Category: Features

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…

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…

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….

A WEEK after the contentious election, we heard back again from the two gentlemen who ran for the Presidency. President Obama in his press conference praised Gov. Mitt Romney and…

SEN. Pia Cayetano is tired of all the bickering and delays in the Senate, over the Reproductive Health (RH) Bill. Outspoken Sen. Miriam Santiago is getting as equally impatient, saying…

In order to be the best, a team must have the best. Perhaps such idea was running through the minds of the Philippine Amateur Baseball Association officials who wanted to…

THIS week, we glorify the heroism and gallantry displayed by American and Filipino World War II veterans. This celebration encourages those of us who are now enjoying freedom, to pay…

CONTRARY to what some kababayans opine, President Barack Obama won the election NOT just because of race, nor by the force of the 47 percent of the American people, who according to…

And just like that, the highly-anticipated 2012 US presidential elections is finally over. In what turned out to be one of the closest and costliest presidential races in history, President…

AFTER a fierce battle in the Presidential Election, American voters have made their choice — four more years for President Barack Obama after he defeated Republican challenger Mitt Romney in…

Alex Esclamado is dead. He passed away last Sunday, November 4, in Cebu City from a lingering ailment. His demise is a loss for Filipinos in America, as well as…

THE verdict of the American people is out: President Barack Obama wins over his Republican challenger Mitt Romney, after going over the top of the required absolute majority (magic number…

THE election process is more complex than just casting votes and counting ballots, as it is a right and a privilege — one of the perks of a democracy. In…

ONLY two years in office, yet President Aquino’s government has been constantly making efforts to improve the lives of its constituents. Amid upgraded credit ratings, huge investments and renewed business…

IT’S that time of the year again — for a celebration universally known as Halloween. Spooky decorations of skeletons, ghosts, witches and pumpkins dangle on windows and lawns with almost…

HISTORICALLY, it has long been a natural occurrence in Philippine politics that family members or relatives of a political figure  would eventually run for a position in government — more…

Back in 1996, when President Ramos signed what was described as a “final peace agreement” with Nur Misuari’s MNLF, I wrote a piece guardedly welcoming the initiative and expressing relief…

THE Philippines dodged a bullet when it was spared from a Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist. After making a “high-level political commitment” to address deficiencies in its law against…

Overall, the general view on the outcome of Tuesday’s second presidential debate is that Pres. Obama dominated (to make up for his lackluster performance in the first debate), while Republican…

I frankly think that the protests and demonstrations over the Cybercrime Prevention Act are an overreaction. In the first place, the Philippine justice system has never been famous for enforcing…

Sharing common hopes of a progressive country, more migrant Filipinos abroad are expressing their interests in participating in the coming 2013 elections.  Although enthusiastic about casting their votes, Filipinos overseas…

A SAINT may come in different shapes, forms and religion. “I would like to hope that after his canonization, Saint Pedro Calungsod would become not only an exemplary role model…

REALIZING that it is outmatched militarily with China, the US has responded to the country’s call for a defense modernization program and has agreed to help equip and train its…

THE first day of filing for Certificates of Candidacy (COCs) at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) may have been rambunctious enough for COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes to deem it “a…

In a recent conference held in Washington, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima shed some light on what took the Philippine government to achieve its current state, as one of the…