The Filipino people met a different Rodrigo Duterte on his first day in Malacanang. No curses, no threats, none of those checkered Duterte shirts. Instead, he was described as “presidential, purposeful and persuasive” during his 15-minute inaugural speech following his swearing in as the 16th president of the Republic of the Philippines in Malacanang. And he was wearing… Read More »
By: Butch Galicia I asked a friend who works as a medical lab technician to check on my abs. I always thought that being athletic when I was younger would have made me a man of muscle. After a quick look, he inquired: Did you just ask me to check on your flabs? He turned away and murmured… Read More »
In the last 14 months or so Balita has been seeking answers to many questions about how some individuals and organizations seduce the Filipino community with sweet-talk and appeal to our sense of compassion. On the issues of accountability and transparency that Balita has been raising, in particular directed to specific people and organizations, as though an invisible… Read More »
There is never a day in my life when I do not pray to thank the Lord for all his blessings on me and my family here and in the Philippines. As Editor and Publisher of Balita, I was lucky to be associated with people that are knowledgeable, experienced and very generous in sharing their newspapering expertise, for… Read More »
MANILA Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won by six million votes last May 9. And he holds on to that margin as his license to do as he wants for the next six years. He didn’t lose any time giving his Cabinet members their marching orders. Duterte’s national chief of police has been in media eerily aping his boss,… Read More »
By Butch Galicia Someone once urged: “Go ahead. Do something stupid. I’ll bet no one will take heed.” I tried and did a lot of stupid things, and they all backfired. Forrest may have been a success, but that is Hollywood. ***** Compensate a balding head by growing a moustache and a beard. Is that stupid? The… Read More »
While we agree that eliminating the growing drug problem in the country should be a priority for the incoming administration of Rodrigo Duterte, we also hope that the tough-talking President-elect would give the same importance to removing from the face of the earth the other scourge of humanity, the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG). The Abu Sayyaf,… Read More »
MANILA At this point in his life, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has nothing to lose. He’s reached every politician’s ultimate dream: be President. What else is there to aim for? He’s there, at the top of the mountain. Now, he’s ready to die if that is his destiny. For the kind of person he seems to be,… Read More »
By Butch Galicia A great moment is a gem and so is a great memory; yet, both are as fleeting as time. Do remember that memories are of the past; and dreams, of a future. Relive memories and outlive dreams, if you must. But live the moment NOW. ***** On June 5 as the Markham Federation of… Read More »
“Shut up!” Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte uttered these words at least three times during the presidential campaign and in his daily press conferences since it became obvious he would be the next president of the Philippines. The tough-talking mayor told both the US and Australian ambassadors to shut up when the diplomats of the country’s… Read More »