Category: Features

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…

THE filing of candidacy for the 2013 midterm elections officially began. With 18,053 elective positions at stake, the country (especially its qualified voters) is in the throes of election fever….

TODAY, more Filipinos are tightening their belts to sustain themselves not only through the rainy days, but for as long as the prices of commodities continue to rise. Despite the…

In spite of the brickbats hurled at Noynoy Aquino by his detractors, I continue to believe he is sincere in his vow to carve a Daang Matuwid or Straight Path…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

“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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…