Discontent
DESPITE his efforts to keep to his promise of providing a more transparent and responsive government and his acquisition of $2.4-billion in investments from his successful trip in the United…
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Obtaining permanent residence through marriage
MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life. Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically. For those persons who lack…
Who’s the (real) boss?
DEMOCRACY is defined as a government by the people, in which the supreme power is vested in the people and is exercised directly by them or by their elected agents…
Reconsideration
FOR thousands of undocumented young people who are still hoping to legalize their status in the US, the dream died on Tuesday, September 21, following the rejection of a defense…
A better pedagogy
“All work and no play makes John a dull boy,” said Education Secretary Armin Luistro defending his decision to implement a no homework weekend for public elementary students. Last September…
A tale of two Pinoys
HERE’S another one for the books, kababayans. President Obama recently announced the appointment of two prominent Filipino-Americans as members of the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs)….
Balancing the budget
IN congress, it was proposed that P1.64-trillion be alloted for the national budget for 2011. Prior to the budget hearings, Malacañang, directly stating that the government under a tight national…
The price of justice
The presence of an effective judicial independence, especially in a constitutional democracy such as the Philippines’ is imperative in making sure that the fundamental rights of every citizen of this…
A bright spot in the global landscape
DESPITE of what we normally see or hear in the news about other countries’ economic woes, the Asia-Pacific region continues to stand out in the global landscape. The International Monetary…
More than just statistics
As of July 2010, the Philippines is the 12th most populated nation in the world with an estimate of 99,900,177 next to Mexico, according to the CIA World Factbook. Despite…
A new high
IN A latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations, it was reported that the number of Filipinos “who expect their lives to get better in the next 12 months”…
Fighting the good fight
ALL eyes are on the Philippines right now after the devastating tragedy that happened last August 23 where former police officer Rolando Mendoza held 25 people captive in his efforts…
Invest in flood control
AFTER the tragedies of Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, is the Capital Region (NCR) better prepared this year for the rainy season? Perhaps a review of the measures adopted this year…
Flying the friendlier skies
THE ongoing labor disputes of the county’s flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) has open the possibility of considering an open skies policy to reveres civil aviation policies. According to the…
Step one: Awareness
The effect of climate change is slowly presenting itself today. Undoubtedly, this phenomenon poses a great threat to humanity, something that every person is dreading to foresee. Like any other…
The ties that bind
ACCORDING to Capt. Rudy Lupton, USS Blue Ridge commanding officer, about 120 of the 650 sailors of the US command ship in the Pacific are Filipinos. The USS Blue Ridge…
The ‘bone’ of our existence
IT could be evidence that humans first settled in the Philippines 67,000 years ago, thousands of years earlier than what archaeologists thought. A foot bone, found in an extensive cave…
Miscommunication
Last Saturday, July 31, national air carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) canceled five flights (one destined forHong Kong, the others to domestic destinations) due to the sudden resignation of at least…
International support
IN an effort to help reduce risk should another disaster hit the country, the European Union (EU) has approved yet again an additional grant of P125M for projects to be…
Acknowledged
“In him was vindicated the greatness of real goodness and the goodness of real greatness.” – Phillip Brooks ON July 29, President Barack Obama signed House Resolution 4899 or the…
Another mark in (Fil-Am) history
THE Filipinos here in the United States have something to be proud of again. Last July 21, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger nominated Judge Tani Cantil-Sakauye to the California Supreme Court….
Another hurdle
ON JULY 26, President-elect Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is scheduled to deliver his first State of the Nation Address before a joint Congress session. Before the watchful eyes of the…
(Un)calm after the storm
ON HIS first disaster management briefing last Wednesday, it was reported that P-Noy “berated” PAGASA (the country’s weather bureau) for “its failure to notify the public that Typhoon Basyang would…
The Green Effect
IT IS typhoon season once again in the Philippines, and most are still reeling from the tragedies brought about by last year’s typhoons. Two months from now, it will be…
The real score
PRESS freedom is being jeopardized as Filipino journalists are constantly subjected to threats and intimidations – mostly involving politics. As former Chief Justice Reynato Puno said, “Like water seeking its…
A Battle of Wits
AND so it begins. Only a few days after the Aquino-Binay inauguration and already, a bevy of activities has ensued – the appointment of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr….
Change is Coming
LAST June 25, the Department of Tourism (DOT) announced that the tourist volume rose 5.4 percent to 3.65 million in the first five months of the year compared from the…