Over Cups of Coffee

Balita’s previous issue reported on Cebu-based honorary Canadian Consul Robert Lee being here to talk to several personalities, including businessman Steve Pagao and retired Judge Ric Manankil. Over coffee, the report said, Mr. Lee “cobbled together a think tank on ways to promote unity among Filipino-Canadians…” With all due respect this is a lofty and noble intention on… Read More »

Joe the contrarian

Retired lawyer, blogger and community critic Joe Rivera has said goodbye, written his last blog and with stinging accuracy. I would say or describe it as “ tama sa leeg “simply because he hit his targets right on the mark. Together with colleague Butch Galicia of Libretto, I say, may I join your motley company because just like… Read More »

Barrio Homecoming

It was more than twenty years since that colourful graduation day in the Barrio Intermediate School. During those years completing the seventh year course was indeed a real achievement’ not so many could complete the seven years course for many reasons. Many would start late in the primary grades and by the time they would reach the intermediate,… Read More »

REMEDIES AGAINST REAL ESTATE DEVELOPER

Q. Greetings Atty Wong! We bought parcels of real estate property consisting of two lots in a subdivision in Batangas on installment basis and have fully paid the agreed purchase price. Full payment was contested by the Real Estate Developer but at the end, the Housing Land Use Regulatory Board (HLRUB) issued a decision in our favor. The… Read More »

Garcia’s ‘Sweetheart Deal’

Last December 16, 2010, in a move that surprised the Aquino administration, Maj. Gen. Carlos Garcia (ret.) pleaded guilty to a lesser crime of direct bribery and facilitating money laundering. In return, Garcia would surrender P135 million out of the P303 million he allegedly plundered. As part of the plea bargain, Garcia “cleared” his wife Clarita and sons… Read More »

Warning on warming

The recent storms that pounded California in December and the record snow blizzards and extremely chilly weather that caused chaos in Europe and the northeastern United States and Canada should serve as a grim reminder to people all over the world that climate change brought about by global warming is no longer just a problem of future generations,… Read More »

The Black Nazarene: Filipinos’ devotion and leap of faith

Mang Ben Pineda (not his real name) and his wife had traveled almost 5-6 hours in the early morning of January 9 arriving in Manila just in time to catch the gathering multitudes of people now almost numbering millions. By the time the procession had started, Mang Ben and his wife had braved the intense heat and occasional… Read More »

2011 FORECAST

This is the time of year when we try to see what’s ahead for everybody. Psychics, seers, astrologers, and visionaries will guide us of our destiny. But, it is still our own free will that will make our future. AVV111 What will be the pathway of the government; the destruction caused by weather changes or any other natural… Read More »