By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com The peace talks between the Government of the Philippines (GPh) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) have again hit a snag. Accusations as to who is causing the impasse are being hurled from both camps. The sad thing is that instead of proceeding with the talks to settle…
Category: Commentary
Luis V. Teodoro | Palliatives
By LUIS V. TEODORO Vantage Point | BusinessWorld AN appeal based on liberation theology is among the least likely to convince the mostly conservative bishops of the Catholic Church to end their campaign against the Reproductive Health bills now pending in Congress. (The Senate version is SB 2865, “An act providing for a national policy…
Satur C. Ocampo | Perceptions
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Today it has been a full year since I began writing this weekly column on Aug. 21, 2010. In this piece — the 52nd in as many weeks – let me look back and share with you, dear readers, certain reactions to what I…
Benjie Oliveros | Of wang-wangs and Senate investigations
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com In his second State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III has made the banning of car sirens called wang-wang as a symbolism of how his government has supposedly put a stop to the abuse of power and corruption. However, the wang-wang might no longer be heard often in the…
Satur C. Ocampo | Blaans fight for their rights
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Let me share with you this heart-tugging story, still unfolding, of six Blaan tribal communities in Malapatan, Sarangani province: Dlumay, Datalnay, Dungan Bahay, Alna, Q-gam, and Siman. These communities are part of the hinterland barangay of Upper Suyuan. Yet they are not included in…
Carol Pagaduan-Araullo | Poisoning the air
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo Streetwise | BusinessWorld Of late the Aquino government’s peace panel negotiating with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) has aggressively stepped up its propaganda offensive against the NDFP and the latter’s main component organizations, the Communist Party of the Philippines and the New People’s Army (CPP/NPA). This is a departure…
Benjie Oliveros | A deeper look at the London riots
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com The London riots began at a Tottenham neighborhood, August 6, after the police shot to death Mark Duggan. The riots have now spread to neighboring cities: Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Bristol and Notting-hill. Shops were looted, cars and buildings burned. The British government has labeled the riots as “criminality,” “appalling violence and…
Satur C. Ocampo | Green and delicious
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star Neuroscientist Custer Deocaris’ decision to return to his home country, under the DOST “balik-scientist” program, is good news. His having launched a campaign to convince fellow Fili-pinos to eat brown rice and more vegetables — specifically indigenous greens — is, for me, doubly welcome…
Carol Pagaduan-Araullo | Lack of conviction
By Carol Pagaduan-Araullo Streetwise | BusinessWorld In conventional Philippine politics, grave accusations about graft and corruption, electoral fraud and other anomalies, including heinous crimes like extrajudicial killings, massacres and other atrocities, are abundant and even common knowledge. These are the stuff of the opposition’s tirades against those in power, rising in crescendo and reaching fever…
Benjie Oliveros | The crisis fix
By BENJIE OLIVEROS Bulatlat.com In 2008, when the economic crisis hit the US, newly elected President Barack Obama unveiled a stimulus package that bailed out the erstwhile “too big to fall” financial investment houses and banks. This went on for years with the US government implementing two rounds of quantitative easing measures. But these have…
Satur C. Ocampo | Looking for answers
By Satur C. Ocampo At Ground Level | The Philippine Star “Where’s the vision?” “Where’s the road map?” These have been the common reactions to P-Noy’s second state of the nation address last Monday. The tones have ranged from disappointment on the part of those supportive of his government, to skepticism and cynicism on the…