‘Hell on earth’ for human trafficking victims

Human trafficking is another major problem that has plagued the country for decades. Despite increased resources given to the task force against human trafficking, the Philippines remains, according to the US State Department 2013 report, a major source country for sex-trafficking and forced labor, adding that “child sex tourism remained a serious problem” in the country. Just last… Read More »

The snail pace of justice in the Philippines

MANILA What’s frustrating to the average Filipino citizen like me is the unreliability of the meting of justice in our country. Cases take forever to resolve. And when they are resolved, they’re often dismissed in favor of the sued culprit. Prosecutors and the police make a big hoohah about apprehending suspects and throwing the book at them. The… Read More »

BENCHMARK FOR CRITICAL JOURNALISM Toronto’s Million-Dollar Stories in ‘Balita’ Newspaper

~ The benchmark for critical writing and news analysis has just been unwittingly and grudgingly highlighted in two million-dollar lawsuits against Balita, Toronto’s largest Filipino newspaper, and its publisher and a reporter. With the complaints, the publication has solidified its standing as a reliable and trusted confidant, an independent watcher beholden to no one but the truth. A… Read More »

Views from the Fence

Fire!!! And Ice!!! It was scary! It seemed unreal. The sky was lit by the gigantic flames. In four hours, that demonic inferno consumed a senior’s home, the residence of 52 vulnerable people in the sunset of their lives, mostly in their eighties and nineties, majority of whom had limited mobility. It was a home of the aged… Read More »

BB. PILIPINAS, TURNING BEAUTY INTO SKIN-DEEP?

CHICAGO (FAXXNA/jGLi) – The public comments of Bea Rose Santiago right after winning the Miss International beauty contest in Japan were so shallow and so plastic, they did not sit well with her supporters. When it came for Ms. Santiago to acknowledge the people to thank for, all she could muster was the name of Stella Marquez Araneta,… Read More »

CHINESE AND WESTERN HOROSCOPE

Its East meets West. Both the astrology and horoscope of both ends of the world combined to make up the bold prediction of the year ahead for us. AVV114 It’s Chinese New Year once again and hope for dreams to come true is up in the air. But we Filipinos who believe both in Eastern and Western horoscope… Read More »

Ngayon Bagong Taon! Buhay ay patuloy!

Alahoy! Kalikoy! Hala! Pinoy bangon! Tulong – tulong! Tungo sa pagsulung! Wah! Alang bibitaw ! Anggapo uurong! Sa habang panahon! Mabuhay ang Pinoy! *** Sa nagdaang Pasko e nagsalu – salo! Yung pinagsaluhan e kahit pa ano! Bastat mahalaga e nabundat tayo, Sa pagmamahalan! Kahit pa wapeLOO! *** Ne, umpuk – umpukan duun sa Square One! Sa Parliament… Read More »

Recognition of Citizenship

Q. Hello attorney . I was browsing the net and came across your column . My concern is my immigration status in the Philippines. Years back, I applied for a recognition as a Filipino citizen and just recently I was approved by the Bureau of Immigration(BI) . My dad was an American and my mom is a Filipino.… Read More »