WITH only a few days left before 2012 officially ends, Asian Journal would like to look back into the most significant events that have ensued in this Year of the Dragon. 2012 may not have been a perfect year, but there are countless lessons to be gleaned from it. In the United States, the November…
In the wake of the pre-Christmas massacre of 20 school children and 6 teachers and school officials in Connecticut, National Rifle Association CEO Wayne LaPierre is once more being portrayed as TheGrinch who’s stealing the joys of the season. Like the predictable blame-passing and pompous proposals that follow every natural catastrophe in the Philippines, shooting…
President Benigno Aquino III has just achieved a triumph that has eluded every Filipino President in our history and matches, and perhaps exceeds, the triumphs of America’s most successful President in the twentieth century, FDR. Against all odds, President Aquino took on and bested the Catholic Church, the tobacco industry, the liquor industry, Filipino billionaires,…
SINCE it’s that time of the year again – the season for sharing, giving and hope, we are holding off on the issues, the politics, the disputes, the arguments and everything else disheartening. Instead, the Asian Journal would like to take this opportunity to focus on the good things that 2012 has brought upon us, before she…
SINCE you’re reading this, it means the world did not end on December 21, 2012, as predicted by the Mayans. However, our troubles are far from over. On Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) surprisingly faced rejection from Republicans for legislation which would have raised taxes for Americans earning incomes above $1 million. “What Boehner…
The shock waves of Manny Pacquiao’s loss to equally-prized fighter, Juan Manuel Marquez, still continues to be felt all over, especially in the Philippines. Even the Donaire win over Jorge Arce cannot erase some incidents surrounding Pacquiao’s loss. It has been weeks after the fight, but the aftershocks remain. One of this unfortunate incident was…
AMERICA deeply mourns the death of 20 innocent young children (between six and seven years old) and the 7 adults, who were ruthlessly gunned down by one deranged young man in Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday, December 14. “I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your…
AFTER weeks of excruciating debates, the Philippine Congress reached a verdict to pass the Reproductive Health (RH) bill on Dec. 17. Voting 13-8 in favor of the bill, the Senate approved Bill No. 2865 on its third and final reading. The House of Representatives meanwhile, voted 133-79 to pass the measure also on its third…
Consistent with President Obama’s historic visit to Burma (Myanmar) on November 19th and Burmese opposition leader Aung San SuuKyi’s call for responsible investments in Burma, the National Asian American Coalition (NAAC) met with U.S. Ambassador to Burma, Derek Mitchell, in Yangon, Burma, four days after the President’s visit. As one of our nation’s largest Pan…
TWO successive losses for our Pambansang Kamao have knocked down the morale of many kababayans around the world, who have looked up to Manny Pacquiao as the modern-day hero of Filipinos. His recent knock-out loss to Juan Manuel Marquez has made Pinoys wonder if it is time for Pacman to: (a) hang up his gloves, (b) return to the Catholic faith…
PINOYS, including those opposing the passage of the Reproductive Health (RH) bill, witnessed a metaphoric megalith transform when an overnight deliberation resulted to an actual outcome on December 11. Voting 113-104 in favor of the controversial RH bill, the Philippine House of Representatives turned the tide for the passage of the long-stalled measure. The bill…
THIS is one of the few instances where I am agreeing with Miriam Defensor-Santiago. In a recent speech at Far Eastern University, she declared, “Let me summarize the problem with Philippine elections. Of the 50 million voters who will troop to the polls in May next year, the greater majority are not intelligent, they are…
IF THERE is anyone who still has doubts about the powerful influence of our Pambansang Kamao Manny Pacquiao, particularly among Filipinos in every corner of the world, then the fourth bout between the Pacman and Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez must have already knocked that out for good. After Pacquiao was knocked out by Marquez in…
NO one would blame Filipino boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao if he suddenly decides to call it a career and walk away from the ring for good after being knocked out by Juan Manuel Marquez in their fourth meeting last Saturday, December 8. At 33, (turning 34 on Dec. 17), Pacquiao is considered an “old” boxer….
“PRINCESS KATE is pregnant, and why do we care?,” TIME Magazine asked, following the brouhaha over the news that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their firstborn child. This baby will be heir to the throne — third in line, after his or her father, Prince William. The fascination over Kate’s pregnancy goes beyond the…
“The spirit of bayanihan will move us out from misery. Not them, not us, but all of us should move out and overcome the difficulties we are facing.” – Pres. Benigno Aquino III While super typhoons are a common occurrence in the Philippines, no one ever gets used to the devastation that they bring to…
President Obama’s battle with the Republicans about how to avoid the so-called “Fiscal Cliff” is unfortunately more political drama than reality. First, the U.S. faces no short-term financial crisis relative to those faced by Greece, Spain, Italy, China or Japan, for example. Second, some of the issues dividing the two political parties are either artificially…
IN A few days, we will be bidding goodbye to 2012 and welcoming 2013. As many of us do in our personal life, The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast Balitang America also looks back to the big stories of the year that is about to end through our Yearender Special. One of the favorite segments of this annual…
THIS year’s Philippine economic report is a mixed bag. Last week, the domestic economy picked up more steam by expanding its growth to 7.1 percent in the third quarter, as measured by the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). According to Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balicasan, domestic consumption remained firm, sustained by strong local demand amid the…
TODAY, I celebrate a milestone in my blessed life. I am halfway there… I took off from work for a long personal weekend to map out where I had been, where I am now, and where I am going in the next course. As we do our usual daily grind in life, we only know…
WHILE Europe continues to struggle with an economic crisis and the Republicans and Democrats in the House of Representatives are still locking horns over what to do with the looming “fiscal cliff,” the Philippines is experiencing a sunnier side in the economic scene. The country is currently the best performing nation in Southeast Asia, exceeding…
On the third anniversary of the Maguindanao Massacre on November 23rd, we might as well remember all those who perished in the Philippines, as the continued human rights violations goes on unabated. Five months ago, on May 29 this year, the Philippine government’s human rights record came under scrutiny by member states of the United…
LAST week, US District Judge Audrey B. Collins ruled against churches that tried to keep a 60-year Nativity tradition alive, “after atheists stole the show with anti-God messages.” She rejected a motion from the Santa Monica Nativity Scenes Committee, to allow the religious display this season while their lawsuit plays out against the city. Kababayans and…
THE Philippines was ranked 87 out of 141 countries, in Forbes’ annual look at the Best Countries for Business. With a 3.7 percent GDP growth and inflation rate of 4.8 percent, the country maintained its position from last year and remained at the bottom half of the list. The country outranked China and India, but…
ACCORDING to a report from Bloomberg Businessweek, a Gallup poll revealed that the Philippines is the “most emotional” nation in the world. The survey was conducted in 152 countries, with the Philippines ranking 151st among the least emotional nations — conversely making us the”most emotional” country among the lot. Social media was replete with mixed feedback…
ONE of the rituals many Fil-Am families enjoy doing during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend is putting up a Christmas tree and decorations, for that early Christmas feeling. Our friends and family, business establishments, public parks and places back home in the Philippines do that even earlier – some even as early as September (the start…
A renewed pact is brewing between the Philippines and the United States. By next month, the two countries will sign the visiting forces agreement that will permit for another bilateral military exercises, to take place in the Philippines. Done yearly, the exercises are expected to further strengthen the diplomatic ties and defense system of both…
MANY Americans (including Fil-Ams) heavily invested in the recently concluded US Presidential elections. Some contributed cash for their candidates, others volunteered to help in their campaigns, and many were passionately engaged in the presidential debates, to persuade others to vote for the candidate which they thought was the better choice to lead this country. On…
After four elections in the United States, I can now say that I am proud to be a Filipino-American. From the sidelines as an observer, I immersed myself with the elections starting with the elections of 2000 with then vice president Al Gore against Texas Governor George W. Bush. In the 2000 elections, we led…
ALLIANCES are supposed to create new and stronger organizations. But history may show that sometimes, integrations may look good on paper but fall short of what is expected. From Nov. 15 until 20, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gathered the region’s heads of states and dignitaries for the 21st Asean Summit and Related…
