THE Filipino Nurses Association (FNA) was founded on September 2, 1922. It was conceived by Anastacia Giron (Mrs. Tupas) and 150 nurses with the aim of unifying all Filipino nurses and promote and professionalize the nursing profession in the country. FNA became a member of the International Council of Nurses (ICM) at the council’s congress in Montreal, Canada on July 8-13, 1929. FNA’s name was changed to Philippine Nurses Association (PNA) in 1966.

DESPITE skepticism from some quarters on the manner by which the Constitutional Consultative Commission had been selected and the process by which it is conducting its work, I think that it is too early to dismiss it as an untimely exercise. Whether we shift to a parliamentary system next year or in 2007 or 2010 or retain the presidential system, the outputs of this consultative body would be welcome, especially since they reflect perspectives from a multisectoral group. Thus far, the body had arrived at some major decisions and a consensus on the following: (1) shift to the parliamentary-federal structure; (2) open ownership of media, information technology, and other national economic enterprises to foreign ownership; (3) add a bill of obligations to the existing bill of rights; and (4) validate agreements through public consultations.

VICE President Noli de Castro may have followed Sen. Joker Arroyo’s sage advice for him not to involve himself in the opposition’s "plot" against his President. It’s not clear, in any case, which came first, the senator’s advice or Noli’s decision. But it’s entirely possible that the Vice President has his share of political prudence.

SOME prayer rallies, masses, and religious processions nowadays have taken a different meaning. They are staged in the guise of religious activities but the organizers’ motives are political.

AFTER a handful of meetings, even before consulting the people, a majority of the 49 members of the Constitutional Consultative Commission (CCC), approved a committee report calling for a unicameral parliamentary system.

I WOULD like to share with the readers some relevant portions of a book by picking some excerpts from it. It was lucky of me to be able to come across its title. The book was copyrighted in 2002 by the author, Alan M. Dershowitz, printed in the US and was advertised recently which my daughter in North Carolina passed on to me together with the book. The book is titled "WHY TERRORISM WORKS." It consists of six parts or chapters, namely: 1. Deterring Terrorism, 2. The Internationalization of Terrorism: How Our European Allies Made September 11 Inevitable, 3. How an Amoral Society Could Fight Terrorism, 4. Should the Ticking Bomb Terrorist Be Tortured? A Case Study in How a Democracy Should Make Tragic Choices. 5. Striking the Right Balance. And 6. Conclusion: Are We Overreacting?

AN aneurysm is a permanent distention of an artery caused by a weakness in its wall. Aneurysm can form anywhere, but the most common and problematic sites are the arteries of the brain, and the aorta, the large major artery through which the heart pumps blood to the rest of the body.

STREET demonstrators and protesters have become a ubiquitous trademark these days of frenzied Metro Manila. They are a conglomerate of students, farmers, urban poor, displaced professionals, and professional dissenters.

THE Republic of Austria celebrates its National Day today. Vienna is the country’s capital and largest city.

PRESIDENT GMA says the country is "on the threshold of an economic takeoff" with the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growing at 5 percent this third quarter.

VISIT the classified ads section of Sunday broadsheets and you will find quarter, half, or even full-page advertisements for Registered Nurses to work abroad. Compensation packages offered by foreign hospitals and health care centers (most of these packages including the opportunity for free review for State Examination and residency) attract the attention of our local nurses and lure them to "nurse away from home," ("Cynics: Nursing Away from Home" – September 16, 2004).

JESUS passed through towns and villages, teaching as He went and making His way to Jerusalem. Someone asked Him, "Lord, will only a few people be saved?" He answered them, "Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough. After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door, then will you stand outside knocking and saying, ‘Lord, open the door for us.’ He will say to you in reply, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ And you will say, ‘We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.’ Then he will say to you, ‘I do not know where [you] are from. Depart from me, all you evildoers!’ And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God and you yourselves cast out. And people will come from the east and the west and from the north and the south and will recline at table in the kingdom of God. For behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."