Covid-19 and the next elections

These, I think, are some of the first things that should be done to make our flawed elections—and our floundering democracy—work. Therefore, instead of simply calling on our Lord to lead good and honest “servant leaders” into the light, I believe we should all try to do the smallest things each of us can do to produce, first of all, an electoral system that will help manifest our genuine faith in God and in ourselves, as we seek to establish a just, honest and truly humane government.

Survive we must, but we must do a lot more

The world is now on its second year of the coronavirus pandemic. More than a couple of million people have died, and so many millions more have been infected, but the end is still nowhere in sight. Physical survival remains the single common concern of all, yet mere...

How close are we to midnight?

We remain locked down in our homes while the Executive and Congress run berserk to railroad all sorts of laws that deprive us of our basic rights and liberties, and our basic dignity as human beings. This goes against the natural order of things.

Is the next upheaval just a breath away?

The President should never tempt the military with visions of extra-constitutional power. For even if they should reject it, if the people lose their patience before God does, they could coalesce with the military as happened in February 1986.

Can we abide a terrorist state?

Locked down in our homes and isolated from one another since March, we have been praying for the global coronavirus pandemic to end, so we could start living our post-Covid lives. We pray that when we are finally able to sit down together again, we would find greater humanity in ourselves, to heal the wounds and ease the suffering of our post-pandemic world.

PH a US market for junk military equipment

In 2003, President George W. Bush designated the Philippines as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) ally after President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo supported Washington’s global war on terror to punish Islamist militans behind the World Trade Center attack on September 11.

Senator Marcos’ unfair ‘flying coffin’ remarks

Sen. Imee Marcos has described Philippine Air Force (PAF) assets as “flying coffins” after the US-manufactured C-130H transport plane crashed this week outside Patikul town in Sulu, killing 52 troops and civilians.

Sacrificing sovereignty

But do the actions of Philippine presidents, from Arroyo to Duterte, justify the violation of the constitution they have sworn to uphold and protect? Are we ready to throw out Philippine sovereignty in exchange for military cooperation with allies?

A very expensive public relations stunt

In a couple of weeks, the largest British armada since the war in the Falklands in 1982 will sail in the disputed waters in the South China Sea en route to Japan and South Korea, a display of the United Kingdom’s reemergence on the global stage.

 

Time to Love

The Holy Book says: “There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.” (Eccl. 3:1) Thus “there is a time to love.” (Eccl. 3:8)

Who is St. Thomas More?

Very little is known about St. Thomas More, the patron of statesmen and politicians as declared by Pope John Paul II in the year 2000. He lived a very inspiring life and is a model of firmness of conscience to the end.

Eyes on the Ice: Human rights diplomacy

Last week’s vote by United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) on the Iceland-backed resolution exasperated the sensitive Duterte administration and the DDS community.

Ninoy Aquino: Apostle of non-violent resistance

“I have returned to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedoms through non-violence.” This was part of the statement Ninoy Aquino wanted to deliver upon his arrival from exile thirty-six years ago.

The culture of death and social sin

We find ourselves living in a society where killing and corruption have become normal.  People don’t even consider these as sin. What is happening can be described as the “culture of death” – a term used by Pope John II in his encyclical “Evangelium Vitae.”

Ningas-kugon

Are Filipinos that forgiving or are we simply forgetful?

Living the ‘holiness of normality’

At an age when people, especially millennials, seem to seek personal fulfilment through high-profile accomplishments, one woman has just been recognized as a model of sanctity through devoting her life to teaching chemistry—without fanfare.