THINKING PINOY By RJ NIETO Possibly out of exasperation over Robredo’s non-stop cross-border tirades against the administration’s war on drugs, President Rodrigo Duterte offered Vice-President Leni Robredo the opportunity to lead the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign. Robredo declined. If the drug war didn’t fail, she says, then why the need for her appointment? It wouldn’t have […]

Four earthquakes hit Mindanao within a two-week period starting in October – a magnitude 6.3 on October 16, a magnitude 6.6 on October 29, a magnitude 6.5 on October 31, and a magnitude 5.5 on November 1. At least seven people were killed in the first quake, nine in the second, and five in the […]

IT’S THE SMALL THINGS By ALEX M. EDUQUE In my article last week, I shared snippets from a speech that I gave at the annual regional conference of the Philippine Association for Social Workers on social media and what I feel its role is in promoting positive human relationships. My heart was full with the […]

In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus tells us that pride or malignant self-love causes a form of blind­ness more toxic than physical blindness. I remember a story that illustrates this.

CHANGING WORLD By DR. BERNARDO M. VILLEGAS There are enough laws that protect persons from discrimination on the basis of certain personal characteristics, including sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.  First of all, Article 7 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: “All are equal before the law and are entitled without any […]

All Hallows’ Day, Hallowmas, the Feast of All Saints or Solemnity of All Saints, commonly known as All Saints Day, is celebrated today, November 1. The concept of All Saints Day is connected with the doctrine of the Communion of Saints, a Catholic teaching that all of God’s people In heaven, earth, and Purgatory are spiritually […]

PUNCHLINE By FRED LOBO Malacañang has announced that the pain in President Duterte’s lower back has greatly eased. “Just in pain but improving “so don’t speculate badly about the President’s health, the Palace said. * * * Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo admitted that the President was hurt by his motorcycle ride and fall last week but “only one-fourth” of […]

PAPER VIEW By DEAN MEL STA. MARIA Supporting Vice President Leni Robredo means not merely safeguarding an individual’s interest, but making sure that our democratic institutions stand strong againstundue attacks. You might not believe this but supporting the Vice President does not even mean trying to oust President Duterte. On the contrary, a stable and secure vice […]

VOICE FROM THE SOUTH By FR. EMETERIO BARCELON, SJ There are several speeds in reading, just as there are different ways of locomotion. If you only know how to walk and nothing else, you would be giving up a lot of possibilities.  You can run or you can  ride a car or ride a banca […]

The death last Saturday of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of the ISIS – for Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – was big news in the Middle East which has long suffered from ISIS’ brutal drive to establish an Islamic caliphate uniting the Islamic lands in that part of the world. ISIS had been able […]

METRO CORNER By ERIK ESPINA Federalism was a catchy campaign tag-line for the sharing of revenues and power, to expedite development and progress in parts of the Philippines, left behind. The political imbalance coupled with rising regional/local demands for economic equality led to provincial resentments in the Visayas and Mindanao. Federalism became a promising proposition […]

LANDSCAPE GEMMA CRUZ ARANETA There is a jaw-dropping painting in the Quadricula (HOCUSII) exhibition with a disquieting title — “Lashes in the name of God.” Go to Galleries 27 and 28 on the 4th floor  of the National Museum of Fine Arts to view this horrific pageant of religious  perversity where a hapless native woman […]

MEDIUM RARE By JULLIE Y. DAZA   Happy Halloween! In the old days when we were young, the short season of remembering the dear departed was known as “todos los santos,” the English translation being All Saints Day. These days the kids, they who rule our lives and whose lives rule our hours and days, […]