HOTSPOT A day after his 87th birthday, Pope Francis surprised the world on Dec. 18 by sending a gift to millions of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) persons. He gave them the gift of Catholic blessings. The historic declaration titled Fiducia Supplicans: On the...
HOTSPOT By the time you read this in today’s paper, the first of the nine Misa de Gallo masses held everywhere Filipinos could hold it are over. You have eight Simbang Gabi masses left to go to. Dating back to the Spanish time when friars accommodated Filipino farmers and farm workers who have to...
HOTSPOT This week, Philippine labor leaders were seen not in the streets or picket lines. They were in fact in the U.S. to, among others, receive an award from the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO). In bestowing the George Meany–Lane Kirkland Human...
HOTSPOT A philosopher once said: “There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” The past weeks have been quite significant: Responding to public outrage, Congress discarded the controversial confidential funds for the Department of Education and other...
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...
