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Ninth Death Anniversary of President Diosdado P. Macapagal
PRESIDENT Diosdado P. Macapagal’s life-story is an inspiring model for every Filipino. It is the story of a man who was determined to overcome poverty and who achieved what many believe was unattainable – becoming the President of the Republic of the Philippines. He was one leader who remained faithful to his ideals and to the ideals of his countrymen.
The Comelec contract
COMELEC Chairman Ben Abalos is being raked over the coals over the R1.3-billion contract to fully computerize the elections which has been voided by the Supreme Court.
Decline of English
THE first difficulty about the SWS survey "National Proficiency in English" – said to be declining over the past 12 years – is the measure of "proficiency." There are a great number of people, from politicians to prelates, business executives to journalists, who speak and write English but who, by a certain measure, can hardly be called proficient. They do get by with their English, at least in bamboozling people who have less English, but they’re not quite in their element when faced with their counterparts in the United Kingdom and the United States. This is probably one reason we are so poor in negotiating for our own interests in trade and diplomacy.
Our national conscience: On the moral genius of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
(Keynote address at a symposium sponsored by the Order of the Knights of Rizal Chapters of the Social Security System, Laong-Laan and Quezon City on the topic "The Contemporaneous Rizal" held on April 18, 2006, SSS Auditorium)
The Plaridel Masonic Temple; a resurrection
(Speech delivered during the inauguration of the reconstructed Plaridel Masonic Temple last April 19, 2006, by Most Worshipful Hermogenes E. Ebdane Jr., grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the Philippines.)
No blockbuster film
THE movie world seems to be waiting with great anticipation for the Sony-Columbia production of "Da Vinci Code" starring Tom Hanks. Considering that millions of people all over the world have read the original book version, the film could be a big box office success. Its future in the Philippines, however, is, to say the least, quite uncertain.
Muddled issues reaching the public
TRATIONAL psychology professor in college once told her class that the human intelligence could only absorb so much in a given time. The reason for this is that the brain does suffer what she called "sense fatigue." After more than 40 years coming out from that class, I believe that most of the people at large are now suffering collective sense fatigue, given the issues that they are confronted with these days.
Patriotism
PATRIOTS are not only the heroes who give their lives for their country but also those who make small sacrifices for their country. In the concept of patriotism, love and sacrifice are essential elements whether the magnitude of the sacrifice demanded be heroic or of everyday category. But what is our object of that love and willingness to sacrifice? What is the definition of "my country" or "my native land"? Country cannot mean only a territory, although it includes that. It means people. It means primarily those with whom we live, family, clan, tribe, province mates, the rich and the poor. John Paul II wrote several essays from his experience and identity as Polish. He contrasts nation, native land or "patria"; territory, state, nationalism versus patriotism. And he goes on to consider patrimony that starts from the fatherhood of God and the development of national identity. He speaks of the Polish spirit that has kept the nation through aggressions of its more powerful neighbors carving out of parts of its territory. What then is the object of our patriotism? It has to be people. Do we have a Filipino spirit?
The appearance to the seven disciples
JESUS revealed Himself again to His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed Himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of His disciples.
Conflicting morality in pardoning death cons
IT may not be a political move of the Administration’s policy to stay the execution of all death row convicts and commute their sentences to life imprisonment, but a moral act of President Arroyo to show how she values life according to Manila Rep. Rodolfo C. Bacani, a brother of Bishop Teodoro Bacani. As Manila Mayor Lito Atienza said, "sending a person to die by lethal injection goes against the tenets of a Christian society and the state which recognizes every person’s right to life." But then, despite more than a decade after enactment of the death penalty law, crime and criminals continue to proliferate. I agree with the mayor that effective delivery of justice, and also implementation of our whole criminal justice system may solve the problem.
Unresolved issues
"The biggest cause of trouble today is that stupid people are so sure about things, and the intelligent folks are so full of doubts."
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