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Revisiting US role in Mindanao

The US had some roles in Mamasapano and in Marawi. The Philippines has to review how beneficial the US presence in Mindanao because Washington may have shifted its focus to countering China’s growing influence in the region rather than fighting Islamist militancy.

The shaky South China Sea claims

Like the artificial islands it had created in the Spratlys, China’s claims on almost the entire South China Sea are resting on shifting sands.

Washington’s inconsistent foreign policy

In the face of escalating tension with Beijing, not just in the Indo-Pacific region, Washington needs countries like India, the Philippines, and Vietnam to contain China.

Abolish the Senate

The House of Representatives’ moves to abolish the bicameral legislature’s upper chamber or the Senate could be justified.

EDSA in Luneta?

But let them have the streets of EDSA. We can pray at the Luneta where we yearly pray with the Poong Nazareno and where we prayed in the millions with Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis.

The visit of Ursula von der Leyen to Manila

Can the Marcos Jr. government, which deems itself beholden to Duterte popularity for winning the 2022 election race, navigate itself through the EU by invoking the two conditionalities as non-negotiables?

A tourism slogan for Islas Ladrones

We rebranded alright, but as world-class copycats, and worse as thieves. It is only right that the Japanese will have the last word in pronouncing Love the Philippines.

GOMBURZA: the inside story

Since hitting the theaters in December last year, many things have already been said about the film by movie critics, historians, academicians and blogging moviegoers. Let me add this piece. After all, it was Jesuit Communications, the media arm of the Jesuits in the Philippines, that produced the film.

Like a house of cards

Here’s one probable, brief explanation of how we unraveled as a country. It began with Duterte’s undeniable charisma that catapulted him to power.

Food for thought

We are of course only scratching the surface of the problem here. Food security and food waste are also grave ecological issues. 

Engaged!

“Move on! Why can’t you just forgive and forget as the Bible teaches!” This was one of the criticisms that many Leni Robredo supporters received during last year’s heated election period when they try to bring up the issue of Martial Law.

Samboy Lim’s greatest lesson

He taught with passion especially to those who needed more attention in polishing their skills. Samboy was a generous teacher because he taught his students everything he knew about playing the game at the highest level.

UST still doing it right in managing its basketball program

Over the weekend, a Facebook fan page called “The Growling Tigers of UST” posted its sentiments on how the University of Santo Tomas (UST) should manage it men’s basketball team. This was after the Growling Tigers, now under the guidance of Thomasian basketball great...

Free (basketball) world, free trade

At this point, the option to leave is very tempting because what they have inside their backyard is not the best. And we live in a free world. The best provider of the food on the table at the end of day will always be the best option.

‘MaJoHa’ and proposal

We need to refocus our priorities and check our motivations because if we continue to patronize these non-essentials, we are breeding a whole generation of MaJoHa. God help us.

Let’s talk about ‘malice’

This manipulation and exploitation of our legal system has got to stop. Power to abuse is the very essence of abuse of power. The Constitution is not a piece of clay that one can shape or bend to follow an official’s sinister purpose.

Does he have what it takes?

The designation “President” does not assure anyone that business will come running to the one bearing the title. Business leaders can smell leaders who know their business. Making a quick buck is easy. It’s making a difference in life and in business that makes the work truly mind-blowing.

The Critical Issues the Church Faces

In season or out of season, the leadership as well as the members of the Church – whether bishops, clergy, religious and laity – cannot abandon their mission as prophetic conscience and servants of the people and society in general. In spite of perceived powerlessness and declining influence, the Church has an important role in bringing about social transformation as the nation find itself in a long dark night.

Invisible Army

The unseen enemy is targeting the top brass.
From solons who granted him more power & money

We are one, despite our differences

In the name of God and country, we must allow the incoming administration, whatever we think of it, to perform or fail, according to its real merits. Accompanied by our religious, moral and political leaders, we must try to lift our society from any false need to judge one another unkindly because of our political or other human differences.

A conflict-averse president? Part II

If BBM’s political enemies have not given up, and if they have assessed him to be “conflict-averse”, they might be tempted to recreate the scenario against his dad.

A conflict-averse president?

The winners in the May 9 elections have not been officially proclaimed, but world leaders have already recognized former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as the 17th president of the Philippines. US President Joe Biden is the first one to extend such recognition. China’s President Xi Jinping and others have followed.

Voting with a Dream

I do not want to end this column with a note of sadness, so permit me to note something that gives me hope. Hope that more and more Filipinos will dream big for our country. This is no less than the presidential campaign of Leni Robredo, which has managed to inspire a grassroots passion and creativity unseen in ANY previous presidential campaign in the entire history of the Philippines. It is a campaign marked by Hope with a capital H and spawned the sense of being able to make a difference.

SHIT in the time of COVID

The following was forwarded to me, and instead of trashing it because of its title and its unknown origin (although its references are mostly Christian), I gave it a chance—and I am thankful I did.

‘My daughter is a lesbian’

“No matter how carefully we raise our children, we come to the point when we have to surrender control as parents. Their life is now their own to live. Especially their love life. But although we shouldn’t pick love partners for them, we can always remind them to always nurture their Friendship with God.”

A letter lights a candle in the dark

Sometimes my email inbox yields something so precious that I feel it must reach as many eyes and ears as possible.  One example is this one sent to me by my dear nuns at the Sœurs de la FamilleMissionnaire de Notre-Dame convent in Cannes, France.

Dream on Philippines

Another raging issue has hit the homeland – the conviction for libel of Maria Ressa of Rappler.

Coronavirus

​As I write this, I am grateful to all of those who have expressed concerns and offered prayers for our safety.

Patron of statesmen and politicians

One of the gaps in our troubled world today is the lack of role models, those who embody the ideals of what we would like to be, or what we could become as individuals and as a nation. Perhaps, this gap is most felt in the field of government and politics.

Again, the issue on the Separation of Church and State

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) came out with A Pastoral Letter and A Call to Prayer on July 16 appealing to the Filipinos to pray for the country because of the threat of abuses to freedom due to the signing of the Anti-Terrorism Law on July 3.

We shall overcome

These past few weeks, we have been mercilessly punched by adversaries.  The Covid infection has been rising in the country.

Unreasonable

The IATF came out with a recent decision that set the parameters for activities for the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) and the Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ).

Checkpoints, food chains and the frontlines

Checkpoints are not new. Vehicles or persons are generally allowed to pass through these checkpoints after a customary visual inspection and answering a few questions, or more recently, upon presentment of quarantine passes.