JUN
29
2020

On the stranded ship passengers

Sending them home by boat was no Dunkirk-like evacuation, and yet it failed. The huddled, hungry, drenched stranded travellers painstakingly complied with all the health and police requirements, only to be denied boarding because of a new requirement. Their dreams of going home
JUN
29
2020

On the Pride March arrest

Pride marches celebrate equality so only the tone-deaf will respond to its commemoration with violence and intolerance. It is an internationally celebrated activity and it is only in lands ruled by bigotry that a Pride march and all the ideas it espouses are repressed – by
JUN
29
2020

On the Death of Rep. Tony Cuenco

Never were brilliant ideas articulated by a beautiful voice. Ask any old timer in Batasan, and Tony Cuenco’s voice was the most beautiful to ever reverberate in the halls of the House. His was also one of the most brave. It was heard loud and clear during the era when contrarian
JUN
19
2020

‘Visa center na, pera padala force pa,’ Recto on unburdening PNP of travel pass job

The police should be “unburdened” of the duty to issue travel passes, “a clerical job which draws them away from their far more important responsibilities,” Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said. “The most important requirement is the medical certificate issued by a
JUN
18
2020

Textbooks more urgent than transistor radios in blended learning—Recto

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto today called for a “1 book to 1 student” ratio in public schools, saying that a complete set of textbooks at home is needed by children to cope with online classes. “Broadband learning does not cancel the need for books. On the contrary—
JUN
17
2020

On the “cyber libel” conviction of Maria Ressa

I wish Maria Ressa victory on her appeal and hope that her conviction will be overturned. That is also the clarity the nation wants to see in the application and interpretation of a law with ambiguities and frightening consequences on our freedom. Democracy thrives when truth can
JUN
17
2020

SMC’s profit is the labor of thousands of its officers and employees.

But SMC’s decision to give more than P1 billion in the national pandemic fight, in ways longer than its product catalogue, was the corporate implementation of Danding’s philosophy to help the needy. It was this trademark of giving which drove SMC to donate gas to frontliners; to
JUN
10
2020

Imports not a way to honor sacrifices of local chicken growers –Recto

Ipinagmalaki mismo ng DA sa kanilang State of the Food Report noong Mayo 21 na aabot sa minimum ng 160 days ang supply ng manok, at sa best case scenario ay 314 days. Sa average scenario naman, garantisadong may supply sa loob ng 220 na araw. All of the three projections point to
JUN
10
2020

Rush Google-like justice system database for fast verification of arrest warrants—Recto

Government should rush the establishment of “its own Google search-like app for arrest warrants” to spare namesakes of fugitives from being denied security clearances, held at ports or harassed by unscrupulous public officers. This was the call of Senate President Pro Tempore