With Philippine and American soldiers conducting joint military exercises right in the middle of the known lair of renegade Muslim commander Ameril Umbra Kato in Central Mindanao, both the Philippines and the United States are sending signals to the Muslim rebels that they are prepared to do anything to forge peace in that troubled region. Umbra Kato is… Read More »
September 30, 2011 marks the 73rd anniversary of the Munich Agreement, which was signed by the major powers of Europe to appease Germany’s Adolf Hitler from attacking Germany’s neighbors. After the signing, Britain’s Neville Chamberlain and France’s Edouard Deladier triumphantly brought home the “solemn pledge” signed by Hitler and Italy’s Benito Mussolini. Chamberlain proudly announced to Londoners, “peace… Read More »
MANILA Corruption in the past government appears to have been so rampant it makes one sick just thinking about it. Recent exposes about stealing the people’s money, crooked deals involving public funds, and plain abuse of power are so sickening in the stomach it’s hard to believe that such crookedness really took place. But it seems it’s true.… Read More »
CHICAGO (jGLi) – Because 19 hijackers involved in the September 11 attacks ten years ago came from Arab countries, anti-Muslim sentiments suddenly gained traction in the United States and its allied countries. Why? Most Arabs are Muslims while the minority are Christians. Put it this way, in the United States, majority are Christians (mostly Protestants) while a very… Read More »
Ber months na. To all of you still Pinoys! heart, aba, madaming paalaala ito- hmm, time to fill the balikbayan boxes with presents for loved ones back in the Pinas- makeup and beauty products for the relatives mahilig magpabeauty, branded sports shoes for the mapormang nephew/ niece, food items- spam, nutella, velveeta, etc (naku, may maidi display na… Read More »
“Figaro” is the name of the main character in the play, “The Barber of Seville,” which was first played in 1775. But today – or should I say in the last decade – “Figaro” was the name of the most powerful and, allegedly, the most corrupt person in the Philippines. You don’t read “Figaro” everyday in the newspapers.… Read More »
Since 2005 Philippine Press Club Ontario has played host to annual winners of Marshall McLuhan Prize for excellence in Philippine journalism. This year’s winner is Carol Arguilles, news editor of prolific no-nonsense weekly web-based paper published from Davao City, the Mindanews. The Marshall McLuhan Prize is a “flagship public diplomacy” initiative of the Canadian Embassy in Manila. Named… Read More »
Finally, after five years of being classified as “Top Secret,” the Aquino administration released the “Mayuga Report” but only after the Department of Defense reviewed it. Oddly, but not surprising, the report cleared four generals of alleged involvement in the “Hello Garci” election cheating scandal in 2004. Those cleared were generals Hermogenes Esperon, Roy Kyamko, Gabriel Habacon, and… Read More »
The most sensible thing I heard from the Philippines in the past week were the words coming from Senators Franklin Drilon and Allan Peter Cayetano, who said there would be no let-up in the investigation by the Senate blue ribbon committee of the corruption allegations against the ailing Arroyos. Drilon and Cayetano were, of course, referring to Gloria… Read More »
CHICAGO (jGLi) – The Manila Hostage Crisis a year ago devastated the Philippine tourism industry just as 9/11 caused inbound tourism in the United States to take a nosedive. But unlike the United States, which does not have a national tourism czar, the Philippines is one of the many developing countries, which elevated the duties of promoting the… Read More »