WOMEN with disabilities are doubly disadvantaged. Aside from their disabilities, the lamentable secondary status of women in many societies makes it difficult for them to access services and opportunities for their development. They are exposed to greater risk of abuse and have reduced opportunities to enter marriage and family life.

IF you ever find yourself in the Subic-Olongapo area during the Holy Week (or any time of the year), do consider taking a trip to San Antonio, Zambales to visit Casa San Miguel, a haven for the arts run by world-renowned violinist Alfonso "Coke" Bolipata.

MY father’s generation, unlike mine, seemed to have managed quite well with their "code" against talking about politics, religion, and money in ordinary social intercourse. I’m not sure that this was rigorously observed, but I remember that these subjects were neither touched on at table and at the parties that were held now and then at our house.

IN the 75th anniversary special of Fortune, 28 business superstars talk about "the best advice I ever got."

IT was easily the grandest social affair in Malacañang Palace. Everyone of importance would be present. All the key government officials, politicians from senators to congressmen and governors. Big business tycoons, men of fame and influence and the diplomatic community. But strictly by invitation only.

FEW of our countrymen are aware that the month of March is the celebration of World Water Week (March 22-29), the launching activity for the UN International Decade for Action: Water for Life (2005-2015). That the focus on ‘Water for Life’ falls on Holy Week is an auspicious time to reflect on the agony of our water bodies, its almost certain demise, unless the collective will is forged to save and resurrect our endangered water bodies as we make a gigantic effort to access the poor to clean water supply to sustain their health and livelihood.

RP has two ambassadors to China. It’s a big country.

OUR national leaders, after a contemplative Holy Week and joyous Easter, are singing a new melodious song.

NAGAKUTE, Japan — The World Exposition that opened here last week for a six-month run is a celebration of the glories of the past and the promise of the future, but that has not stopped the realities of the present from butting in.

IT is so inspiring to see how, in the past few days of Holy Week, Filipinos from all walks of life thronged to and jampacked our churches.

THE women went away quickly from the tomb, fearful yet overjoyed, and ran to announce the good news to Jesus’ disciples.

THE ongoing campaign against rabies takes higher gear as the country commemorates National Rabies Awareness Month. With rabies remaining as one of the major public health concerns, the Department of Health (DoH) has worked double time to make people aware of the dangers of rabies and the simple means to prevent it.

IN calling President Arroyo "the greatest home-wrecker of all’’ because she wouldn’t support the divorce bill (HB 4016), the secretary general of the women’s group Gabriela dismissed Malacañang’s prolife, pro-family stance. This only shows that one man’s "home-wrecker’’ is another man’s "home-protector.’’

THERE is one side to our national character that is truly admirable. Our gentleness is a virtue, and it is one that we must try to keep forever.

BEREFT of spicy local news during the Holy Week, my attention was drawn to the China-Taiwan situation which is definitely coming to a head. From this vantage point, there are no signs that the position of the People’s Republic of China will veer towards a different direction, which means that it is not going to give up Taiwan province, no matter what. The take-over, or transition if you prefer, will not be silky smooth like the return of Hong Kong and Macau. To China’s credit, it had never slackened, modified, diminished, must less relinquished its claim. Through the years, it has strictly adhered to a one-China policy, an irrevocable exigency imposed on friends and foes alike, at both multilateral and bilateral levels. In consequence, Taiwan has repeatedly failed to join the United Nations, despite strong lobbying by the USA. During those decades when Taiwan emerged as an Asian tiger, with more economic presence than China, Southeast Asian countries, formerly sympathetic to Chiang Kai-shek’s Republic of China, turned their backs on Taiwan, one by one, the Philippines included.

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s first Asian tour as secretary (she was here, two years ago, as special adviser to President Bush when he visited Manila) apparently was aimed primarily at enhancing regional stability. She seemed to perform a good balancing act between India and Pakistan, citing warmer relations with India today than in the past (Cold War days when India was viewed as close to the USSR). Her six-nation tour started in New Delhi, thence to Pakistan, and on the Afghanistan where she commended President Karzai on to reconstruction of that war-ravaged country and reiterated America’s long-term commitment to Afghanistan.

THE Cabinet went on a holy retreat last week led by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Vice President Noli de Castro at the Bahay Pangarap at Malacañang Park.

LADIES and gentlemen and friends from the media. . .

"If everybody minded their own business, the world would go round a deal faster than it does." Lewis Caroll’s "Alice in Wonderland"

BEFORE the designation "fiscal" was changed to prosecutor as the appropriate job description, some of us had a nasty habit of twisting the word in half jest. "Fiscal" evolved into "fixcal" and was meant to apply to a public officer who fixes criminal cases for a FEE.

IT is no joke that the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the world’s largest league of journalists with some 500,000 members, revealed that strong evidence shows that officials are behind the deaths of many journalists in the Philippines. This has been confirmed by another world organization, the International Press Institute (IPI), saying that although 56 journalists had been killed in the Philippines, no one has ever been convicted. The National Press Club should do more than just condemn it. As NPC President Tony Antonio said: The government should "do something expected of it — arrest the killers and the masterminds, try them and make them pay for their crimes," for killing more than 60 since 1986.

WHAT often seem insurmountable obstructions to the country’s progress may yet prove remediable through the initiative launched recently by the government.

John 20:11-18