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…
What else can one say about the late Jesse Robredo that hasn’t already been said? What praise can one give that has not already been given? In a society where even the vilest villains are routinely extolled once they give up the ghost, the laudatory language heaped on the man who had to bear 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…
“What you see is what you get” or WYSIWYG may be an apt description of President Noynoy Aquino. The good part is that he says what he thinks. But it makes you wonder if he thinks about what he says. My guess is that he does. What may appear to be impulsiveness, a tendency to…
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….
PRESIDENT Noynoy Aquino had ample praise for the Manila business daily, BusinessWorld, at its 25th anniversary reception last week. In contrast, and within the same week, he had harsh words for TV Patrol anchor and former vice-president Noli de Castro at the ABS-CBN news program’s silver anniversary celebration. Both presidential comments were prompted by Aquino’s…
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…
Last week, a deeply divided US Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s health care initiative, the Affordable [Health] Care Act. But many are applauding this decision for the wrong reasons. LAST week, a deeply divided US Supreme Court upheld President Obama’s health care initiative, the Affordable [Health] Care Act. But many are applauding this decision for…
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…
For more than 300 years, Asian Americans have been ignored and until recently, discriminated against. This includes the infamous incarceration of over 100,000 Japanese American citizens during the Second World War, frequent denials of landownership rights and until the 1960s, the official barring by many states of intermarriage between Asian Americans and whites. By dint…
ARE national honors, such as the title of National Artist, appropriate for a comedian? The French thought it was proper to confer the Legion of Honor on Jerry Lewis. Queen Elizabeth named Charlie Chaplin a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. And Bob Hope not only received the Congressional Gold Medal, the…
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…
SENATORS Edgardo Angara and Jinggoy Estrada have filed a bill that would provide a subsidy to political parties involved in an election, with funds from government coffers, and would penalize “turncoatism” among politicians. This is SBN 3214, “The Political Party Development Act of 2011,” which pundits have nicknamed “the Anti-Balimbing Bill.” For those still struggling…
MANNY Pacquiao didn’t lose to Timothy Bradley. That much is clear, no matter what Bradley says. Like a recently impeached midnight appointee, Bradley has to rationalize wearing his corona. But no one believes him. And until he fights Pacquiao again, he’ll always sense that folks are raising their eyebrows at him whenever he talks about…
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…
How is Miriam Defensor-Santiago regarded by her colleagues in the Senate? No more than a sick joke. This was obvious in the way they were chuckling and exchanging mischievous whispers while she ranted and roared and called them “gago” to their faces, while rationalizing her verdict of not guilty in the impeachment of ex-Chief Justice…
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…
Governor Brown, facing growing pressure to fund programs necessary for California’s future growth has decided to put 2.2 million homeowners facing foreclosure in further distress. Spotting a soft target for short-term revenue “growth,” he has raided the Attorney General’s homeowner bank settlement fund in the amount of $300 million. The legislature will be voting during…
