Malaya – Page 76 – ellen tordesillas

Bizarre indeed

Published by Ellen on March 29, 2007

I looked at the statistics of the Department of Education and I deeply understand why Jun Ducat had to do something drastic for the 145 children in his Musmos Day Care Center.

DepED statistics (2004) showed that for every 100 children Grade One pupils in the Philippines, only 51 or about half manage to finish high school.

DepEd has this term “cohort survival rate” (CSR) that means “the proportion of enrollees at the beginning grade or year who reach the final grade or year who reach the final grade or year at the end of the required number of years of study.”

Not yet time to rejoice

Published by Ellen on March 27, 2007

Yesterday, I was starting to write this column and my opening sentence was: “As long as Joselito Cayetano is not declared a nuisance candidate, I will regard Comelec Chair Benjamin Abalos as the hatchet man of Mike Arroyo.”

A few minutes after 12 noon, I got a text message from Comelec spokesman James Arthur Jimenez: “Joselito Cayetano has been disqualified.”

Jimenez said Commissioner Resureccion Borra, in a press conference, announced the decision of the Commission’s first division to declare Joselito Cayetano as a nuisance candidate.

Genuineopposition.com

Published by Ellen on March 25, 2007

The Genuine Opposition party has brought their campaign to cyberspace to efficiently reach out to Filipinos all over the world. The address is http://www.genuineopposition.com.

For journalists, this gives us access to what is happening in the opposition front without us going physically to their headquarters or joining their sorties. The blog is six-days old and still a work in progress.

The few times that I attended the briefing of GO Spokesman Adel Tamano, I noticed that he and his fellow resource persons for the day (usually some senatorial candidates or party leaders like former Ambassador Ernesto Maceda) cover a lot of issues but only one or two make it to newspapers or TV. I have not monitored radio coverage.

Media seeks access to Trillanes

Published by Ellen on March 22, 2007

Members of media have filed a petition before Presiding Judge Oscar Pimentel of the Makati Regional Trial Court to be allowed to interview former Lt (s.g.) Antonio F. Trillanes IV, a senatorial candidate of the Genuine Opposition, who is currently detained at the Marine Brigade in Fort Bonifacio.

I signed the petition. There were about 20 names I saw in the petition last Wednesday and some of the names I remember are that of Conrad de Quiros of the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Billy Esposo of the Philippine Star, Joy de los Reyes of Malaya, Chit Estella of the Philippine Journalism Review, and Booma Cruz of the Probe Team.

The petition states that Trillanes, being a candidate of the Genuine Opposition, his personal and political views are of importance to the public. It’s our role in media to convey that to the public to help them make an informed choice on Election Day.

Welcome intervention

Published by Ellen on March 15, 2007

On-the-run Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, a subject of Gloria Arroyo’s political purge, is on YouTube appealing to the international community who have expressed alarm over the human rights situation in the Philippines to pressure the Arroyo administration to stop the unabated repression and the killings.

Fresh lemon grass

Published by Ellen on March 11, 2007

While I was undergoing chemotheraphy fro my ovarian cancer, my oncologist, Dr. Cecilia Llave, suggested that I try tanglad (lemon grass) for a drink, a tip she got from one of her patients.

That’s what I have been doing the past three years. I don’t know if tanglad has something to do with it but so far I’m okay.

A few weeks ago, an article on the medicinal powers of tanglad had been going the rounds of internet. There’s no harm trying this. A bunch of tanglad is ten centavos. Or you can plant in your backyard for a steady supply.

The article is by Allison Kaplan Sommer:

Continue readingFresh lemon grass

Migrants’ Election Manifesto

Published by Ellen on March 8, 2007

A group called “Concerned Overseas Filipinos Worldwide” is harnessing the power of Filipino overseas to effect change in the country through this coming election.

It has come out with the following manifesto:

We, the Overseas Filipinos worldwide, urge each and everyone in the coming May electoral contest to implore all political parties, emerging parties and their respective candidates to bring forth a platform-based campaign so that the electorate can choose credible persons who are worthy to lead the nation. In order to advance democratic governance in the Philippines, there should be a structure or process of reform that promotes increasingly participatory and accountable governance. In this context, the will and voice of the people should be respected at all times and the sanctity of the ballots must be safeguarded.

Continue readingMigrants’ Election Manifesto

A true Filipino

Published by Ellen on March 6, 2007

Our column last February 28 on the advocacy of detained Marine Capt. Nicanor Faeldon has elicited an inspiring letter from someone who declined to give his name.

Although the letter writer said that his letter is a personal message to me, I’d like to share it with you all.

I am in my seventies, with 6 children, all UP graduates. A statue of the Oblation occupies a prominent place in my office. I am writing to let you know that for me, and perhaps for many others like me, what you in media are doing, putting in print for our information the heroic acts and the idealism of these young men, in these times, is itself Heroism.

Continue readingA true Filipino

Opposition’s duty to the people

Published by Ellen on March 4, 2007

The senatorial campaign is going on its fourth week. Both sides are fine-tuning their organizations based on realities on the ground after their initial salvos.

Team GMA has brought in Eastern Samar Governor Ben Evardone, who is supposed to take over the media and logistics aspect of the campaign, according to campaign manager Reli German.

Team GMA probably thinks Evardone, being a former reporter, could make media sing more praises to their candidates. Although, I was thinking, what can Evardone give to media that Ike Gutierrez, media operator of former President Joseph Estrada who is now deputy to German, has not given? Probably as in -charge of “media and logistics”, Evardone will have a bigger budget.

A ray of hope

Published by Ellen on March 1, 2007

At least, it looks like we are not going to have another case of Mayuga Report.

Those watching closely the trial of the military officers being involved in the aborted plan to withdraw support from Gloria Arroyo’s bogus presidency have been given hope that the panel led by Lt. Gen. Alexander B. Yano trying the case might yet be fair.

The hope comes from Yano’s decision last Tuesday to release the Pre-Trial Investigation Report prepared by a team from the Office of Judge Advocate General led by Col. Al Perreras dated Oct. 25, 2006. This is small victory considering that the prosecution had been wanting to shortcut the process and go ahead with the trial without even giving the respondents a copy of the basis of the accusations against them.

Category: Malaya