As we are writing this, the Commission on Elections, sitting en banc, had just deferred its decision on the disqualification case against presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe. The six poll commissioners, including Comelec Chairman Andres Bautista, were expected to deliberate again and make a decision the next day, Tuesday. We really can’t understand why the commissioners had… Read More »
Unlike other presidential candidates, with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, you either like him or you don’t. There is not much gray area. It’s black or white, day or night. He is either the strong leader in the mold of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew who will reform the country the tough way, or the dangerous dictator who could… Read More »
Politicians here are a smart breed. They can rationalize anything under the sun. Look at the people running for the two highest offices of the land in the national elections on May 2016. Under normal circumstances the pairings would be seen as either ludicrous, impossible or plain silly. Under normal circumstances, the players themselves wouldn’t team up… Read More »
Known as the City of Lights, Paris loves its nights. On Friday, tens of thousands of Parisians were out to enjoy the night – watching a friendly soccer game between Germany and France at the Stade de France, listening to an American band at the Bataclan concert hall, drinking their favorite cocktail at the La Belle Equipe Bar… Read More »
The Senate Electoral Tribunal here, stacked with more senators than justices, ruled that presidential candidate Grace Poe is a natural-born Filipino. A newspaper headline said Poe “jumped for joy” when she heard the news of the SET decision. When she lands back on earth, she should be scared, very scared. Several petitioners have questioned Poe’s citizenship status… Read More »
CHICAGO (JGL) – The Friday the 13th attacks in Paris that left 129 people dead were so shocking they overshadowed the Philippine Western Sea (South China Sea) issue in Manila’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)Summit in progress on the other side of the world. But if there was any message sent by the attackers, it was the possibility of reinstituting the… Read More »
Last Sunday, I attended a concert presented by the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines-USA chapter to commemorate the sixth year of the Maguindanao massacre and to raise funds for the education of the orphans of the 32 media men who were among 58 people killed in that brutal tragedy in 2009. Exactly six years have passed… Read More »
Last Friday, I took time out to register as an overseas voter at the Philippine consulate general in Los Angeles. Now, I can look forward to actually making my choice count for president, vice president and the 12 senators who will run the country for the next six years. If you bring with you the completed application form… Read More »
CHICAGO (JGL) – If you want to be selective in dealing with the media, it will be your poison. This was the lesson learned by Julius Tiangson, one of the five Filipino Canadian Member of Parliament candidates, who lost in the federal parliamentary elections in Canada last Monday, Oct. 19. Mr. Tiangson, a rookie candidate, was probably the… Read More »
MANILA There are things we do as a people that indicate we’re not serious about nation-building. Many of these things are basic communal failings that include our cavalier attitude toward protecting our environment. Look at all the litter in public places and the vandalism of buildings and walls. We’re inconsiderate of other people’s safety, security and convenience. We cheat,… Read More »