CHIEF Justice Corona has had his day in court. But he has left a lot of questions hanging. But rather than speculate on how he will satisfactorily explain his seemingly unexplainable dollar deposits and the alleged millions in his alleged multiple bank accounts, it may be worth our while to turn our attention to all…
“WE are proud of the progress we have made, but we are not satisfied with just this. We Filipinos know just how much potential this country has and we are working even longer nights to fulfill this potential,” President Benigno Aquino III said, during the Philippine Investment Forum on March 27. And those overtime hours…
As one of the most disaster-prone areas in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ efforts in disaster risk reduction (DRR) did not go unnoticed. The country has recently caught the attention of the United Nations (UN) for having an advanced climate change adaptation (CCA). Margareta Wahlstrom, UN Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction, recently led a program…
I had a bad dream. I dreamed that the Chinese invaded the Philippines after the confrontation at West Philippine Sea finally exploded into an all-out war. I dreamed that while Philippine officials were meeting with the US State Department in Washington DC, China attacked the Philippines in a manner reminiscent of Pearl Harbor. The AFP…
ONE can win races and break world records, but an Olympic gold medal is still the biggest feat an athlete can accomplish. To conquer the Olympics is every athlete’s dream. The Olympic dream has remained a dream for the Philippines since Onyok Velasco’s performance fell short of a gold medal finish in the 1996 Atlanta…
TIME flies so fast. I can’t believe it was in 1991 (21 years ago) that I got a call from Freddie Garcia about ABS-CBN’s plan to enter the US market in earnest. Since it launched The Filipino Channel in 1994, ABS-CBN International (as the Kapamilya Channel) has established a firm foothold in America, as well as in Europe, the…
In a global survey of media independence (conducted by Washington-based Freedom House) the Philippines was able to raise its ranking — from a previous standing of 93, it is now currently ranked at 88 (with zero being the most free, and 100 being the least free). The Philippines has been rated “partly free,” along with…
Apr 25,2012 His Excellency Benigno S Aquino III President of Philippines Subject: Bring Home our Elderly and Disabled Abroad Dear Mr. President: While you are focused in the economic development of the Philippines (PH), there is a huge economic opportunity that is being overlooked and awaiting to be tapped. This is an opportune time and…
THE current standoff with the Chinese over the Spratleys at Panatag Shoal will get worse before it gets better. What are we to do as a country and as a people? Scanning my commentaries over the years on situations like this, I came upon a piece I wrote in June 1997 about China bullying us…
PICTURESQUE beaches. Teeming diverse marine life in and around the Philippine waters. Marvelous dive sites. A perfect getaway, more reasons to consider why “It’s more fun in the Philippines.” While we stay tuned at the disputed Scarborough Shoal (now on its second week of standoff), the Philippines veers away from the tension after being awarded…
In the essence of camaraderie and reaffirmation of alliances, military exercises between the Philippines and the United States have begun once again through the annual Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises. The 12-day event, which formally opened last April 16, is in pursuant to the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty which strengthens the pact between the Philippines and the…
ACCORDING to The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Philippines would be the laggard in economic growth from 2012-2013 among its counterparts in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations-5 (ASEAN-5). The IMF’s latest World Economic Outlook (WEO) showed that the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) “would grow 4.2 percent this year and 4.7 percent in 2013…
INTERNATIONAL law signifies the essence of the progress of civilization towards a world ruled by principle and not by force. It took millions of lives, thousands of years and hundreds of wars to achieve such discipline, which deals with global order. The principles representing international law are based upon universally accepted values and moral standards….
YOU might be wondering how a foreign-sounding “group of islands and reefs in an atoll shape” can be found in Philippine waters. According to a dead-linked source from Wikipedia (Diary of Colonel Bayly: 12th regiment. 1796-1830. Army and Navy Co-operative Society, 1896, pg. 108), Scarborough Shoal (Philippine name: Panatag Shoal; Chinese name: Huangyan Island) “was…
If senator-judge and presiding officer Juan Ponce Enrile will not allow Corona’s defense lawyers to present the SALN of legislators and cabinet secretaries, as well as that of President Noynoy Aquino, I would suggest that they feed all the information they can mine into social media. And let it all hang out. Since their client…
AS WE go to press, the whole nation is in a lottery frenzy, awaiting the nerve-wracking results of the Mega Millions jackpot, which is now estimated at $640-million – an unprecedented amount in the history of US lottery. A latest report from Good Morning America says that the “cash lump sum payment is now worth $462 million,…
Alarmed by the report of the International Labor Organization (ILO) that approximately 2.4 million minors aged nine to 17 are already working in the country, the Philippine government has recently expressed interest in focusing on one of poverty’s alarming repercussions-child labor. Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano recently called upon concerned government agencies to come…
WITH all the ballyhoo surrounding the North Korean rocket launch (expected to take place between April 12 and 16), the safety and security of the 50,000 Filipinos living in South Korea remains to be the Philippine government’s foremost priority. Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) issued a statement, calling North Korea’s planned satellite…
THE Philippine government has recently expressed optimism that growth is finally within reach, citing the recent improvements in the Philippine economy. In a recent interview with the press after the Foreign Loan Approval and Registration System (FLAReS), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. expressed elation over the fact that the Philippines has…
“JOURNALISTS are NOT the story. We tell the story. We merely chronicle our country’s comings and goings in the best way we can. This is how we serve the country.” – Marites Dañguilan-Vitug In a report from Rappler.com, The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) has opposed the request of Chief Justice Renato Corona’s defense team…
Considered as the living heroes of the Philippines, Filipino migrant workers all over the world have long been contributing to the economic growth of the country. With their families as their inspirations, Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) have also suffered a great deal of emotional and physical pain just to be able send money back at…
IN his interview with David Letterman last week, actor Taylor Kitsch shared having a “moment” with a local customs official, when he (supposedly) came to the Philippines to shoot scenes for his upcoming film, Savages. According to the Canadian actor, the official almost didn’t let him through, just because the there were “not enough pages”…
During the commemoration of the 26th year of the EDSA People Power Revolution last February 25, President Benigno Aquino III disproved speculations that his administration is going lax on leading the country towards economic progress. Aquino was proud to say that during the 19 months of service as President, things have started to look up…
EDUCATION is at the crossroads for the future of Filipinos. It plays a crucial role in promoting poverty alleviation and economic growth. It reflects the aspirations of the people for a successful integration into the global economy in an ever-changing world. It seems that the winds of change are blowing in the direction of the…
BESIDES the long overdue fight between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather (which, up to now still hangs in the air), Pacquiao’s “renewed sense of faith” has also been making headlines, not only in Philippine media, but in various media outlets here in the United States. “Will it (Pacquiao’s upcoming fight with Timothy Bradley) be the…
DON’T KILL the messengers (aka the media) — but whether the US-PH high-level talks will push through this March is still a bit confusing at this juncture. Last week, Philstar.com reported that talks between the United States and the Philippines regarding the US’ military presence in the Philippines “may have to be postponed unless the…
DESPITE travel advisories posted against the Philippines, foreigners—especially Europeans—remain unfazed and have continued to come and visit the country. The Department of Tourism (DOT), further confirmed that tourists still consider the Philippines as an ideal destination. The agency backed it up reporting that 3.9 million tourists visited the country last year, which was 4.6 percent…
A HERO is an inspiration – an entity that invokes the beleaguered spirit. A hero is a source of strength that keeps his peers going. Political controversy, growing unemployment, poverty, and suffering through natural calamities are unforgettable experiences crippling the Philippines right now. Many people learn to live through such difficult times with the help…
THINGS seem to be looking up these days for Philippine tourism. Following the overwhelming support given to the Department of Tourism’s new ad campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines,” yet another accolade has been bestowed upon the country—the confirmation of the Puerto Princesa Underground River (PPUR) in Palawan as one of the New7Wonders of…
WHILE we continue to witness the resumption of the Corona impeachment trial, let us not forget other things that are important – relevant enough to become newspaper headlines. Like physics, politics follows a law of equal and opposite pairs of action and reaction forces. However, unlike physics, politics is not required to always adhere to…
