Having written a few columns on politics, I am often asked to comment on the probable course of political developments in our country in view of the 2016 presidential election. Recently, a friend asked whether I thought there was any chance Vice President Jejomar Binay might shelve his presidential ambition to ease the pressure from … Read more
Recently, I discovered to my dismay that my students in an undergraduate class in the University of the Philippines did not regularly read the newspapers, or listen to the news on radio, or watch the evening report on TV. These are students of the country’s premier state university; most of them are expected to be … Read more
Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago objects to the passage of the proposed national budget for 2015 because, among other things, it harbors pork barrel allocations, and thus violates the Supreme Court decision striking down the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF). The administration acknowledges that it has indeed received and taken into account project recommendations from lawmakers for … Read more
We know only too well what it means to have an undocumented relative living abroad. A parent dies and one of the children could not be at the funeral. An explanation, about invalid papers, is offered in hushed tones: “Hindi pa ayos ang papeles.” Or, we ask why someone very bright, with a college degree … Read more
The mass media recently performed their most outstanding function in society by showing the disturbing picture of a severely emaciated child lying naked on the cement floor of what was supposed to be the reception facility for Manila’s street children. That function has to do with the provision of information that “irritates” society by contradicting … Read more
The word “politics” or “pulitika” has been so abused and so misunderstood in our society that there is probably a need to clarify what it means. The concept comes out so badly in everyday usage that it is no longer recognizable except as a synonym for everything that is negative in public life. If it … Read more
If Vice President Jejomar Binay wishes to put a stop to the Senate blue ribbon subcommittee’s hearings on the corruption allegations against him, the person to talk to is not President Aquino. P-Noy is neither a senator nor a member of Binay’s party. Why would he use his own political capital to bail him out? … Read more
Before me, as I write this, is a copy of yesterday’s Inquirer. On the front page are two photos of Real Street in downtown Tacloban shot from the same angle. One was taken just days after Supertyphoon “Yolanda” swept through the Visayas, and the other exactly a year after. The two scenes portray resilience, for … Read more
When the two Germans being held by an armed group in Sulu were released on Oct. 17 after six months in captivity, a Philippine military spokesman announced that the foreigners were freed because of the pressure exerted by the military and that, in keeping with government policy, no ransom was paid to the kidnappers. The … Read more
After my parents died, I made it a point it to visit their graves whenever I had the chance. Instead of mumbling a prayer, I would silently address my thoughts to them. I would bring them news about a wedding in the family, or a new baby, or how my children were doing at school. … Read more