Tag: Cory Aquino

China’s concept of setting side sovereignty dispute for joint exploration of Spratlys

Published by Ellen on July 31, 2017

Asked during his press conference last Wednesday when the talks about the joint exploration in Philippine territory that is also being claimed by China and other countries started, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano recalled the meeting of the late Deng Xiaoping with then President Corazon Aquino.

Meeting of China’s paramount leader Deng Xiaoping and Pres. Corazon Aquino in Beijing in April 1988. Photo from People’s Daily online

In that meeting, Deng suggested to set aside the issue of sovereignty on the Spratlys because that won’t be resolved in their lifetime. He suggested joint development.

Cayetano assured the public that the joint exploration they would be entering with the Chinese will not violate the Constitution and cited the Malampaya oil project in Palawan which is being operated by Shell, a British–Dutch multinational oil and gas company.

Palitan na lang kaya ng dilaw ang kulay ng watawat ng Pilipinas

Published by Ellen on May 31, 2015

Sen. Bongbong Marcos after delivering the sponsorship speech to name Iloilo highways after parents of President Aquino and Leyte highway after his uncle.

Siguro naman seryoso si Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. sa kanyang pag-sponsor ng mga batas na ipangalan sa mga magulang ni Pangulong Aquino ang dalawang kalsada doon sa Panay.

Ang dalawang batas ay ideya ng mga kongresista na sina Arcadio H. Garriceta, Ronald M. Cosalan, Jerry P. Treñas, Arthur R. Defensor Jr., Neil C. Tiupas, Oscar “Richard” S. Garin Jr., atd Hernan G. Biron Jr. na nakasaad sa House Bills HB 4400 at HB 4398.

Nakasaad sa HB4400 na ipapangalan kay dating Pangulong Cory Aquino ang apat na lane na circumferential road simula sa kanto ng Iloilo-Dumangas Coastal Road sa Balabago, Jaro District, Iloilo City, papunta sa Buhang, Jaro, Tacas, Jaro at UngKa II, Pavia hanggang sa Mandurriao District, Iloilo City-Pavia-San Miguel . Aabot ang kalsada sa malapit Arevalo District sa Iloilo-Antique Road . Magiging “President Cory C. Aquino Avenue” ang kalsada.

Listen to your mother

Published by Ellen on August 14, 2014

The outpouring of grief that catapulted Noynoy Aquino to the presidency.

Had former President Cory Aquino not died on Aug. 1, 2009, her son, Benigno Aquino III would not be in Malacañang today.

At the time of Cory’s death, nine months before the May 2010 presidential elections, Noynoy Aquino, who had an unremarkable record as legislator (9 years as representative of the 2nd district of Tarlac and three years as senator), was not in anybody’s mind for the highest position in the land.

He was catapulted to the presidency by the people’s sympathy for his mother.

He owes his presidency to his mother.

Thoughts on 25 years after 1986 People Power

Published by Ellen on February 23, 2011

We are commemorating the 1986 People Power revolution, many refer to as EDSA 1.

If we refer to EDSA I and EDSA 2 as a gathering of people on Epifanio de los Santos Avenue, that long stretch of road from Pasay City to Caloocan City, I would agree that’s accurate. Then we should also call the assembly of masses in the last days of April 2001 that culminated in the assault of Malacanang on May 1, 2001 EDSA 3. The crowd in April 2001 was definitely bigger than the civil society groups that ousted an elected president, Joseph Estrada, in Jan 2001 and installed in Malacanang Gloria Arroyo that turned out to be worse than Estrada in corruption and perversion of the law.

Verafiles’ trustee is 2010 Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellow for Journalism

Published by Ellen on August 10, 2010

photo of awardees — Amb. Harry Thomas, Flora May Cerna, Yvonne Chua and Ballsy Cruz

Veteran journalist, journalism educator and VERA Files trustee Yvonne Chua was named 2010 Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship Awardee for journalism.

In a simple ceremony held Monday, Chua was cited for the “depth and breadth of her work” as journalist.

Flora May M.Cerna, head of the Department of Research and Project Development at the Transparency and Accountability Network, is the awardee for the 2010 Aquino Fellowship for Public Service.

The awards are given annually by the United States Embassy and the Ninoy and Cory Aquino Foundation to individuals who excel in journalism and public service. (Photo by Reylynne de la Paz)

Cory gave Ampatuan patriarch his break

Published by Ellen on November 28, 2009

After Edsa 1, Andal was appointed OIC mayor
Newsbreak

It’s interesting how the Ampatuan clan’s political fortunes seem to be turning full circle—and how political camps that now call them “monsters” seem to have conveniently forgotten that they had something to do with how these “monsters” were bred to begin with.

Liberal Party presidential bet Aquino, sure that violence in Maguindanao would escalate due to “this administration’s inaction,” is demanding the suspension of Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. and other local officials found involved in the November 23 massacre of civilians.

Note from Fr. Eliseo “Jun” Mercado:

Datu Andal Sr. was the henchman of Marcos in Maganoy in 1986.. He also was de facto mayor… acting since he was the vice mayor and already appointed as OIC.

Cory removed him from Office!!! I was a witness to that!

The Chief of Police, another Ampatuan yet non political and decent by the name of Datu Mod Ampatuan was appointed by Cory as OIC! I was the one who recommemnded for Datu Modi. He is an Ampatuan so he could maintain order and rule of law being the modest and clean chief of police in the place.

But in the first election post Cory, Datu Andal, Sr was back in power… since he was and still is the undisputed power in Maganoy.

I was the parish priest of Maganoy at the time and NAMFREL chair of the Province.

We don’t know if the senator realizes that he is in effect calling on the Arroyo government to undo an action by his mother’s administration.

Sen. Edward Kennedy and Philippine democracy

Published by Ellen on August 27, 2009

The passing away of President Cory three weeks ago and last Friday’s 26th death anniversary of her husband, Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., brought back to mind the events of February 1986 when the world stood in awe as Filipinos linked arms, armed only with prayers and faith, to restore democracy in the country.

Yesterday, we were yet reminded of that glorious February with the news of the death of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the last surviving son of America’s political royalty.

Precious L. Javier, widow of the late Evelio Javier, the former Antique governor whose murder helped spark the outrage that led to the 1986 People Power, sent me the U.S. Congressional record of February 19, 1986 when American senators passed a resolution expressing their deep concern over the massive fraud that attended the Feb. 7, 1986 snap presidential elections.

Anak talaga ni Ninoy at Cory

Published by Ellen on August 26, 2009

Hindi pa sinasabi ni Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III. ang kanyang desisyon kung siya ay tatakbo sa pagka-presidente na siyang panawagan ng iilang mga kolumnista at sinasabing eksperto sa pulitika.

Ngunit sa himig ng kanyang pananalita, parang natatanto ko na sa ngayon, mas nahihiling siya kung saan siya ngayon: sa Senado.

Guest si Noynoy sa “Strictly Politics” sa ANC noong Martes at sinabi niya na sa tatlong konsiderasyun na kanyang basehan ng kanyang desisyon.

Ang isa doon sa dalawa ay ang opinyun ng kanyang mga kapatid. Sabi ni Noynoy, hindi boto si Pinky at si Viel. Si Kris naman nagsabi siya noong ininterview siya sa Manila Memorial Park noong pansiyam na araw ng pagkamatay ni Pangulong Cory Aquino na “ayaw ni Mom” yan.

Pang-iinis ni Arroyo sa pamilyang Aquino

Published by Ellen on August 24, 2009

Bilib naman talaga ako sa kapal ng mukha at tapang ng apog nitong si Gloria Arroyo at ng kanyang mga alagad.

Sinabi na nga ng pamilyang Aquino na “No, thank you” doon sa kanilang plano na magpatayo ng monumento para kay dating Pangulong Cory Aquino sa Rizal Park, pinagpipilitan pa.

Sabi ni Gary Olivar, dating aktibista ng panahon ni Pangulong Marcos na ngayon ay isa sa tagapagsalita ni Arroyo: “The proposed Rizal Park monument to President Cory is a gift in her honor from the Filipino people and the Philippine government through their elected president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.”

Ninoy, Cory, Evelio

Published by Ellen on August 20, 2009

Update: Former Antique Governor Enrique Zaldivar passed away Friday. His remains lie in state at the Philippine Independence Church Cathedral on Taft Avenue (in front of PGH).

Update: Please see reflections of Precious L. Javier, widow of Evelio Javier, under comments.

When I passed by the statue of Evelio Javier in front of the provincial capitol in San Jose, Antique last Monday, I noticed he was holding a yellow ribbon.

Antique Governor Sally Perez said the yellow ribbon on Evelio’s statue was part of their tribute to former President Aquino. Rightly so because the heroic lives of Evelio and that of Sen. Benigno Aquino, Jr. and President Cory Aquino are inextricably twined.

Although I was born and grew up in Antique, I personally met Evelio Javier when I was covering the Cory Aquino for President Movement in 1985. He and Sally, on loan to CAPM from the University of the Philippines where she was in the staff of UP President Edgardo Angara, were active in soliciting one million signatures prodding Cory to run for president in the 1986 presidential snap election.