June 20th, 2008 at 1:14 am (Davao City, General, National Politics)
The Republic of the Philippines owes Davao City a total of PhP142,000,000. This is the total amount of our Internal Revenue Allocation (IRA) that the national government haven’t paid. Councilor Laviña is asking the opinion of Davaoeños on which of the three options we should take to get our fair and RIGHTFUL share of the IRA.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:36 am (General, Military Affairs, National Politics)
Ces Drilon’s abductors have demanded that the ransom of 15 million be paid at lunchtime today. Then, they extended the deadline to “indefinitely.”
With the extension is a promise not to harm Drilon and the others kidnapped with her, Jimmy Encarnacion, and Octavio Dinampo.
What does “indefinitely” mean for the abductors? Does it mean they’ll wait until Drilon’s family will pay? Does it mean they will wait until they longer have patience? What then if Drilon’s family refuse to pay the ransom indefinitely?
June 13th, 2008 at 12:32 am (General, Human Rights, National Politics)
The US Court has ruled in favor of the Philippine government regarding an account of former President Ferdinand Marcos. The case will now be settled in the Philippine courts with some $35 million dollars on the line. Human rights victims during the Marcos regime have been fighting to get the account as part of their $2 billion claim against the Marcos estate. The Philippine government, however, claims that the money belongs to the government.
June 10th, 2008 at 11:18 pm (Elections 2010, General, National Politics, Writable Writes)
Blogger and poet, Mikael Co, has taken a different point of view regarding political ads:
Natural na proseso ito sa isang market system. E ano kung politiko sila na may hangarin sa 2010? Hindi sila nangampanya; nagsabi sila ng opinyon ukol sa isang produkto, o nagtulak ng isang adbokasya. Malaki raw ang maitutulong ng mga naturang ad sa kanilang kampanya, sa “awareness” ng tao sa mukha at tinig nila. Ano ang mali doon? Ano ang ikinaiba nila sa lahat ng ibang celebrity na nagtutulak ng produkto– na, sa totoo lang, e makakatulong din sa awareness ng publiko sa mga artistang ito, sa “kampanya” para tangkilikin ng tao ang susunod nilang pelikula? O kunwari may isang artista ngayon na maraming ads sa TV– si Piolo, kunwari. Paano kung bigla niyang maisipang tumakbo sa 2010? Unfair advantage din ‘yun, di ba? Iba na ba ang standards na gagamitin natin para sa mga pulitikong lumalabas sa ads, mga pulitikong nababalitang kakandidato sa 2010, balitang media lang din naman ang nagpapakalat? Nasaan ang mali du’n?
June 5th, 2008 at 12:41 am (Davao City, General)
In his Philippine Daily Inquirer column, Ramon Tulfo questioned our justice system.
Tulfo cited “a scion of the wealthy Villa Abrille clan of Davao City” who is accused of murder and pointed out that Davao City Prosecutor and his assistants have not filed a case against the “scion.” According to Tulfo, “city prosecutor, Raul Bendigo, said he was adopting a ‘hands-off’ stance because another member of the Villa Abrille clan, Antonio V. Tan, used to be his boss.”
June 3rd, 2008 at 12:15 am (General, Human Rights, National Politics)
For quite some time, House Bill 956 known as the Anti-Discrimination Bill sponsored by Akbayan Partylist Representative Risa-Hontiveros Baraquel has been pending in the House of Representatives.
It is a controversial piece of legislation that has (predictably) earned the attention of Catholic Church leaders and other moralists. As I am not gay or lesbian, I can’t really comment much on the bill, except to say, I am for human rights and equality.
June 1st, 2008 at 1:07 am (General, National Politics, Voices)
After touring the country, giving talks, revealing secrets, earning both praise and criticisms Jun Lozada now takes on blogging. In his first entry, Lozada gives a message to the youth.
People generally find hope in their reality, but our current situation is creating a very strong tension within the general society and amongst the institutions, groups, families and even individuals that makes up this society, a tension of holding on to both living in our reality and holding on to our hope….
