ON July 1, Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III vowed to modernize the Philippine Air Force (PAF) before he steps down in 2016. The president said that a P75-billion fund will be allocated for the PAF’s modernization, to acquire new and modern aircraft. The country has retired the last of its US-designed F-5 fighters back in…
“Immigrants signed their names to our Declaration and helped win our independence.” – Pres. Barack Obama FOR many years, the “American dream” has been shared by people from all corners of the world, who have made the United States their second home. They’ve built better lives for themselves, while contributing to the development of their…
ON Thursday (June 27), the US Senate made a historic move — passing a comprehensive immigration bill through a 68-32 vote and giving hope to 11 million undocumented immigrants, who would finally be able to attain legal status and a 13-year path to citizenship. The bill also promises to fortify security in the US-Mexico border,…
WHEN justice is delayed, is justice denied? This pithy aphorism seems to be fitting for relatives of some of the victims of the 2009 Maguindanao killings. On June 24, activist lawyer Harry Roque reported that families of 14 Maguinadanao massacre victims, have agreed to monetary settlement and demanded P50 million from those charged in the…
LCF recognizes the power of arts and culture in revitalizing communities (Manila, Philippines, June 24, 2013) — Expanding investment in arts and culture can boost local jobs, generate income for communities, artists, and craftspeople, and help foster the country’s much-desired inclusive growth, according to the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF). While the services and agriculture…
This week, two kababayans made their fellow Filipinos proud. On Wednesday, migrant workers’ rights advocate Susan V. Ople received the 2013 Hero Acting to End Modern-Day Slavery award from US State Secretary John Kerry in Washington DC. “This is a pleasant surprise, a remarkable blessing. It’s the best belated Father’s Day gift ever for my…
AFTER the tension, which flared after the shooting and death of a Taiwanese fisherman by a member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 9, the Philippines and Taiwan have agreed to avoid resorting to force and preventing the recurrence of similar incidents. The two nations are also expected to meet in July for…
Based on the latest National Statistics Office (NSO) Labor Force survey released on June 11, the number of jobless Filipinos increased “to a three-year high in April,” reported Philstar.com. “…Unemployment reached 7.5 percent in April, up from 6.9 percent in the same period last year. The current unemployment rate was the highest since the eight…
THIS week is all color (blue, red, white and yellow) and splendor, as Filipinos all over the world once again gather to commemorate the 115th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence on June 12, 1898. “Ambagan,” which means “contribution, share in a collective affair,” is the highlight of this year’s celebrations. With the theme, “Kalayaan…
“Forget not your motherland and always endeavor to inculcate the Filipino values of sacrifice, valor, patriotism, love of God, country, people and the environment especially to the new generation of Filipino-Americans as you observe the 115th Philippine Independence Day here in the United States.” This was the core message of former Philippine President Fidel V….
At the 22nd World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia, President Benigno S. Aquino III told businessmen that the Philippines, as the “brightest spark” in Southeast Asia and as “Asia’s Rising Tiger,” is now ripe for investments, touting “the reforms and the new mandate his administration received from the Filipino people in the last midterm…
Life should not be measured not by the number of years, but rather by the love shared with your relatives and friends. These moments are priceless memories — the joy and blessing that God has given to us. This love was felt during Ferdie Villar’s birthday celebration held last Saturday, June, at his residence in…
AS mandated by the Constitution, every individual is entitled to free and quality education. It is a right and not a privilege. From its P2 trillion budget for 2013, the Philippine government gave the biggest slice to the education sector. The P292.7 billion allocation is intended to improve the quality of education through the provision…
THE past couple of days were most eventful for the Philippines — with the unfolding of a series of both fortunate and unfortunate events. On May 25, at least 14 Filipino marines and Abu Sayyaff militants perished during a gunbattle in a new US-backed offensive which aimed to rescue six foreign and Filipino hostages near…
Tilapia was in the news lately as a food item that contains “higher levels of potentially detrimental long-chain Omega-6 fatty acids than 80-percent-lean hamburger, doughnuts and even pork bacon.” The study was reported in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association. In biblical times, tilapia was popularly called St Peter’s fish because reportedly, he caught…
DESPITE the Philippine government’s continuous efforts to promote unity and stability in the country, all it took was one insurgence, to bring it back to the drawing board from all the strides it has made in fostering peace among its citizens. For the last decade, the Philippine army has hunted down Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG)…
UNTIL now, social media is being inundated by opposing feedbacks from Pinoys over best-selling author Dan Brown’s (Da Vinci Code and The Lost Symbol) description of Manila as “the gates of hell,” in his new book, Inferno. In Brown’s book, Manila is depicted as a city of “six-hour traffic jams, suffocating pollution, horrifying sex trade.”…
“THE government’s wrongdoing should not be shouldered by innocent people,” read a placard held by a young Taiwanese, during a rally on May 19, to support the plight of Filipinos in Taiwan. As the diplomatic spat between the Philippines and Taiwan (over the slained Taiwanese fisherman in the disputed waters of the coast of Bataan)…
AS OF press time, nine senatorial candidates have been proclaimed by the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) as winners of the 2013 midterm polls. The first six who were proclaimed earlier include Grace Poe Llamanzares, Loren Legarda, Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Nancy Binay and Juan Edgardo Angara. Another three were proclaimed by COMELEC on…
IT is a feat for a country that is infamous for its “dirty politics.” Within two days, ballots were in and results are almost complete in the Philippines’ second automated polls. Others were declared as runaway winners while some emerged after a neck-and-neck race, to fill the 18,000 positions in contest—from national legislators to local…
On Monday, May 13, the election season will come full circle. As expected, it has become a proverbial non-stop fiesta, an ostentatious display of abundant motorcades, with flurries of campaign colors. But what is a Philippine election without a bit of drama? From disputes over the liquor and money bans, to memes of preferred (and…
Fr. James B. Reuter, SJ, a Jesuit beloved by generations of Paulinians from St. Paul Manila, has been immortalized in an oil portrait by award winning Filipina painter, Pamela Isabel Echevarria. Father passed away in Our Lady of Peace Hospital on 31 December 2012 at the age of 96. Ms. Echevarria, who spent her grade…
The top dancers of the Philippine Elite Dancers of New York represented the Philippines at the 2013 Multinational Cultural Festival. The festival was sponsored by the Asian-American Cultural Circle of Unity whose mission is to foster awareness and appreciation of the many different groups represented here in the United States. The event which was held…
SAN MATEO – What was supposed to be a celebration turned into a horrific tragedy. A new bride and other four Filipino friends died after the limousine they rented suddenly burst into flames, while crossing the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge on Saturday, May 4 around 10pm. The bride was 31-year-old Filipina, Neriza Fojas, a registered nurse…
BY this time, Filipino voters are completing their would-be ballots come election day on May 13. Up for grabs in the mid-term elections are the country’s next set of senators, and local leaders including congressmen, governors, mayors, and councilors among others. With a few days remaining in their campaign, candidates are exhausting all tricks up…
ON MAY 6, 15 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) women will be honored as “Champions of Change” by the White House, in observance of AAPI Heritage Month. “The Champions of Change program was created as an opportunity for the White house to feature groups of Americans – individuals, businesses and organizations – who are…
THE first day of May commemorates International Workers’ or Labor Day around the world. Contrary to popular belief, May 1 is not entirely dedicated to today’s workers and their demands. This day is meant to remember those heroes who struggled, fought and even died, for the rights of workers that we enjoy today. As the…
THE scheduled week-long investment roadshow by a topnotch business delegation from the Philippines has officially begun. The 2nd Investment Roadshow was organized by the Philippine Embassy with the Philippine Consulates General in Los Angeles, Chicago and New York (sponsored by the Phil. Trade and Investment Center, in cooperation with the Council on Trade and Investment…
THE Philippines is enjoying a steady economic momentum and has been branded as the next Asian tiger economy. Last week, the United Nations Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) said in its latest survey that the local economy is expected to grow by 6.2 percent this year. The currency has been…
WITH all the negative issues and events currently ongoing, both in the Philippines and around the globe, this comes as a refreshing bit of good news. Recently, President Benigno Aquino III (PNoy) emerged as one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for 2013. PNoy ranks second among the world’s 23 most…
