ONE of the things we Filipinos living abroad always look forward to and are excited about is the ability to travel back to the Philippines and feel “at home” in our Motherland, where we feel welcome, safe and taken care of. However, the recent headlines about the alleged “bullet planting” (laglag bala) scheme at the…
IS it really more fun in the Philippines? In 2014, the government has recorded 34 million domestic and international arrival and departures at the country’s premier gateway. Despite a “worst airport” tag, it is a welcome development. But if you ask 56-year-old overseas Filipino worker (OFW) Gloria Ortinez, she would blatantly say “No.” After her…
“No faith is potent unless it is also faith in the future, unless it has a millennial component. So, too, an effective doctrine: as well as being a source of power, it must also claim to be a key to the book of the future.” — From The True Believer by Eric Hoffer ELECTION is the new preoccupation of the…
RODRIGO Duterte fans won’t stop believing, and they have reasons to press forward. Turns out the speculations about the “substitution” theory may indeed happen — popular Davao City mayor “may” substitute the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) candidate Martin Diño. Mayor Duterte has made it clear when he failed to file his certificate of…
“GREG, how true!” This was the comment of a friend from Seattle upon reading my piece, “Insights from a small town politician,” particularly the part about the need for “mobilization” (a euphemism for vote-buying) in order to win an election. As a result of that column, other savvy individuals have come forward with their own first…
PERHAPS a lot of us Filipinos living abroad would have a collective memory of how “Todos Los Santos” was observed in the Philippines where many of us grew up. This would be totally different from the “Halloween” culture of today’s generation — no costumes or Halloween parades and party for us. October 31 and November…
A GREAT fight is brewing among four opposing names who dare to covet the highest political rank in the Philippines. While the top presidential aspirants are strong contenders – each carrying a political track record – one test they have to accomplish is being the most business-friendly. With a growing middle class, strong domestic demand,…
LINCOLN Chafee, Hillary Clinton, Martin O’Malley, Bernie Sanders and Jim Webb. These five Democrats – these five leaders – took the stage in Nevada last week for the inaugural Democratic Party Presidential debate. The elevated substance and classy style of the debate reminded me of a favorite bit of wisdom from iconic American author Mark Twain: “There…
SOLID fans who adore not only the Pambansang Kamao in Manny Pacquiao but everything else about him will surely not like this question. But this is exactly what the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will have to determine and rule on after a certain Ferdinand Sevilla of Makati City, filed a petition case against Pacquiao, arguing…
Dr. Jose Rizal, a national hero of the Philippines, placed a high value on civic involvement wherever he was, whether it be the Philippines or travelling around the world. He wanted the Philippines to be more involved in shaping its destiny and wanted the people to have more control of their government – ideals similar…
ON my recent visit to the Philippines, I found myself sharing a case of beer with the vice-mayor of a small provincial town, along with some of his ward leaders. The insights that they provided on grassroots politics could be of interest to social media pundits who may be of the impression that their postings…
IT is very heartwarming to see and hear how very engaged kababayans in America have increasingly been when it comes to what is going on in the Philippines. Despite the distance away from the Motherland, most of us — especially those who still have family living there — still care about what is going on…
AFTER the five-day filing of certificates of candidacy (COCs), from October 12-16, the Commission on Election (Comelec) reportedly received 130 applications from Filipino presidential aspirants. As granted by the law, these applications were accepted. However, not all these aspirants will make it to the ballot as the Comelec winnow the grain from the chaff. When…
SORRY, supporters of Rodrigo Duterte, but the man you think would be the best president the Philippines could ever have at this time will perhaps just be the best President the Philippines would never have. The tough Davao City Mayor did not file his certificate of candidacy (COC), and has reportedly decided to seek re-election…
Presidential candidate Manuel A. Roxas II spent P257 million on television ads from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15 to push up his ratings in the presidential preference polls undertaken by PulseAsia from Sept. 8 to 14, and by the Social Weather Stations from Sept. 2 to 5 as well. Given the basic flaw of such…
WE probably won’t live long enough to see it, but there could yet be a feature film on Philippine politics, in the tradition that has apparently been established by the film, Heneral Luna, which depicts Philippine history’s most prominent personalities as transactional, self-serving and self-preserving individuals. Heroes with feet of clay. But unlike the biopic about…
CALIFORNIA has joined Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that legalizes assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Beginning January 1, doctors can prescribe medication to end a patient’s life if two doctors agree the person has only six months to live and is mentally competent to make…
MILITARY superpower China is not afraid to flex its muscles as it once again asserted sovereignty over its reclaimed islands in the South China Sea. It warned any country against taking “risky and provocative action” by attempting to come within 12 nautical miles of the islands. “We ask relevant parties to speak and act discreetly,…
WHAT would you do if you are very sick, suffering from excruciating pain because of an illness that has no cure? What would you do if your days are numbered and you would just rely on pain medication to manage the severe pain, which would just make you sleep…and sleep… and sleep…only to wake up…
I HAD a chance to watch the movie Heneral Luna with my wife and family members and I was truly impressed with the crowd that it pulled. The lines at SM BF on Sukat Road were long and we couldn’t get seats for the mid-afternoon screening. We had to buy tickets for the next screening three hours…
THERE may only be three candidates who have officially declared that they are seeking the highest office in the Philippines, but as of press time, it may be (at least) a six-way fight for the position of vice president for the May 2016 Philippine Elections. The Liberal Party has found a co-pilot for Sec. Mar…
TURNING out to be an even more exciting race than the presidency in next year’s elections is the competition for the second most powerful seat in the country between some of the biggest names in Philippine politics. The vice president’s responsibilities are akin to that of the president’s. This highly coveted position, according to the…
AFTER Senator Grace Poe formally announced her intent to run for president, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” asked its viewers: If the Philippine Presidential Elections were to happen today, who would you vote for president? Sec. Mar Roxas topped the online poll with 56 percent; Sen. Grace Poe placed second with 29 percent…
AS the election season in the Philippines heats up, we see possible tandems forming among those seeking the highest posts of government. Anticipation and excitement are growing, and Fil-Ams are very much in the loop about the political developments in the Motherland. As of press time, Sec. Mar Roxas still awaits Cong. Leni Robredo to…
TOURISM is a dynamic and complex industry, where apart from leisure, the success of any tourism destination will depend on how well it can provide a safe and secure environment for its visitors. Currently on the upswing, the Philippine tourism’s momentum as being one of the leading tourist attractions in Asia might be halted following…
JUST when many think America was fast becoming secularized, growing more detached from religion and/or its spirituality amid so many challenges that beset the nation, Pope Francis’s visit to the United States has revealed that the people of this country thirst for spiritual guidance and a reason to believe again. Thousands and thousands of people…
IT seems like a lifetime ago when on Sept. 21, 1972, former Pres. Ferdinand E. Marcos declared martial law in the Philippines. Forty-three years have passed, but the wretched moments of the martial law era have continued to linger on, especially for the people who had to endure it. From this period in Philippine history,…
IN the face of the anarchy in the streets of Metro Manila, the paralysis that follows every heavy downpour, and the inability – nay, the unwillingness – of local officials to enforce such obvious rules as clearing major streets (like Taft Avenue) of vendors, desperate citizens have concocted various antidotes. What has often been proposed…
POPE Francis arrived in the United States on Tuesday, Sept. 22 for a six-day visit, exciting kababayans who wished they were in Manila when the Pontiff visited the Philippines last January. It is this excitement that compelled many Fil-Ams to travel to Washington DC, New York, or Philadelphia to see the Pope in person and…
Malacañang sources have revealed that a nasty shouting match transpired between President B.S. Aquino 3rd and Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad after the Supreme Court ordered the Ombudsman to have them investigated and possibly charged for their role in the manipulation and misuse of the constitutionally outlawed Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) amounting to P150 billion….
