Skip to content

Month: January 2019

Gloria Arroyo: Astute as ever

Published by Ellen on January 28, 2019

Take note at how Gloria Arroyo, speaker of the House of Representatives, maneuvered on the controversial bill lowering the minimum age of criminal liability from age 15 which is in the existing law to originally, nine years old and finally 12.

In an interview after the bill, that has elicited outrage from several sectors of society, passed on second reading, Arroyo said she supported the bill even when the minimum age was nine years old “Because the President wants it.”

To stress her supposed support for Duterte she added, “From the beginning I said that my agenda is the President’s agenda.”

House Speaker Gloria Arroyo distributes land titles in Parola, Tondo. Photo from House of Representatives Public Affairs office.

Continue readingGloria Arroyo: Astute as ever

Save our children

Published by Ellen on January 27, 2019

Many of us have resigned to our fate of having Duterte as president until June 30, 2022. We will survive, we tell ourselves.

But not many of our children.

The House of Representatives passed on second reading last week a bill that wants the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR) in the Philippines from the current 15 to 12 years old.

They changed the word “criminal” to “social”, like coating poison with sugar.

Continue readingSave our children

No more: Places I used to go to

Published by Ellen on January 26, 2019

Coming back from an extended vacation, I started the year 2019 with a series of meetings, trying to catch up with the rapid developments as the country prepares for the May elections.

My friend and I agreed to meet at Café Museum, beside the Ayala Museum at the corner of Makati Avenue and De la Rosa streets.

When I got there, the place was closed. Construction work was being done. I asked the Ayala Museum security guard if Café Museum is undergoing renovation. He replied, “No. it is closed. No more.”

I’ll miss Café Museum. Aside from the food- modern Asian ( I love their palabok), I like the ambience– quiet and cozy with just enough space in between tables for some privacy.

Thanks to zomato.com for this photo.
Continue readingNo more: Places I used to go to

FlorCruz on Chinese Media: from small birdcage to a bigger bird cage

Published by Ellen on January 20, 2019
Jimmy FlorCruz with wife Anna (right) and Tessy Ang See.

How does one compress 47 years of an extraordinary life story in about 20 exhibit panels?

That was the challenge that Jaime FlorCruz faced when he agreed to hold an exhibit, an idea that he had long been discussing with Chinese-Filipino civic leader Tessy Ang See for Bahay Tsinoy Museum at the Kaisa Heritage Center in Intramuros.

The exhibit: “From the perch of an accidental China hand” is in Jimmy’s words “ an abbreviated version of my China journey as well as a look back at China’s history of the last 40-plus years” through his China junk – discarded posters, memorabilia and other stuff that he has collected or simply refused to discard.

It’s very interesting exhibit.

Continue readingFlorCruz on Chinese Media: from small birdcage to a bigger bird cage

Meaningful thoughts from ‘The Young Prince’

Published by Ellen on January 4, 2019
Boy on sidewalk Ho chi Minh city reading a comic book.

Across Ben Thanh market in Ho Chi Minh city, at a street corner, a little boy about seven or eight years old was lying on a spread out carton box material reading a comic book. With him was an old woman slicing mushrooms. At the feet of the boy was a dog dressed in red.

It was about seven o’clock in the evening. The light from a corner street lamp gave them illumination.
This was on the second day of 2019 and the city, still called “Saigon “by many, teemed with foreign tourists.

I asked permission to take their picture. The old woman responded with a kind smile and a nod. I approached and greeted the boy and he smiled so sweetly.

Continue readingMeaningful thoughts from ‘The Young Prince’