Running out of time
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…
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End of pain or start again?
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…
Road to recovery
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…
An end to the Filipino Veterans’ long journey
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…
Moving forward for 2010
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…
The first few days
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…
Another player for 2010?
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…
Change is on its way
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…
United in faith
“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,…
One more for Manny
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…
Christmas is in our hearts
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….
The Church, the Constitution and Change
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…
SOS – Save Our Sea
“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…
Running out of time
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…
Thank you, salamat
“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…
That Invincible Summer
“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…
A pitch and a homerun
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…
Our worth as Filipinos
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…
The bigger picture
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…
American football, Filipino style
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…
Asian Americans’ votes matter
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…
It matters where we stand
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…
Yes or no: Choosing the right proposition
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,…
One more time, Charice
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…
Recognizing the Filipino spirit
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…
Running for RP’s next president
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…
Are we ready for a change?
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. …
A nation rich in history
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…