IT’S a bittersweet victory for our Filipino veterans to finally be acknowledged by the United States government for their bravery during World War II. The $198-million lump sum payment—contained in the US economic stimulus bill signed by President Barack Obama last February 18—now awaits the estimated 18,000 surviving Filipino veterans. They waited for 63 years…
After months of political gridlock, California state lawmakers agreed on a series of budget measures lastThursday, February 19. The following day, February 20, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fi nally signed. The budget agreement came after a record-long fl oor session of nearly 46 hours. But is this the end of pain or again, just a start…
FINALLY, it’s signed. Less than a month into his presidency, President Barack Obama achieved a huge victory when he signed into law the $787 billion stimulus package in the hope of reversing the country’s continuing downturn spiral into economic doom. But the victory also has its reality check, as Obama noted that it is not…
AFTER more than six decades of struggle and fighting for benefits, the Filipino veterans of World War II may now have reached the end of their long journey. This was after a provision for benefits for Filipino WWII Veterans was inserted by Senator K. Inouye in the American Recovery and Reinstatement Act of 2009 or…
WITH the approval of the House of Representatives, a supplemental appropriation of over P11 billion is now available for the planned automation election system for the 2010 general elections. According to Senator Edgardo Angara, the additional outlay for poll automation “will allow the country to conduct an automated national and local election and ensure an…
HE promised us change during his campaign, and in the first few days in office, President Barack Obama has been busy putting that in effect. But he does have a lot of work to do, and with the extraordinary wave of political goodwill he is riding on, he should be able to get a lot…
Filipinos might think that it’s too early to start narrowing down the list of potential candidates for the presidential election next year, but on the other hand, we should start thinking about who will best lead the Philippines into true progress and development. To date, we have about three or more politicians who have expressed…
It’s a few more days before the momentous inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States. It is expected that up to two million people will flock to the nation’s capital to attend the various activities related to the historic event. Events like free concerts of famous performers will surely be…
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”—Hebrews 11:1 Being predominantly Catholic, most Filipinos have been brought up going to Mass every Sunday, praying the Holy Rosary or have the devotion, or panata, to at least one saint. So this, one would think, should be the basis of…
We hate to brag, but we have to—boxing champion Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao is Filipino, and we are proud of it. And undeniably, the world knows about this. Even before stopping the Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya at round eight last December 6 during their welterweight Dream Match, Pacquiao has already been in the limelight, both…
Most of us are looking for some sort of a sign this Christmas—something that could calm our fears about what lies ahead, given the unsure situation the country is facing today. We have seen the signs—thousands losing their homes, their jobs, shoppers cutting down their Christmas lists and people who just see the holiday season as…
The Church has spoken—and it said no—that is, no to Charter change, not until after the 2010 presidential elections. The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has urged the government to forego any plans of amending the Constitution, stating that we should not allow selfish interest to undermine democracy. Change should come from the…
“In its mysterious past (the sea) encompasses all the dim origins of life and receives in the end…After many transmutations, the dead husks of that same life.” —Rachel Carson For most of us Filipinos who used to live in the Philippines, Manila Bay probably has given us good memories—walking along the breakwater, taking in the…
The United Nations-backed Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a major report with grim predictions about global warming for the coming decades last February 2007. Based on IPCC’s recent track record, the predictions will be no exaggeration. As defined by National Geographic, global warming, or climate change, is a subject that shows no sign…
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”—John F. Kennedy With what is happening to the world today, most of us might have been thinking if there is still something to be thankful about. We look around us and we could…
“In the midst of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer.” —Albert Camus With the still unfolding realities, stories and uncertainties gripping us today, many of us may be wondering if there is still something to be thankful for. We watch CNN or FOX, or read the Times, and it becomes too easy to…
ALTHOUGH baseball is highly a popular sport here in the United States, in the Philippines, baseball still has to find its place in the hearts of Filipinos. For one, only a few Filipinos have made it in Major League Baseball (MLB), starting with Bobby Balcena, who played briefly for the Cincinnati Reds in 1956. Other…
We are part of the diaspora, trying to achieve a better life not only for ourselves, but also for our families and country. There are more than 11 million overseas Filipino worldwide, which is equivalent to about 11 percent of the total population of the Philippines, in spite of all the sad stories, the adjustments…
THE United States government has been morphing strategies to extend its help to ease American homeowners’ burden on foreclosures. Efforts from the Bush administration, the Federal government, and Congressional democrats have been taken in action to stem foreclosures so far. The housing crisis is one of the country’s main struggles – the number of American…
ALTHOUGH American football is not really a popular sport in the Philippines, Filipinos who have lived in the United States have slowly learned to appreciate it. In fact, just last October 19, the first ever Filipino Heritage game was played by the Oakland Raiders. It was another milestone indeed for the Filipino-American community, as the…
ASIAN Americans and Pacific Islanders make up more than 5 percent of the total population of the United States. Approximately, there are 7 million AAPIs who are eligible to cast their votes in the upcoming 2008 US Presidential elections and 3.5 million have already registered to vote. These figures are crucial as these numbers can…
LAST October 15, the third and final presidential debate before the US Presidential elections on November 4 took place at the Hofstra University. Sen. Barack Obama (Democrat) and Sen. John McCain (Republican) faced off for the last time to convince the American people why they are deserve to lead this country. This is the final…
Making a decision, especially something you know will affect your life in the long-term is difficult and requires serious thinking. However, with a number of propositions up over Californians’ heads, it’s hard to absorb all information. This is why it is important to be educated on these propositions – do research, read informational materials, and…
With the whirlwind of events happening in Charice’s life in the past few months, one would think that she’d be overexposed to the public and this shooting star would dim down in the long run. We beg to disagree. After being discovered in YouTube by Ellen Degeneres, Charice has soared through the mainstream entertainment scene…
HISTORY has somewhat depicted certain Filipinos as rebels like Macario Sakay, or in much earlier years, Philip Vera Cruz, who was a Filipino American labor leader, farm worker and a leader in the Asian American civil rights movement. He was also the vice-president of the United Farm Workers, a group that represents the rights of…
ONE could only imagine the stress and responsibilities attached to being a leader of a country. So for a number of people, it is a question why one would even aspire to run for the position of president. In the past months, the list of candidates in 2010 for president was limited to a few…
THE federalization of the Philippines has been a much talked about debate today, that we need to skim off the opinions of people to get to the essence of it. As for any system of government, there are advantages and disadvantages. However, it would be hard to see through the real purpose of the idea…
AUTHOR and Pulitzer Prize winner David C. McCullough once said, “History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. History is who we are and why we are the way we are.” This is somewhat true for us Filipinos, having such a rich and colorful history. Just for this month, August, is a journey to…
