Category: Commentary
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Statement of Filipino participants to the 14th IACC
Filipinos who joined the 14th International Anti-Corruption Conference issued the following statement which mainly challenges President Noynoy Aquino to work towards the enactment of a Freedom of Information Law for the Philippines:
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Too many to mention: Filipino words for corruption
Suhol, lagay, padulas, pampadulas, tongpats, SOP, kotong, regalo, Christmas gift, pamasko, birthday gift, delihensya, pangyosi, love offering, pang-almusal (for breakfast), pang-tanghalian (for lunch), pang-merienda (for snacks), pang-hapunan (for dinner), para sa birthday ni hepe (for the chief’s birthday), Ninoy (short for P500 which features the face of former Sen. Ninoy Aquino), pakimkim, kickback, porsyento (percent),…
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‘How I Make a Difference as a Teacher’
Today, World Teachers Day, allow me to devote this space to something written by someone from among the hundreds of thousands of Filipino teachers. This someone was my first and certainly my best teacher. She’s my mother who’s now teaching at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. She shares her views on being a teacher…
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The Philippines’ #sentisabado
More and more Filipinos are joining Twitter but we have yet to put a distinctive Filipino mark on it, as distinct perhaps as the personalization many Filipinos once did on Friendster and what we do to our phones with themes, icons and ringtones.
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Independence Day 2010
We Filipinos today mark the 112th anniversary of the declaration of independence on June 12, 1898, the same day the Philippine flag was first unfurled and the anthem played. What is the meaning and relevance of “Independence Day” nowadays?
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“Ka Bel: The Life and Struggle of Crispin Beltran”
Ina Alleco R. Silverio offers her first book to everyone who dreams of finally seeing a new brand of Filipino politician – decent, incorruptible, patriotic and brimming with a sense of service to Filipinos, especially the downtrodden workers.
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2010 Elections: Waiting for a happy ending
We Filipinos love happy endings and we’d like to see one at the end of 2010 election season. But, so far, many appear not to be in a celebratory mood even after the Commission on Elections started announcing official results at the national level.
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Manny Villar for president
As the campaign closes, I declare my vote for Manny Villar. Allow me to share why:
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Education Act of 1982: 28 years of a failed social experiment
On Sept. 11, 1982, then-president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos celebrated his 65th birthday by, among others, signing Batas Pambansa 232 or the Education Act of 1982. This is one of the dictator’s worst “legacies” which continue to haunt the nation to this day.
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Satur Ocampo, activist and netizen
Ka Satur Ocampo, the respected leftist statesman running for the Senate this year, doesn’t look and act like he’s 70 years old, which he already is. His endurance is obvious in his active leadership and participation in street protests. He’s young at heart, remaining true to the hopefulness of the ranks of young Filipinos to…
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Nationwide protests to demand freedom for Morong 43
On March 5, various organizations are marching to historic Mendiola Bridge near Malacanang Palace to demand the immediate release of the 43 health workers illegally detained by the Arroyo administration. The march marks the first month since the illegal arrest of the health workers now known as the Morong 43.
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Blog Action Day: A Tribute to Heroes
The 1986 People Power uprising created countless heroes from among millions of ordinary folk who came out to defend the military from certain doom and to destroy a dictatorship that oppressed the people and plundered the treasury. That four-day rally became the country’s pride and the world’s shining example of what a united people could…
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Cabral’s libel case, bad for blogging
Secretary Esperanza Cabral is apparently harassing the blogger who blogged about the relief goods stockpiled in warehouses of the agency she used to head in the aftermath of supertyphoon Ondoy (Ketsana). She has filed a libel case against Ella Ganda for supposedly defaming her, the men and women of the Department of Social Welfare and…
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Supreme Court petition against Proclamation 1959
The National Union of People’s Lawyers, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, Bayan Secretary-General Renato Reyes Jr. and this blogger today went to the Supreme Court to file “A Very Urgent Petition for Certiorari and Prohibition with Very Urgent Application for a Temporary Restraining Order and/or Preliminary Injunction” at the Supreme Court.…
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Martial law non-solution to Maguindanao massacre
This is a second tragedy in two weeks: First, a massacre of at least 57 innocent civilians. Now, a massacre of the Constitution and everything we supposed to have learned from martial law. President Arroyo’s Proclamation 1959 is obviously unconstitutional: There is no invasion or rebellion to warrant martial law. What we have is transparent…
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Outshining the fake halo of empty reformist rhetoric
Sen. Chiz Escudero today surprised the nation by announcing his resignation from the Nationalist People’s Coalition and begged for time to make a final decision on a possible presidential candidacy in 2010. Speaking before media and supporters at Club Filipino, Escudero railed against party politics and attempted to tackle specific people’s issues — surprise! surprise!…
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Good news: Blogfest.Asia and AsianCorrespondent.com
I have a couple of good news to share. First is about what is touted as a gathering of Asian bloggers, Blogfest.Asia ’09 set to be held on Nov. 5-8 in Hong Kong. Among the speakers are fellow bloggers Blogie Robillo and Juned Sonido. They will share insights on “Peace Initiatives through Blogging” based on…
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‘Climate change’ and a new Philippine leadership
Today’s Blog Action Day comes soon after the latest survey updated the nation on the horserace among the prospective candidates for president in next year’s elections. As Filipino bloggers and the Philippine online communities (and those in many parts of the globe as well) take on the issue of climate change, I wish to pose…
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Paypal apologizes, seeks to “move forward” to help bring aid to typhoon victims
Soon after turning over to the Philippine National Red Cross the last check from TXTPower’s fundraising campaign for typhoon Ondoy’s victims, I received a call from Mr. Mario Shiliashki, general manager of PayPal Southeast Asia & India. Mr. Shiliashki told he was “reaching out on behalf of the company” to apologize for the incident and…