#NasaanAngPangulo has been a trending topic among Filipinos all over the world on social media, asking where Philippine President Benigno Aquino was, and why he was not at Villamor Airbase last Thursday, Jan. 29 to welcome and honor the remains of the 44 Special Action Force commandos brutally killed in a botched mission against terrorists…
FOLLOWING the bloodbath between the Philippine National Police-Special Action Force (PNP-SAF), elements of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF), and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Sunday, Jan. 25, the fate of the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) hangs in a balance. The Bangsamoro Basic Law is a peace pact made…
THE thought that hundreds of poor street children in Manila could have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of having a vacation at a resort — complete with comfortable lodging facilities, good food and fun activities— even just for a few days sounds really great. Not in their wildest dreams, perhaps, would they even think this would be…
ALONG with the outpouring of affection for Pope Francis came a flood of self-righteousness and hypocrisy. When the Pope called for a rejection of corruption in government and society, pretenders to moral ascendancy immediately began pointing fingers at others while implying that they themselves were above reproach. Noynoy Aquino himself could not help positioning himself…
IT is fair to give credit to the security personnel who kept Pope Francis safe during his four-day visit to the Philippines. Unlike the previous papal visits, no suspicious forces were able to get near the head of the Catholic Church. In the streets of Manila, where millions of Filipinos waited for the pontiff’s mobile…
IN his sixth State of the Union address delivered to the American people before the joint session of Congress last January 20, President Barack Obama declared that after coming from a recession and being engaged in two wars when he first assumed office in 2008, “the verdict is clear.” “America, for all that we’ve endured;…
IN his visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis has generated positivity and raised hopes among the Church’s followers. Throughout his sojourn, the high prelate captured wide audiences and sympathies for his cause—a mark of a true Catholic leader. During one of his speeches, Pope Francis said he admires the Filipinos’ indomitable spirit and strength in…
PRESIDENT Barack Obama must be feeling upbeat and positive ahead of his State of the Union Address (SOTU) on Jan. 20, 2015. After a dip in the polls following major challenges in the past two years, the Washington Post-ABC news Poll results show that Obama now enjoys a 50 percent approval rating — the highest…
BY the grace of God, Pope Francis is back safe in the Vatican. But could 25,000 policemen and soldiers posted at various public venues have ensured the safety of His Holiness on his visit to the Philippines? Unfortunately, not against a determined and crafty criminal, such as Frederick Forsythe’s would-be assassin of Charles de Gaulle…
MILLIONS of Filipinos lined up the streets of Roxas Boulevard in Manila with their desire to have, at least, a glimpse of Pope Francis, when he arrived in the country on Thursday, Jan. 15. Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines coincides with the Church’s “Year of the Poor.” For a devoted Juan dela Cruz who…
WE may be thousands of miles and an ocean away from the Philippines, but many Filipinos in America share the excitement and the blessedness as the beloved Leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis, visits our Motherland. As Filipinos in Los Angeles kept the tradition alive as they celebrated the “Sinulog” — the Feast of…
IN a historic walk for solidarity, world leaders joined French Pres. Francois Hollande on Sunday, Jan. 11 to denounce acts of terrorism. This came days after 17 people were left dead following a string of deadly terror attacks in Paris, which began with the ghastly shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical magazine,…
WE at ABS-CBN News, whether it be in Manila or here in the United States, follow the journalistic principles that the stories we cover and the issues that we follow and report on are news. It is never about us, the people that deliver the news. We are instruments of information dissemination to help our…
IT was no surprise that over five million Filipino Catholic devotees joined the procession of the 408-year-old image of the Black Nazarene on Friday, Jan. 9. The image has been a celebrated icon ever since its arrival in 1606 from Acapulco, Mexico. The image depicting Christ with a dark complexion was a sculpture by an…
2015 marks the year when qualified undocumented immigrants are now given the privilege to have a state issued driver’s license and to drive freely in the Golden State, without any fear of being apprehended and deported just because of their immigration status. Such a liberating experience was owned by no less than the most known…
WITH a growing middle class, strong domestic demand, stable economic policy and GDP growth, even doing business can be more fun in the Philippines. By providing a dynamic and mature market to further its recovery, the new year is deemed promising for one of Asia’s emerging economies. Forecasts on its economic performance are also expected…
LESS than a week before Pope Francis’s visit to the Philippines, excitement and faithful anticipation have spread among Filipinos, not only in the Philippines but around the world. Grateful for the prayers the new leader of the Catholic Church has offered for Filipinos amid all the challenges and disasters our kababayans have faced especially in…
WITH less than two years left on the term of Noynoy Aquino, I think he can use some help in straightening out the liko-liko and smoothing out the baku-bako on his Tuwid na Daan. “The Straight Path” is, after all, supposed to be the showcase of the Aquino presidency, the concretization of his campaign slogan,…
THE world was shocked over reports of the sudden disappearance of yet another Malaysia-based aircraft. It was the third time in 2014. AirAsia flight QZ8501 was scheduled to arrive to Singapore, but went missing early Sunday, Dec. 28 with 155 passengers and 7 crewmembers on board. Earlier statements of the company said the aircraft disappeared,…
THE NEW YEAR may be the beginning of the end of so many sleepless nights and uncertainties for many undocumented immigrants. Many of our kababayans may be eligible to benefit from President Barack Obama’s executive order on immigration. This unilateral measure may give some 5 million undocumented immigrants temporary relief from deportation, and the legal…
THE past few months have seen news headlines in the Philippines, rerun in FilAm media across the US, screaming about the corruption and unexplained wealth of Vice-President Jejomar Binay. Binay, who has continued to enjoy a wide lead over other “presidentiables” like Mar Roxas, Grace Poe, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Alan Peter Cayetano, has dismissed these…
The history behind the tradition BAGONG TAON for us Filipinos in America will always remind of of the deafening paputok of superlolo, machine guns, lucis, bawang, and the burning of old gulong that leaves black soot in our nostrils the next day. These are all believed to shoo away bad spirits and welcome the good…
BEFORE we bid 2014 adieu, we are reminded to look back and reflect on all the important events that have happened in the past 12 months. Will Filipinos learn from their mistakes and lead themselves to better lives and meaningful democracies, or constitute a false dawn? Despite some low points on the country’s track record,…
MY husband and I almost always host a family reunion Christmas party at our home, especially this year when my Mother is celebrating her first Christmas in America after my Daddy’s passing last July. Like many other Filipino families in America, this is perhaps our own way of re-creating the big fun gatherings with our…
“WE should not lose sight of the bigger picture which is to get justice. And since criminal jurisdiction is with us, we would be able to try [US Marine PFC Joseph Scott] Pemberton in a Philippine court under Philippine law,” Foreign Affairs spokesperson Charles Jose said regarding the ongoing murder trial against the American serviceman for…
FOR many people, Christmas is “the happiest season of all,” and “the most wonderful time of the year.” It is a Christian holiday that honors the birth of Jesus Christ. Here in the United States, December 25 -– Christmas Day -– has been a federal holiday since 1870. For most of us Filipinos, Christmas is…
EVEN after a series of reshuffling of prison guards and officials, corruption and illegal activities are still rampant inside the New Bilibid Prison (NBP), as proven by a back-to-back raids conducted by the Justice Department this week. Authorities discovered more than what they expected. As it turned out, instead of serving as a penitentiary for…
DESPITE all the crises and challenges our kababayans have experienced in 2014, the Filipino spirit in us continue to rise above them all and look for reasons and means to celebrate Christmas. Many hold on to Filipino Christmas tradition, a driving force that keeps our faith alive, sustaining us through the most difficult times. This…
I FIRST heard the expression from David Tanner, country manager of Beecham Products at the time that our ad agency was helping the British corporate giant establish a foothold in the Philippines. Beecham was the maker of Brylcreem, a leading men’s hairdressing, back in those days when shiny slicked-back hair, a-la Valentino and Diosdado Macapagal,…
With the 2014 midterm elections behind us, one demographic has both Republicans and Democrats buzzing. Based on exit polling of the 2014 midterm elections, 50 percent of Asian American support went to the Republicans. This is in stark contrast to 2012, when President Barack Obama and the Democrats won the Asian American vote in a…
