ellen tordesillas – Page 228 – Making life worth living.

Mga artista sa pulitika

Published by Ellen on November 9, 2009

Kinukuha pala ng Lakas-Kampi si Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. na bise president para sa kanilang presidential candidate na si Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro.

Ini-report ng Philippine Star na sabi daw ni Revilla, handa raw siya na maging bise kay Teodoro kung makukuha niya ang ng basbas ng kanyang ama na si dating Senador Ramon Revilla Sr.

Sabi sa Star, “Unang binalak ni Bong na tumakbong bise presidente ngunit nang ma-stroke ang nakatatandang Revilla ay hiniling nito sa anak na muling na lamang kumandidatong senador para sa kanyang ikalawang termino.

Sabi pa ng Star, “Ngunit muling nabuhay ang posibleng pagtakbo muli ni (Bong) Revilla bilang bise presidente nang mawalan ng running mate si Teodoro, napipisil na presidential candidate ng administrasyon.”

Nawalan kasi ng VP si Teodoro nang biglang umatras sa planong pagtakbong pangalawang pangulo si Interior and Local Government Secretary Ronaldo Puno. Naisip yata nina Arroyo na mas makatulong si Puno sa kanyang kandidato kung sa DILG si Puno kasi kontrolado pa rin niya ang local governments.

Mabuting kumbinasyun itong Teodoro-Revilla. Kasi di ba ang campaign slogan ni Teodoro ay “Galing at Talino”. Balanse na ang tiket nila.

Noynoy: caught in-between

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2009

Last week, there were talks that former President Joseph Estrada and the Liberal Party presidential candidate Noynoy Aquino were meeting again.

I’m using the word “again” because the two met last Sept. 28, two days after typhoon “Ondoy” turned many areas in Metro Manila into an ocean and battered thousands of families.

The Sept. 28 meeting, held at the Estrada residence on Polk Street in Greenhills, San Juan, was widely reported. Reports said Aquino was accompanied by his sisters while Sen. Jinggoy Estrada joined in the dinner/meeting.

Reports said they talked about “uniting the opposition” or fielding a common senatorial slate.

But then, three weeks after that meeting Estrada launched his presidential bid for 2010 in Tondo. So much about “unity.”

Last week, ABS-CBN quoted Estrada as saying that it’s the Aquino camp that is asking for a meeting. I asked an insider in the Aquino camp and they denied this quoting Noynoy as saying, “I did not ask for a meeting” with Erap.

A source said even without a second Erap-Noynoy meeting , there are negotiations for the inclusion of Sen. Jinggoy Estrada in the LP ticket.

2010 clean elections for Filipinos, not for America

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2009

Press Secretary Cerge Remonde said Gloria Arroyo is ready to reassure Hillary Clinton of clean elections in 2010.

There is something wrong here. The press secretary and spokesman of a president of one country assuring a cabinet member of another country that the elections in her country would be clean. In the first place, elections should be clean and credible. Not for the United States or other countries but for the Filipino people.

Elections is the engine that drives democracy. Through elections, the people choose their leaders. In the a presidential system like the Philippines, elections is supposed to be an equalizer because when a voter goes to polls. Rich or poor, young or old, highly-educated or illiterate, his vote is counted as one vote. That what it should be in a clean and credible election.

Monitoring assets of civil servants

Published by Ellen on November 8, 2009

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,…

Ano ang gagawin kay Gloria Arroyo?

Published by Ellen on November 7, 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.

New site of Philippine House of Representatives

Published by Ellen on November 7, 2009

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.

Finalists in the 2009 Pinoy Expats/OFW Blog Awards

Published by Ellen on November 7, 2009

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:

An international embarrassment

Published by Ellen on November 5, 2009

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.

Noynoy: ‘No point in competing with my parents’ (Q&A)

Published by Ellen on November 5, 2009

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 and son Carlitos’ birthday party

Published by Ellen on November 4, 2009

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:

ellen tordesillas Posts