OF TREES AND FOREST Why do we celebrate the new year? Why do we go through all the trouble of going back home to the provinces or gathering everyone around the dinner table before the clock strikes midnight? There is a psychological importance to bidding goodbye to the old year and to welcoming a...
By SENATE PRESIDENT FRANCIS ESCUDERO As Filipinos across the country gather with family and friends on this very special occasion, I extend my heartfelt wishes for a prosperous New Year to everyone. This period is always filled with hope as we bid farewell to one year and welcome the next. Although...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Second of two parts) One of my staff asked me recently: “Sir, what was your Christmas like when you were growing up 25 in Tondo?” I do not know why but my memory immediately took me back to Mary Johnston. Mary Johnston Hospital (MJH), run by the United Methodist Church, is...
By SENATE PRESIDENT FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO On this special day, I join our fellow countrymen and the entire Christiandom in celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. This joyous occasion reminds us of the boundless love and hope that the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ brings to humanity. As we...
For senators, Mary Jane Veloso's repatriation shows the Philippine government's commitment to the welfare of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero hopes that Veloso’s repatriation is only the first of many Filipinos similarly situated in various parts of the...
A consumer rights advocate called on the Senate to amend key provisions in the proposed measure to renew the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) franchise, aiming to protect consumers from further power rate hikes. In a letter addressed to Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero and other...
OF TREES AND FOREST (First of two parts) You hear a lot of people say that Christmas is only for children. Christmas is indeed for children. First, the season is about the birth of child Jesus, our Lord. Second, it is simply wonderful to see the pure and unadulterated happiness in the eyes of...
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. can tap over ₱36 billion in unused funds in the Department of Education (DepEd) to augment the agency’s budget after the bicameral conference committee of Congress moved to remove its ₱10 billion request for a computerization program. Senate...
OF TREES AND FOREST The American industrialist Henry Ford once said, “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at 20 or 80. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” We cannot stop learning once we step out of the university or once we reach a certain age. And it is not just about learning...
Imagine having a private conversation online with someone only to find out that this person posted it on social media the following day. Was this in violation of data privacy? Senate President Francis "Chiz" Escudero thinks it does. "As a lawyer, I think so but again it's an allegation that needs...
After an impeachment complaint against Vice President Sara Duterte has been lodged in the House of Representatives, it sets in motion the impeachment process enshrined under the 1987 Constitution which left citizens with the question: In case she gets impeached, who would replace her? According the...
Despite Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero's call to his colleagues to refrain from commenting on the impeachment case against Vice President Sara Duterte, Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa didn't stop to tell those who filed to "go ahead.” "They can do it, nobody's stopping them, if they...
