HOTSPOT It is impossible not to be disturbed by the daily dose of heartbreaking news, especially photos and videos, about the attacks on Gaza and the West Bank, including hospitals, refugee centers and houses of worship. It would seem that only those with hearts of stone (or having a profit motive...
HOTSPOT On a cool November night in 2015, we went to the Carmelites’ media center in New Manila, Quezon City to cheer our friend Raymund Villanueva as he received the prestigious Titus Brandsma Award from the Order of Carmelites in the Philippines. As the awards night unraveled, we were...
HOTSPOT Palestinians are more familiar to us Filipinos than many of us could be ready to accept. Miss Universe Philippines 2019 title-holder Gazini Ganados, actors Agot Isidro and Dawn Zulueta, and professional basketball player Youssef Taha are just a few of many Filipinos with Palestinian blood....
HOTSPOT The past few weeks, I’ve watched on YouTube many videos of episcopal ordinations of new Catholic bishops, both here and abroad. They are often full of ecclesiastical pomp and circumstance, sometimes with dozens of bishops, archbishops and cardinals in attendance. The rites are fascinating...
HOTSPOT The Philippines has recognized Palestine since September 1989. Right now, we are among 138 member-states of the United Nations that recognize the State of Palestine. All member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the exception of Myanmar, also recognize Palestine. In...
HOTSPOT For the rest of us who have always been told by government officials “walang pera” when we inquire about social services, the revelations about confidential and intelligence funds give us a feeling of being lied to, defrauded or scammed. The figures are staggering. President Duterte...
HOTSPOT As of press time, drag artist Pura Luka Vega (PLV) is still detained at the Manila Police District on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 36 Manila for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Bail has...
HOTSPOT As I write this, we in our Manila Science High School (MaSci) barkada are still in shock by the passing of our classmate and stalwart friend Eddie Akim on Wednesday night at a hospital in Dagupan City. What limited news we have swiftly spread among batchmates, straight to our group chat for...
HOTSPOT I’m as stunned as many others by what transpired at a press conference this week at Plaridel town in Bulacan. I’m just happy and relieved that Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro are alive and free. Others like missing University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan...
HOTSPOT An official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board this week said that provisional fare hikes may be approved by November, in response to petitions and pleas from transport groups and jeepney drivers. This is understandable because as Ibon Foundation points out...
HOTSPOT Did you see the video from the National Bureau of Investigation about the successful use of an ID photo showing a monkey to register a SIM card? Did you read about a senator’s suggestion that a citizen should only be able to register only one SIM card and be made to pay for extra ones? In...
HOTSPOT As I write this, the songs “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carrey and “Christmas in our Hearts” by Jose Mari Chan are back on the airwaves and through streaming, to herald the start of the world’s longest Christmas season. From our country to everyone else’s, we...
