Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), commonly known as arthritis, which causes the usual aches and pains in the various joints in the body, especially among the elderly, affected about 47.8 million people in the United States in 2005. It is projected to rise to 67 million by 2030. RA is also found among those who are between…
REALIZING that it is outmatched militarily with China, the US has responded to the country’s call for a defense modernization program and has agreed to help equip and train its military. By Western standards, the Philippines’ military capability has yet to prove itself. An example is its lack of sufficient transport aircraft capable of supporting…
THE first day of filing for Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) may have been rambunctious enough for COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes to deem it “a circus.” Yet, it pales in comparison to the decibels raised (and are still being raised) by outraged netizens over some controversial provisions in the enacted…
In a recent conference held in Washington, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima shed some light on what took the Philippine government to achieve its current state, as one of the fastest growing economies in Asia. Owing much to the continuous pursuit of good governance, Purisima confidently said that the Philippines is now on its way…
THE filing of candidacy for the 2013 midterm elections officially began. With 18,053 elective positions at stake, the country (especially its qualified voters) is in the throes of election fever. On a national scale, Filipino voters will declare who to fill the 12 senatorial and 80 party-list representations seats. The local elections involve voters to…
TODAY, more Filipinos are tightening their belts to sustain themselves not only through the rainy days, but for as long as the prices of commodities continue to rise. Despite the tough economy, however, fewer Pinoys are labeling themselves as “poor,” according to a recent nationwide survey. A non-government social and research institution, the Social Weather…
THE tragedy of 9/11 will forever be etched in the memories of billions of people all over the world. On the morning of September 11, 2001, news of passenger planes crashing into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and an open field in Pennsylvania shook the world. The world watched in…
ACCORDING to the World Economic Forum (WEF), out of the 144 countries that were surveyed from April to June, the Philippines has improved significantly in terms of competitiveness, moving up ten notches in its ranking in the Global Competitiveness Report — from 75th last year to 65th this year. It should be noted that the…
WITH a strong currency, an innovative and energetic economy, and an increase in remittances and tax revenues, the Philippines is keen in avoiding financial mistakes made in the past. With President Aquino at the helm, the Philippine economy is poised to emerge as an economic prospect and attractive business destination. The country is a good…
FOR the past few days, social media was replete with feedback on two issues from opposite ends of the spectrum: Sec. Robredo’s untimely death, and Sen. Tito Sotto alleged commission of plagiarism in his turno en contra for the RH Bill. On Wednesday, Sen. Sotto delivered a privilege speech to explain his side on the issue. The…
COMPLETING the Supreme Court of the Philippines as its 15th member, Filipinos welcome the entry of Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, as the country’s 24th Chief Justice. Sereno will preside over the position, which was vacated by impeached Chief Justice Renato C. Corona. President Benigno Aquino appointed Sereno on August 25, from a list of eight…
THERE comes a time in everyone’s life when you wonder about your purpose. What is your mission in life? Fil-Am Michael Vea recalls when this burning question creeped inside of him. He was sitting inside his New York city apartment wondering what to do next. At 32 years of age, Vea has already accomplished what…
BEING a monsoon country, the Philippines is visited by at least 20 typhoons in a year. Aside from that, even without an actual storm, rainfall can dump a month’s worth of rain in less than 24 hours. Just this week, Metro Manila and other provinces in Luzon were submerged as rains continued to pour. It…
ACCORDING to Drs. Tyler Cowen and John Nye (professors at George Mason University in Washington DC), under the leadership of President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines has “the best chance of becoming a tiger economy in Asia.” The visiting foreign economists said that the country is “on the verge of an economic takeoff,” reports Inquirer.net….
WITH the olympic torch still fired up for the London 2012 Olympics, inspiring Filipino athletes (and an NBA champion coach) seem to come out of the woodwork. 2012 NBA champ and Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra leads the pack, bringing the token of his team’s sweet victory to the Philippines — a two-foot, 14.5…
FILIPINOS, who are old enough to remember the Marcos regime, would clearly understand what kind of impact Corazon Cojuangco Aquino made in freeing the Philippines from the clutches of oppression and dictatorship. Tita Cory, (as many of Filipinos called her), only became president for one term, and never sought re-election. She, however, continued to serve…
AT HIS third State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III mentioned four priority measures, one of which is the controversial Reproductive Health Bill (which he referred to indirectly as “the need for responsible parenthood.”) This brought the controversial bill back to the forefront — re-igniting heated debates and opinions in social media, from…
In the game of chess, the game is over when the king falls or is checkmated. It is a representation of accepting defeat, but what it signifies is that when the king does fall, he takes a large part of the game with him. On Tuesday, July 9, the Philippines’ entertainment industry was dealt a…
EARLIER this week (in an interview with dzBB radio) Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile raised a question in jest: “Now that China has sent its own astronauts into space, would it eventually go to the moon and claim it as its territory?” The senate president asserted that it’s the Philippines “lack of military muscle to…
After the dramatic impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, comes the big question: Who will be the 24th Chief Justice of the Philippines? Last July 2, the Judicial Bar Council (JBC) had received 70 nominations and two applications for the post of chief justice. Members of the Judiciary who have chosen to accept…
ON this day, we are behooved to recall the history of how the United States of America came to be. The clarion call for independence is just as fundamental, and just as radical as it was 236 years ago. “Independence Day will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt…
ACCORDING to reports, President Benigno S. Aquino III’s second year in office will be met with “little fanfare.” Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said that unlike last year, when PNoy had a town-hall meeting to discuss his accomplishments so far, there were no scheduled activities for the Chief Executive’s second year. However, Malacañang has released…
SATURDAY’S outcome of the Pacquiao-Bradley fight came as a shocker, not only to Filipinos across the globe, but even to former boxing champs, fierce critics and former Pacquiao opponents, boxing experts, the media and some celebrities. Among well-respected individuals in the boxing arena who were outraged were Evander Holyfield, Oscar Dela Hoya, Floyd Mayweather Sr….
Now it’s time for some serious business. President Benigno Aquino III, who is now holding meetings with the dignitaries of the United States, has accumulated for the country a whopping $1 billion worth of business investments from his recent successful trip in the United Kingdom (UK). During his three-day European trip, President Aquino was able…
ON TUESDAY, the US Senate unanimously passed a resolution”calling for increased defense and security cooperation with the Philippines.” The US Senate said that “Washington is fully committed to honoring its mutual obligations with Manila.” Senate Resolution 481, which was sponsored by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), got a unanimous approval from the chamber, on the eve…
AFTER 44 days of trial, the world witnessed the guilty verdict passed for Chief Justice Renato Corona, who is now impeached. Although it took five months to deliver, the conclusion has brought a sigh of relief, a sign that justice in the country may have gained momentum. It took a long time to enforce the…
AS THE convoluted chapter called the impeachment trial of now ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona comes to a close, yet another one opens — and with a lot at stake. The search for the next chief magistrate has begun. President Benigno Aquino III said that he is open to appointing an “outsider” candidate, according to deputy…
FIL-AM Shella Condino’s philosophy in teaching is similar to how she lives her life: Dream big, work hard and be the best that you can be, because as she says: “Dreams really do come true.” Condino, a physics and chemistry teacher at Presidio High School in the small town of Presidio, Texas, was given the…
“WE are proud of the progress we have made, but we are not satisfied with just this. We Filipinos know just how much potential this country has and we are working even longer nights to fulfill this potential,” President Benigno Aquino III said, during the Philippine Investment Forum on March 27. And those overtime hours…
As one of the most disaster-prone areas in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ efforts in disaster risk reduction (DRR) did not go unnoticed. The country has recently caught the attention of the United Nations (UN) for having an advanced climate change adaptation (CCA). Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction, recently led a program…
