THERE is nothing more disadvantageous to a nation’s economic development than corruption which is mostly connected to the misuse of public office for private gain. Corruption undercuts the ability of a nation to raise revenues, leads to higher taxes, estranges human relations, discourages investments, promotes conflict, slows economic growth, and destroys confidence in government.

COUP rumors abound again as Christmas approaches.

MRT-7, when approved by government, should be constructed by next year and operational by 2009, and thereby relieve Metropolitan Manila’s perennial traffic problem. But that’s not the only feature of the first massive project. It’s also a real estate development and an employment generator.

DEFINITELY, it is still mild but we should have good times for the next three or five years. Unless of course our politicians mess it up. They are looking for truth, forgetting the good of the people. As the saying goes, "The truth will make you free but in the mean time it will make you miserable."

"Truth is tough."

THE United Republic of Tan-zania celebrates its independence today. This country is located in southeastern Africa, bounded on the north by Kenya and Uganda, on the east by the Indian Ocean, on the south by Mozambique, Malawi, and Zambia, and on the west by Zaire, Burundi, and Rwanda. The country includes the island of Zanzibar and Pemba and other offshore islands on the Indian Ocean, making it the biggest country in East Africa.

WITH the possible exception of the lucky relatives of the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who are remitting home a record US$10 billion or more for the whole of 2005, Filipino households on all levels will have less to spend for Christmas goodies this year. A much larger share of their annual budget has gone to transport and other energy-intensive items as well as to tuition fees and other education-related expenses. To complicate matters even more, the young consumers in most households have decided to splurge on texting and other uses of the ubiquitous cellphones. In not a few instances, these texting enthusiasts even skip lunch in order to purchase more pre-paid cellphone cards. Just ask the fast-food stores, the softdrinks companies, and the personal care marketing executives about the large volume drops in their sales this year.

(Delivered at the World Jurist Association’s Tribute to Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. on Dec. 2, 2005, in the Court of Appeals Auditorium, Centennial Building, Ermita, Manila).

FOR years, local social science researchers have stood firm on their assertion that most of Filipinos are not given to book-reading, especially non-textbook titles.

SECTION 439, Chapter 10, of the Local Government Code declared the period December 7-11 of every year as "Youth Week." The declaration recognizes the youth as the most valuable resource and asset of the nation. On their shoulders, rest the success of our efforts to build the nation into a strong republic. On them depends our future.

JESUS said to the crowds, "To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, He is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.’’