miral, CASSCO Chairperson.

The event marked the celebration of leadership, service, and commitment demonstrated by the student leaders of the College of Arts and Sciences for the Academic Year 2025-2026.

NEWS | Andrei Sayson
PHOTOS | Kyle Dawadias

𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀: 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗔𝗜-𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁

A certain graphic has been circulating online of an alleged Global Defense Agency Director Cecil Stedman, demanding the court to release Duterte, with various social media users sharing the post with hopeful cheers.

According to ‘Stedman’, detaining Duterte is a liability that we cannot afford, because of his courage to make hard decisions.

Various fact-checking websites and tools such as Vera Files, released a statement regarding the legitimacy of the post, with Vera Files ultimately claiming the post to be AI-generated.

As per Vera Files, one of the photos appear to be 99.9% AI-generated, while one of the posted reels revealed a 98.2% likelihood of being a deepfake video, with the website utilizing an AI-detection tool called Hive Moderation.

Moreover, Vera Files added that there is no Global Defense Agency Director, with ‘Cecil Stedman’ being a fictional character in the American animated TV series, Invincible.

Meanwhile, following the recent request for an interim release by Duterte’s team, the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Court, by majority, denied the aforementioned appeal last April 2026.

Duterte’s camp sets their eyes on Peter Haynes to replace Kaufman as his legal counsel last May 11, 2026, following Kaufman’s withdrawal

Currently, the ICC also issued a warrant of arrest to Duterte’s ally, Sen. Bato Dela Rosa, in consideration with Duterte’s next trial which is set to happen on the 27th of May, 2026

NEWS | Benedict Maestrado
ILLUSTRATION | Christine Camanian

𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿

𝗜𝗻 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲—𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲, 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘁𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱.

Across the Middle East, a silent crisis is intensifying beneath the noise of missiles and geopolitics. While oil has long been the center of conflict, water is emerging as the region’s most fragile and consequential asset. With rising hostilities involving Iran, desalination plants, critical to sustaining life in arid nations, have become both targets and leverage points in a dangerous new dimension of war. However, the roots of this crisis run deeper than conflict alone. The Middle East is the most water-stressed region on Earth, with about 𝟴𝟯% 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀, according to the World Resources Institute. In Iran, years of drought and mismanagement have pushed the country toward what experts call “water bankruptcy,” with reservoirs in Tehran dropping to just 𝟭𝟮% 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆 during severe shortages.

To survive, the region has turned to desalination. According to research published in npj Clean Water, the Middle East accounts for nearly 𝟰𝟳% 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝘆, producing tens of millions of cubic meters of freshwater daily. What was once a technological solution has now become an existential dependency. Entire nations rely on a continuous flow of desalinated water to sustain cities, agriculture, and industry. Yet this reliance has created a dangerous vulnerability. Reports warn that recent military strikes and escalating tensions have already damaged water infrastructure, including desalination plants. As highlighted by Vatican News, nearly 𝟰𝟬 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿, meaning that even a single disruption could leave millions without access to drinking water within hours, not just days.

This is where the crisis transforms into something far more alarming. Water is no longer collateral damage—it is becoming a strategic target. Desalination plants, often located along coastlines and dependent on uninterrupted power, are highly exposed and difficult to replace. A single strike can ripple across entire populations, triggering shortages, economic
paralysis, and humanitarian emergencies.

In Iran, the stakes are even higher. Already facing declining rainfall, rising demand, and unsustainable water policies, the country stands at the intersection of environmental collapse and geopolitical conflict. The ongoing war does not create the crisis, it accelerates it. As infrastructure is damaged and resources strained, the fragile balance between supply and survival begins to collapse.

The consequences extend beyond borders. Water insecurity fuels instability, displacing communities, intensifying food shortages, and deepening inequality. History has shown that scarcity can ignite unrest, and in a region as volatile as the Middle East, the weaponization of water risks triggering a cycle of conflict that no nation can contain.

In this unfolding reality, the question is no longer whether the Middle East can secure its water, but whether it can protect it from itself. A system built on fragile infrastructure and political tension cannot sustain long-term stability.

The solution demands more than temporary fixes. Governments must invest in resilient ,decentralized water systems, diversifying supply through wastewater recycling, sustainable groundwater management, and renewable-powered desalination. Regional cooperation, rather than confrontation, must become the cornerstone of water security.

Most importantly, water must be removed from the calculus of war. International frameworks must treat water infrastructure as untouchable, protected not as assets, but as lifelines.

For when water becomes a weapon, survival itself becomes uncertain. And in a region already on edge, the war on water may prove to be the most devastating conflict of all.

EDITORIAL | Elouise Cañedo
ILLUSTRATION | Kenzien Garay