The actor Martin Sheen was in Manila this week, not to promote a movie, but to focus public interest on the situation of the Filipino urban poor.  Not too many people know that Sheen’s background is working class, and that for many years now, he has quietly championed the cause of the poor and the … Read more

There is hardly any news about the Centennial these days, apart from the launching of a watch especially designed for the occasion by Jaime Zobel de Ayala.  President Ramos himself recently expressed disappointment over the lack of appreciation by the general public of the significance of the nation’s coming 100th birthday.  What clearly excites most … Read more

Foreign journalists who come to our country to gather stories on Philippine politics nowadays never fail to ask about Erap.  They say the outside world’s fascination with Erap is fast approaching the intensity of its previous obsession with Imelda.  Imelda remains an abiding subject for international media apparently, but now there is also Erap, the … Read more

For over 30 years now, or from the moment I earned my own money, I have faithfully paid income taxes to the tax collector.  And for nearly 29 years now, or since we got married, my wife and I have dutifully filed a  joint income statement as a couple.  I cannot say that my relationship … Read more

There are no schools for making a marriage work and raising a family, or for seeking public office and serving the community.  It is remarkable that in areas where it matters most,  we seem content with learning by doing.  We take the plunge first, then we learn. Some go through an apprenticeship with an old … Read more

When I asked economic columnist Calixto Chikiamco in last week’s episode of Public Life what we must begin to do as a country to survive the economic catastrophe now looming ahead of us, his answer was: go back to agriculture.  From condos to farms, from cars to tractors, from skyways to farm-to-market roads, from golf … Read more

There are practical reasons why there should be an agreement with the Marcoses on what to do with the Swiss accounts.  First, our people need the money now rather than later.  In the absence of any clear proof that the wealth is ill-gotten, a compromise settlement involving the Marcos heirs is the only document that … Read more

At a recent gathering of the United Nations Association where he was to receive an award, Ted Turner, founder of CNN, though better known as Jane Fonda’s husband, jolted his audience by announcing that he was donating $1 billion to the United Nations.  The money will be turned over to the financially-strapped UN over ten … Read more

The issue in the September 21 rally, as I see it, is not whether the present Constitution should be changed now or at any other time.  The real issue is whether the Constitution should be changed in order to allow the incumbent president, in this case Mr. Ramos,  to stay in power longer than 6 … Read more

In his last televised special address to the nation before leaving for Russia and the Middle East, President Ramos showed that, when he wants to, he can be categorical and emphatic about a lot of things. There will be elections in May 1998, as scheduled, he said categorically.  And, he will oppose any move to … Read more