TORONTO – A judge on Tuesday sentenced Rowena Villanueva, a 49-year-old “pathological gambler,” to 18 months in prison for defrauding at least 16 people the magistrate called “unsophisticated and of modest means” of close to half-a-million dollars in an investment scam. Villanueva stood weeping before Provincial Court Justice Ford Clements and offered to kneel before her victims in a dramatic display of… Read More »
MANILA Question: Don’t we have too many shopping malls in the Philippines already? Mall chains have gone berserk constructing massive marts of merchandise all over the country. Metro Manila (and I bet other urban centers) is suffocating from too many of these gigantic expos of clothing and an endless selection of material items. The grapevine tells… Read More »
Prime mentors of Canada is celebrating its silver anniversary in May, 2014. This educational venture deserves the accolade of all Canadians, both born in Canada and immigrants. It is a distinct contribution to the Canadian Mosaic founded by a noted educator whose country of origin is the Philippines. Dr. Conchita Tan-Willman a professor emeritus of the Ontario Institute… Read More »
The News UpFront: (TOP STORY) as of Saturday, April 12, 2014 ~ “Kapuso” or “kapuki”? That question has found an answer in Toronto, thanks to the organizers of that sleazy show called “Eat Bulaga”. The nerve center of the soul has been replaced by the nerve center of lust, so “kapuso” becomes “kapuki”, for the most part exemplified… Read More »
When I go to the Philippines later this month to cover the visit of President Obama, I am going to prepare a few questions just in case I am given an opportunity to pop a question. Mr. President, Secretary of State John Kerry, your global diplomat, in the 2013 Country Report on Human Rights Practices in the Philippines,… Read More »
Now I can understand why Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma has become Malacanang’s preferred spokesperson. Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda is too confrontational and his biases and prejudices are just too obvious for a person speaking on behalf of the President. In contrast, Coloma is cool, cautious and diplomatic. Take the case of the allegations of Czech Ambassador Josef… Read More »
With its access to Philippine military bases a foregone conclusion, the United States has recently been very aggressive in its stance against China’s aggression in Asia and the Pacific. News reports have been coming out the past few days from Washington of State Department, Defense Department and Congress officials, saying in explicit terms that the United States… Read More »
Balita has been receiving complaints from victims of Ms. Rowena, a.k.a. Winnie Lyn Santiago, who allegedly scammed them with a proposed travel agency investment. Ms. Santiago presented herself as co-owner of Smart Choice Travel and encouraged her victims to invest in her travel company and in return they would get a generous interest monthly. To entice investors… Read More »
Now Filipino women have access to reproductive health services from the government. The Supreme Court has finally declared the Reproductive Health Law “not unconstitutional.” Although the high court struck down some provisions of the law, it has finally cleared the law for implementation. Opponents have been given a couple of weeks to move for a reconsideration… Read More »
The signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) between the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front expectedly drew mixed reactions from various sectors. While foreign governments and local business leaders welcomed the peace agreement, in the words of Vice President Jojo Binay, as “the first step in the long journey to peace and… Read More »