If there is something the Aquino administration should be proud about, it is the treatment of the marginalized sectors of our society, which Bianca Gonzalez characterized as ‘soft-glove’ treatment of non-performing citizenry, the squatters. And also in the light of a recent attempt to demolish the squatters along West Kamias, Q.C. which Mayor Herbert Bautista…
Bianca Gonzalez’s tweet about informal settlers (squatters) in Metro Manila stirred a massive of approval from the clattering masses of the blogsphere audience. She tweeted: “Ang dami nating nagtatrabaho para makaipon para sa prime lot at bahay plus buwis pa. Bakit nga ba bine-baby ang mga informal settlers?” Translation: “There are plenty of people working to save money for prime lot and house plus taxes. Why are we…
The floods in Manila accentuate the misery and suffering of city dwellers– leptospiroses, sudden spike in the prices of basic commodities, stranded commuters, city at standstill yet burning fuels by the barrels, contaminated water, enterprising street urchins propping up wooden gangplanks on submerged city streets to fleece few pesos from pedestrians crossing by, shanties both…
The first salvo against the novel “Inferno” by Dan Brown (released May 14, 2013 by Doubleday) was fired by Metro Manila Development Authority, (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino, for depicting erroneously Manila as “Gates of Hell.” After all government officials were fast tracking Manila as a fun center of commerce and trade, not as a center…
On April 9, 1942, or about 71 years ago this month, an estimated 76,000 Filipino and 12,000 American prisoners of war (POWs) began their trek which came to be known later as the “Bataan Death March,” from Mariveles, Bataan to Camp O’Donnel, Tarlac, an estimated 128 kilometer distance. On average, that “march” can last for…
When I was a young boy, many summers ago, my older brother related to me a story about the capture of a Japanese soldier at the twilight of Japanese occupation of the country who was bludgeoned to death by the townspeople. While he was being beaten up with hammer, bolos, clubs and sticks, he kept protesting…
Ms. Kristel Tejada, 16, would have been alive today had not the school officials of UP Manila acted more like they were bank officers motivated to chalk up more profit rather than act as “educators” charged with the lofty duty to train the minds and promote the well-being of their students. This freshman from Tayuman taking up…
Senatoriable Cynthia Villar, NP, thought her Feb. 23 public appearance at GMA TV “Pagsubok ng Mga Kandidato” was another “talipapa” gig that she can easily breeze through with abundant flair. She was mistaken. Ms. Winnie Monsod was not the regular “palengke habitue” who easily swoon to big-shot politicians and looked petrified over their embellished “public service” credentials. So it…
Blogs which pompously project themselves as libertarians and free speech advocates found a poster boy in the person of Mr. Carlos Celdran, who was recently convicted by Judge Juan Bermejo for violating Art. 133 of the Revised Penal Code, aka, “acts notoriously offensive to the feelings of the faithful.” He was convicted beyond reasonable doubt after trespassing…
The old martial law architect and enforcer, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, (JPE) exchanged a nasty word-war with a young Minority Whip, Senator Alan P. Cayetano over issues of unaudited “pork barrels” and MOOE, money for office maintenance and staff. It is frustrating to know how JPE disposes of the serious accusation of the young Senator…
Viewpoint Neutral 