I am neither a Noranian nor a Vilmanian, but I have high respect and admiration for these two veteran Filipino actresses. As a growing kid in the 70s, I have followed how these two artists evolved, from being sing-and-dance pa-“cute” entertainers packaged with their love teams, to becoming the serious and moving thespians that they…
WHAT should a very important politician, who is serving a life sentence for plunder, do with his time throughout his incarceration? I threw this question at the folks at my favorite watering hole in Daly City, Calif. According to them, the VIPs (Very Important Prisoners) should consult former Congressman Romeo Jalosjos. Jalosjos, a personal friend…
THE crusader for “Daang Matuwid” — President Benigno Aquino III — says he does not mind giving humanitarian considerations to one of the most high profile senators charged in connection to the pork barrel scandal — 90-year-old Senator and former Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile. PNoy says the Sandiganbayan would consider Enrile’s old age and frail…
TO address global challenges and ensure stability, nations have to embark on business meetings to assure prosperity for their people. Since World War II, Japan—being a staunch adherent of globalization—has always provided ways to help the Philippines gain its full potential. This bilateral relation was built by trust and support. With an aim to build…
SOCIAL media platforms have been burning with commentaries reflecting ordinary people’s sentiments from disbelief to disgust, about the stagecraft showcasing the surrender and detention of the most prominent public servants accused of and indicted for graft and plunder in the P10-billion pork barrel scam in the Philippines. Last Friday, June 20, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla…
WHILE the passing of the comprehensive immigration bill gets stalled in Congress, undocumented immigrants in California may soon be able to get drivers’ licenses. As Balitang America’s LA Correspondent Steve Angeles reported, this may happen in less than six months, thanks to AB60 — a bill that was signed into law by Governor Gerry Brown…
ON JULY 21, 1982, former senator and former Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez was ambushed in his car in Quezon City. He took six bullets but miraculously survived. His driver was not as fortunate. At the emergency room of the hospital, Pelaez turned to Quezon City Police Chief Gen. Tomas Karingal who had rushed to his…
THERE was never a better time to call this world a civilized society. Because of current laws existing, we are bound to live vicariously, based on respect for the sanctity of life, democracy and human rights. But, without proper enforcement, stringent national and international laws do little in promoting and protecting the right of every…
MY family had the privilege of spending a two-week vacation in the Philippines this early June, a travel I am thinking many kababayans would want to take at least every year. It had been three years since our last visit — a joyous celebration of my parents 50th golden wedding anniversary. I wrote about my…
IRONY of ironies. Noynoy Aquino appears to be facing the same predicament in dealing with the pork barrel and Malampaya scandals as Marcos did in the wake of the assassination of Ninoy. The Aquino government is experiencing the same erosion of credibility, the same cloud of suspicion and distrust, as the Marcos dictatorship. Thus, any…
IN the Philippines, politics and show business are no strange bedfellows. Through the years, the country has been (and still is) under the influence of different officials – be it Mayor, Congressman or Senator, majority of which came from a family of renowned politicians and showbiz personalities. Not that we are saying that they are…
WILL justice be truly be served? Only the aggrieved party can tell. When news broke out of the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel scam in July last year, names that have been dragged by the alleged misuse of the government’s money, and the Philippine politics, have come under increased scrutiny. Almost…
“TATAK PILIPINO” was a 60-minute weekly television magazine program that showcased Philippine arts and culture, produced by ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation from 1990 to 1994. It was hosted by APO Hiking Society’s Jim Paredes and ABS-CBN News Anchorwoman Gel Santos Relos, with Laurenti Dyogi as Executive Producer and Leo Katigbak as Director. At the time when variety…
I RECEIVED a letter from former Marcos regime Prime Minister and Finance Minister Cesar E. A. Virata to correct what he thought was a mistake I had made in my column entitled, “PNoy’s Marcosian Predicament.” Apparently, Virata had misread the part of my piece that recounted an incident in Washington DC, shortly after the assassination…
AT THE recent 3-day Asia-Europe Meeting(ASEM) conference on disaster risk and management, President Benigno S. Aquino III emphasized the need for countries to come together, to make the world climate-proof. He said that climate change has been a major threat to island-countries and that Super Typhoon Yolanda serves as a major warning about the worsening…
THE match may have not ended the way he wanted it to, but it was a victory nonetheless. Fil-Am boxer Nonito Donaire Jr., scored another victory for his kababayans when he won against South African Simpiwe Vetyeka at the Venetian Resort’s Cotai Arena in Macau on June 1. Donaire took home an improved record of…
I HAD the privilege of writing about one of the programs I was very much a part of both behind the scenes and on camera (or in front of the microphone on radio) — “Compañero y Compañera” — for the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia. Let me share with you this piece, in honor…
ACCORDING to official data released on May 29, a succession of natural disasters (The 7.1-magnitude earthquake in Bohol and Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013) has slowed down growth of the Philippine economy in the first quarter — uprooting it from its position as best performing economy in Asia. With gross domestic product (January-March) at 5.7…
THERE are some pronouncements from the Aquino administration that are sometimes so incongruous with each other. One concrete example is in the way it is handling the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam. “Daang matuwid” (Straight path) has been the campaign slogan of President Benigno Aquino III. It is the battle cry of his fight against…
THIS coming June 3, 2014, the Filipinos in San Mateo County will have a chance to make history by electing one of their own as a Judge in San Mateo County. Recent census numbers indicate that Filipinos is one of the largest Asian groups in California with a population of over 1.5 million. Daly City…
Four weathermen from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) have decided to move on to greener pastures. Currently, PAGASA has 13 expert weather forecasters left. Three of them have pending offers to work in the Middle East. While there are available personnel to fill the vacated posts, it will take years for…
MEMORIAL Day weekend is the unofficial start of summer for many of us in America. It is the time of the year when families start their summer travels, backyard barbecue cook-out, and many other fun adventures. My interview with one Filipino veteran on Balitang America on May 26 (Memorial Day) reminded me of the reason…
Traditional and social media was recently inundated by news stories regarding Meagan Aguilar’s rant (the “anak” of music icon Freddie Aguilar) against her own father. Meagan has been spewing scathing remarks and despicable stories about Freddie and his 17-year-old wife, after she, along with her partner and two kids, were reportedly kicked out of Freddie’s…
It’s hard to imagine that we as individuals can do anything about the broken immigration system that is tearing many of our families apart. But we can. There is one step that, if taken together, could have the power to protect our families and move our communities forward. More than 8 million immigrants in the…
IN an attempt to counter China’s continuous aggression in the contested waters of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea, Filipino hackers took it upon themselves to defend the country’s sovereignty. A message was plastered on each hacked website: “China’s alleged claim on maritime territories and oppressive poaching can no longer be tolerated. Stand against oppression!…
THE “list” of more government officials (who are allegedly part of the multi-billion peso pork barrel scam) has created even more questions, confusion and doubt in the minds of the Filipino people seeking the truth and justice. This controversial list was exposed by former Senator Panfilo Lacson, the anointed Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery…
WHAT is it about most people (and many Filipinos), who feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in acquiring things for free, which usually need to be paid for? Is it limited finances/budget which compel them to avail of such things? This is so very true in the case of music, film, television shows and…
FROM May 21 to 23, Metro Manila will be host to heads of state and business and civil society leaders from over 30 countries at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on East Asia – a first for the Philippines. With top-caliber participants to the WEF, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima said they “are people we would…
WITH the Philippines and Vietnam entangled in recent incursions with China on contested waters in the South China Sea, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered in Myanmar over the weekend to express serious concern at the brewing tension. China asserts sovereignty on almost the entire South China Sea. International observers have…
(Part 2) RELEASED last week, The National Climate Assessment presented the most comprehensive scientific evidences of global warming. The findings were ominous, because rising temperatures are affecting the food chain, our livelihood, and our survival in this planet. This is the continuation of the overview that we all have to know about because this affects…
