While often confused with National Heroes Day, November 30 is a day we set aside to remember the heroism of Andres Bonifacio, the father of the Philippine Revolution. It is his birthday, the feast day of St. Andrew, after whom he was named. Most Filipinos do not remember when he died, or indeed, how he … Read more
Ask Filipinos if they think the basic problem of the nation today lies in the system of government or in the shameful quality of their political leaders. Ask them what they think needs to be urgently replaced – the Constitution or the present crop of politicians? I will bet my last peso their answer will … Read more
What was being fertilized with the P728-million fertilizer fund was not agricultural land but the barren soil of traditional politics. And this was carried out not by a shrewd solitary operator, but with the consent and connivance of a large number of politicians and public officials. The fund, originally set aside for agriculture, was released … Read more
He was, by any measure, the superior candidate: clear and eloquent where his opponent often mumbled and stuttered, cool and eventempered even when the other would dish out sharp rebukes. Barack Obama projected a high-mindedness that made the veteran John McCain sound petty and insular. He was charming and attentive, where the latter appeared condescending … Read more
As a young boy growing up in the provinces, I used to go to the cemetery at this time of the year, not to visit the dead, but to fly kites. There, on top of the blocks of tombs that housed the dead, I would set my frail paper kite against the chilly November wind. … Read more