by VERA Files Philippine Daily Inquirer If Filipinos are wondering how government officials and employees become millionaires overnight, buying expensive cars, moving to upscale homes,…
Making life worth living.
Month: November 2009
The discussions in the previous post on this question of how the next president would handle Gloria Arroyo have been vibrant. However, I noticed that some quoted just a part of the answers which could be misleading.
For my column for Abante I got all the answers of the four presidential aspirants: Senators Manny Villar, Benigno Aquino III, Francis Escudero and Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.
Although Che-Che Lazaro didn’t ask exactly the same questions to all the interviewees, more or less, you have an idea of their stand or lack of stand.
***
Ang isang bagay na gusto ng marami nating kababayan marinig sa mga kandidato para pangulo ay kung ano ang kanilang gagawin kay Gloria Arroyo kung sila ang maupo sa Malacañang.
Thanks to Dennis Garcia.
From:http://botomoko.blogspot.com/2009/11/batasan-moves-to-new-site.html
Philippine congressmen are the hardest working in the world.
Even if the legislative body will soon be on recess, most of its members have chosen to continue toiling and have decided to call a special session at MGM Las Vegas on Nov. 14.
A source of pride… the congressmen’s exemplary dedication makes paying taxes well worth it.
Congratulations to this year’s finalists for the 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards (PEBA).
This is the second year of this laudable undertaking being spearheaded by Kenji Solis and his associates. Please visit the site or simply click on the logo above or on the left side of this blog to know more about the contest and how you can participate in selecting the winners.
This year’s theme is “Filipinos Abroad: Hope of the Nation, Gift to the World”. Kenji said they started with 73 nominees from 21 countries (Hongkong is counted under China).
Awarding ceremonies will be on December 26, 2009, 6 pm at the UP Diliman Ang Bahay ng Alumni Convention Hall.
Feel the joys and the anguish of our kababayans through their blogs as they pursue their dreams away from home. Here are the finalists:
Concerned about how Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo treated the president of the Union of Foreign Service Officers, Victoria Bataclan, foreign service corps, including non-career employees, want to send this letter to Gloria Arroyo.
“We, the concerned members of the Philippine Foreign Service Corps, are dismayed at the action of Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Alberto G. Romulo to relieve Ambassador Victoria Bataclan of her duties as Assistant Secretary for the Office of European Affairs.
“Ambassador Bataclan is one of the best and brightest of our senior career foreign service officers. We therefore view the action of the Secretary as a retaliation against her for voicing the concern of the career foreign service corps over the appointments of political ambassadors.
SEN. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s strength—the legacy of his parents—is also his weakness. Blessed with sudden popularity reflected in the presidential surveys, he has become…
Armida Siguion-Reyna and son Carlitos celebrate their birthdays on the same day.
Last night they had a joint celebration at the White Space in Makati. Armida was the star, beautiful at 79, in her Aawitan Kita attire. Carlitos preferred to be in the background attending to the guests with wife, Bibeth Orteza.
Members of their families were there. I can only identify Armida’s husband, Atty. Leonardo Siguion Reyna; Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile; grand daughter Monique Villonco, sister Irma Pontenciano.
Guests were a merry mix of people from different sectors of society where Armida and Carlitos have made their mark.
Jon Santos, performing as Armida de la Reyna was a joy to watch. Willy Nep added more fun as She’erap’.
Imelda Marcos was there early. Children Bongbong and wife Liza and Irene with husband Greggy Araneta came later.
Here are additional photos:
Noong Martes, nabulaga tayo sa balita na nag-resign ang hepe ng Bureau of Internal Revenue na si Sixto Esquivias IV na tinanggap naman kaagad ni Gloria Arroyo.
Ang nakakagulat kasi sa balita ay ang pag-amin ni Esquivas na hindi niya natupad ang target nilang koleksyun ng buwis. Kaya sa pakiramdam diya, bagsak ang performance grade niya.
Desente tao itong si Esquivas. Ang ibang opisyal ng gobyerno kahit palpak, kapit tuko pa rin. Tingnan mo si Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez. Nagkalat ang kurap sa gobyerno. Garapalan ang mga anomalya ng mga taga-Malacañang, wala nakukulong na malalaking isda.
(This is Lito Banayo’s last column for Malaya as he would be Sen. Chiz Escudero’s campaign manager in the latter’s presidential bid in the 2010 elections.)
by Lito Banayo
Malaya
The surprise decision of Chiz Escudero to resign from the NPC was finalized in his mind and in his heart only on Tuesday morning, the day before he was expected to rally the troops at the Bahay ng Alumni of the University of the Philippines. A simple but emotionally rousing event had been planned to begin at 5:30 on Wednesday afternoon. After a quick lunch at his informal campaign headquarters, the cozy Taste of L.A. along Alejandro Roces St., conveniently two hundred meters away from his small townhouse unit in New Manila, the decision to resign was firmed up with heavy heart.
There was absolutely no rancour in his heart towards anyone in the party hierarchy. But clear positions and personal principles could not be viewed sceptically by the public because of present company. Present company are old and genuine friends — conscientious legislators with their constituents’ interest principal to them, with a loyal voter following brought about by years of good service. But in the larger view of the national interest at a time when public despair and despondency threaten to break the polity up, new solutions and fresh ideas, this amorphously defined cry for “Pagbabago” (Change), needed positing. And solutions offered had to go beyond motherhood statements, but specific stand on various policy issues.
There’s a brewing tension in what is traditionally a sedate world of foreign service that threatens to blow into the face Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo.
Last Friday, Assistant Secretary Victoria Bataclan was told that she has been relieved as assistant secretary for European Affairs. No reason was given.
The Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Ed Malaya gave the lame excuse that just like the military foreign service personnel are given different assignments in the course of their careers.