Month: July 2012

Ang kagandahan ni Maita Gomez

Published by Ellen on July 14, 2012

Nakakalungkot. Wala na si Maita Gomez.

Pumanaw si Maita habang siya ay natutulog Huwebes ng hapon, habang ang buong bansa ay namimighati sa pagkamatay ni Dolphy.

Sabi ni Anna Leah Sarabia, kaibigang matalik ni Maita, natulog si Maita pagkatapos niya kumain ng tanghalian. Ginising siya ng kanyang anak nang tumawag ang kanyang opisina. Hindi siya sumasagot at nang buksan ang kanyang kuarto, patay na siya.

Napaka-payapa ng kanyang pagpanaw.Sabi nga namin ni Human Rights Commissioner Etta Rosales nang magkita kami sa burol ni Maita,kung pwede lang sana hilingin kay Lord, ganun na rin niya kami kukunin.

Nakakatuwa nga kung isipin ang buhay ni Maita na laki sa mayamang pamilya, kolehiyala, naging model, beauty queen, na naging amazona.

Nag-aral si Maita ng medisina sa University of the Philippines. Siguro doon umigting ang kanyang pagka-mulat sa hindi makatarungan na pamamalakad ng pamahalaan at ang maaring papel na gampanan ng bawat mamamayan.

Remembering Alex Melchor on his 10th death anniversary

Published by Ellen on July 13, 2012

Tomorrow, July 14, 2012, the Alejandro Melchor Jr. Foundation in collaboration with the Far Eastern University (FEU) will sponsor a “Pathways to Leadership: Young Leaders Conference” in commemoration of the 10th Death Anniversary of Alejandro Melchor Jr., to be held from 8am to 5pm at the FEU-IAS Conference Center, at Nicanor Reyes St. (formerly Morayta St.) Manila.

Among the Conference participants are the Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines (TOSP); the Ayala Young Leaders (AYLC); FEU student leaders and FEU alumni young leaders; the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) senior Cadets, and the University Leaders’ Consortium with Student Council presidents from the premier universities and colleges of the country. This Conference is being held for the purpose of gathering, unifying, molding and organizing men and women, with wisdom, character, audacity and commitment, into a new breed of transformational leaders to build the nation.

A Commemorative Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Raul Martirez, DD. at 11am. This will be followed by a special luncheon with the honorable DPWH Sec. Rogelio Singson as the Guest Speaker.

Watching Mindanao and monitoring ARMM

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2012

Two Mindanao related online sites up as voters registration get underway in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, the most controversial area during elections.

Last Monday, the U.S. Embassy launched a new blog: “Peace, Prosperity, and Partnership in Mindanao.” (http://blogs.usembassy.gov/mindanao)

The U.S. Embassy release quoted Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. saying, “Every time I visit Mindanao I am impressed with its rich cultural diversity, the enthusiasm of its youth, and its tremendous potential.

We are trying to do our part to help create opportunities, foster understandings, and promote good governance and human rights.”

The Espiritu-Gerodias opera team back in Barber of Seville

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2012

By PABLO A. TARIMAN,VERA Files

Tenor Arthur Espiritu in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Comfortable in Rossini's danger spots.

A full-length Barber of Seville by Rossini opens at the CCP Friday night until Saturday with opera lovers focused on the Count Almaviva of Arthur Espiritu who is the first Filipino tenor to sing at La Scala di Milan.

With soprano Rachelle Gerodias as Rosina, Barber of Seville is the first comic opera seen at the CCP after more than a decade. The less-heralded Don Giovanni by Mozart staged at the CCP in the mid-90s would have been a good introduction to the genre. But as it turned out, Don Giovanni had some opera lovers walking out even before the opera’s last arias were heard.

All eyes of course will also be on the PPO ex-music director, Ruggero Barbieri who figured in an earlier Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the CCP, followed by Don Giovanni (1999) and Il Trovatore in Singapore (2001)

Philippines alone in ASEAN vs China

Published by Ellen on July 10, 2012

DFA explains why there was no ASEAN communique: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/44771/why-there%E2%80%99s-no-asean-joint-communique

Update:Southeast Asian summit breaks up in acrimony
Agence France-Presse
Posted at 07/13/2012 2:52 PM | Updated as of 07/13/2012 3:02 PM

PHNOM PENH – Days of heated diplomacy ended in failure Friday as splits over territorial disputes with China prevented Southeast Asian nations from issuing their customary joint statement at a summit Friday.

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/07/13/12/southeast-asian-summit-breaks-acrimony

As of late afternoon Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, who were meeting in Pnom Penh, Cambodia, had not released the joint communiqué which usually concludes the meeting.

Reporters covering the 45th ASEAN FMM said the discussion Monday was contentious between the Philippines and the chair, Cambodia over the subject of Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippines, represented by Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario, introduced the following paragraph in the draft communiqué. The capitalized phrases were taken out by Cambodia, apparently in consideration of China, but the Philippines insisted on its restoration: “ In this context,we discussed in depth the recent developments in the South China Sea INCLUDING THE SITUATION IN THE SCARBOROUGH SHOAL, and expressed serious concern over such development in the area PARTICULARLY THOSE CONTRARY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE 1982 UNCLOS RELATED TO THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELVES OF COASTAL STATES. In this connection we called on all parties to respect THE EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE AND CONTINENTAL SHELVES OF COASTAL STATES as well as the freedom of navigation in and overflight over the South China Sea as provided for by the universally recognized principles of international law,inclusing the 1982 UNCLOS. “

Ano ang dapat parusa sa nagti-text habang nagmamaneho?

Published by Ellen on July 8, 2012

Don Mariano bus accident — Result of texting while driving

Wala palang batas na nagbabawal mag-text habang nagda-drive?

Sa dami ng ating mga mambabatas, dapat may mag-file na ng ganung batas. Huwag nang hintayin pa ng magbuwis pa ng maraming buhay sa aksidente.

Noong Miyerkules, naaksidente ang isang “Don Mariano” bus sa EDSA-Ortigas flyover. Sumampa sa railing. Mabuti lang hindi nahulog . Walong pasahero ang nasugatan. Maulan nang oras na iyon.

Hindi na nga maganda ang panahon na dapat maingat ang pagmamaneho. Ang siste, nagti-text pa ang driver kaya naaksidente, ayun sa mga pasahero.

Kapag nagmamaneho, dapat ang mata ay sa kalsada. Tapos itong driver, na nasa kamay ang buhay ng maraming pasahero, magti-text?

Paliwanag ni Commissioner Ricardo David sa sitwasyon sa NAIA1

Published by Ellen on July 7, 2012

Sumulat si Bureau of Immigration Commissioner Ricardo A. David ,Jr. na dating Philippine Armed Forces chief of staff, tungkol sa aking sinulat noong Hulyo 1 tungkol sa sobrang haba na pila sa immigration sa NAIA 1.

Ipinaliwanag ni Commissioner David na pitong buwan na nakasara ang ilang parte ng runway ng NAIA dahil inaayos kaya kailangan walang eroplano sa runway 30 minutos makalaampas ang hatingggabi. Dahil doon, sunod-sunod ang mga dating ng eroplano.

Ang problema, maliit talaga ang lugar para sa immigration sa NAIA I.

Ito ang isang parte ng sulat ni David: “Please be informed tha the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has commenced implementing a seven-month partial closure of the NAIA due to runway repairs from January to August 2012 from 00:30H to 5:30H, affecting departing and arriving flights at the NAIA.

Has Aquino thought of PH sovereignty in plan for U.S. spy plane over SCS?

Published by Ellen on July 5, 2012

Reuters interview — Claims he was taken out of context but affirms the idea.

President Aquino committed a major blunder when he disclosed to Reuters his plan to ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the Spratlys in South China Sea to help monitor the area which is being claimed by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

Reuters’ quote of Aquino was “We might be requesting overflights on that.”

The report said Aquino was referring to U.S. P3C Orion spy planes. “We don’t have aircraft with those capabilities,” Reuters further quoted Aquino.

The blunder was shocking enough. Imagine the chief executive of the land announcing a major national security plan that would cede Philippine sovereignty to the United States!

But the tragedy is that Aquino does not even know that he committed a blunder.

The advantage of having De Lima as CJ: she will also be SC spokesperson

Published by Ellen on July 3, 2012

Based on Justice Secretary Leila de Lima’s account of how she transitioned from being a “reluctant” nominee for Supreme Court chief justice to one who will be a “unifying force” in the judiciary, it happened after her meeting with President Aquino.

It is presumed that unlike Internal Revenue Commissioner Kim Henares who decided to stay put at the Bureau of Internal Revenue after she was told that it is important that the reforms she has introduced in the agency have to sustained, De Lima was encouraged by the President.

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said De Lima told him that the President’s encouragement consisted of “It’s up to you, you make your decision.”

Lacierda also said whatever decision De Lima makes, the President will respect it.

P100 million to combat human trafficking

Published by Ellen on July 1, 2012

DCIM100HPDVC — De Lima with Human trafficking victim

Amidst stories of Filipinos being lured by syndicates to a life of misery and degradation, here’s a silver lining:

Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad has granted the request of the Department of Justice for P100 million for the 2013 operations of the Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking.

There were fears earlier that the DBM would only give IACAT P40 million which is even P10 million less.

Justice Undersecretary Jovy Salazar, who is in-charge of IACAT, said “The IACAT 2013 budget approval is a recognition and acknowledgment of the importance of what we do for the most vulnerable members of our society. We are truly grateful and up to the challenge.”