THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Did President Bongbong Marcos Jr. leave out the local government sector in his latest State of the Nation Address (SONA)? This was the question we got from colleagues in the local government sector, as well as friends, following the President’s SONA on the 23rd of July. Some...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL We join the many sectors and organizations who have expressed their elation over the recent appointment of Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara as the new Secretary of Education. We were preparing to endorse his appointment when we overheard talks that President Bongbong...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Romeo Brawner, recently called attention to what he termed as the “proliferation” of fake news. According to the country’s top soldier, there is apparently an orchestrated campaign of misinformation and disinformation,...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL The latest incidents in the West Philippine Sea where some of our men in uniform suffered injuries – one of them losing a finger – have raised the level of concern among many sectors. Even influential business organizations have expressed their worry that the incident...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Today, we join the rest of the nation in honoring our national hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, as the country marks his 128th birthday. In last week’s column – which was published as we celebrated our 126th Independence Day anniversary – we reflected on Dr. Rizal’s call for the...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL This week is Rizal Province’s “Independence Week.” Today, June 12, the province joins the rest of the nation in marking our 126th Independence Day. Yesterday, June 11, Rizaleños celebrated the 123rd anniversary of the founding of Rizal Province, an event which is also...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Over the weekend. Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman George Garcia aired a warning against people who may intend to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to deceive voters in connection with the forthcoming campaign period leading up to the May 2025 midterm elections....
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL As we wrote this column, the country was watching the exit of Typhoon Aghon from the Philippine Areas of Responsibility while national government agencies and local governments in various parts of the country assessed the extent of the damage that the unexpected howler brought...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL We recently came across news reports regarding Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos, Jr.’s recent speech at the 33rd session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice held in Vienna, Austria. The...
THE VIEWS FROM RIZAL Our column today is a belated Mother’s Day tribute to the women in our lives who gave birth to us, took care of us, and stood by us until we could stand on our own – which, to them, usually takes a lifetime of waiting. In particular, we honor today's “working...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Do you believe in the power of prayer? That was the question a friend asked me recently. He dropped by my office at the Antipolo City Hall late last week after spending some time at the city’s Cathedral – the International Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage....
THE VIEWS FROM RIZAL We join our nation and the world today in thanking and saluting the men and women who comprise the labor force. As we celebrate Labor Day, we pay tribute to those who have to work in faraway lands to earn a living and provide for the needs of their families. We recognize their...
