Category Archives: Editorial

The Philippines’ Marcos problem

MANILA Like lookouts at the edge of a valley, concerned Filipinos are rushing to rouse the village: “The Marcoses are rising to power, the Marcoses are rising to power! To take over again as they did in the 1970s and 80s. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s attempt to rise from senator to vice president is just the start. Imelda… Read More »

Will we get a ‘teleserye’ president?

MANILA Vice President Jojo Binay and Sen. Grace Poe have been playing musical chairs at the top of the presidential surveys here. Former senator and interior secretary Mar Roxas and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte do the same for the Number 2 spot. Miriam Santiago trails badly, with only a single-digit share of the poll numbers. She should… Read More »

WILL PHL SUPREME COURT PLAY A KING MAKER?

CHICAGO (JGL) – Most of the popular sports that end up in a draw or tie are usually extended until the tie is broken by a toss coin or by any means by prior agreement. But in chess, if there is a stalemate, no amount of extra period can end the game. And the Philippine Supreme Court will… Read More »

Ang Tsubibo, Bow

By Butch Galicia While whiling winter blues away with peers in a mall’s fastfood zone, someone asked: Sino ba talaga ang tama? Is it Manny or Boy and Vice? Somebody replied: Pare, ang dapat itanong: “Sino ba ang may tama?” After a hearty laugh, panandaliang dumaan ang anghel as the group hushed. ***** So much was said and… Read More »

Grim, Bloody Proof

By: Butch Galicia On Feb. 25, 1980 in Cotabato City, a beautiful sunset was at its edge. The sky started to dim. Stars peeked and teased for a fervent wish. People milled and strolled in and around the plaza to relax and enjoy the cool air. Tired bodies trekked to the plaza’s corners, where passenger jeepney and tricycle… Read More »

Grace Poe’s next battleground

  Can presidential candidate Grace Poe win her disqualification cases at the Philippine Supreme Court? It’s quite possible. But if she does win and allowed to run, the next battleground will move to another area. Not in another court of justice but in the court of the people. The battle will shift to her abandonment of our country… Read More »

PH CONGRESS VIOLATED CIVIL RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS

  “An alien who applies for citizenship but does not complete the naturalization process is not a national of the United States.” — United States Supreme Court (Kamal Patel, et al. v. Jeh Johnson, et al, Jan. 2014)   CHICAGO (JGL) –  The inadequacy and failure of the Philippine government to provide job opportunities in the Philippines has forced… Read More »

Is Poe Aquino’s ‘Manchurian candidate’?

  Since the start of the year, Sen. Grace Poe has been getting unexpected support in the disqualification cases against her that are now pending before the Supreme Court. In the first week of January, the independent presidential candidate got a totally unexpected support from the government’s top lawyer, Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, who caught everybody by surprise… Read More »

Anger over pensions

Recently a bill came out of the Philippine Congress granting a P2,000 increase in retirees’ social security pensions. President Benigno Aquino III vetoed it, angering the retirees. The pensioners are restive. But it was Mr. Aquino’s legislative allies who let him down in the pension mess. His non-allies put him in a tight spot, intentionally surely. Any legislation… Read More »

Compassion not Aquino’s strength

President Aquino was just being consistent when he vetoed House Bill No. 5842 that would provide a P2,000 across-the-board increase in the monthly pension of Social Security System (SSS) pensioners. After all, it was not the first time this scion of hacenderos has rejected relief for the millions of poor families in the country. In 2013, Aquino, who… Read More »