Iloilo Views

My text friend, Bro. Ceci

admin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:03:21 +0000

THIS column was supposed to be on the 2009 World Food Summit and the human right to food but … that can wait. I was stunned when I read on Tuesday the half-page obituary on the sudden passing of De La Salle Brother Ceci Hojilla. It had a big picture of him laughing. Cecilio Montelibano Hojilla [...]

Planters oppose GMO ban

admin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:59:53 +0000

BACOLOD CITY — Monday night, we attended the turnover ceremonies of the District Governorship of Rotary International District 3850 from Outgoing District Governor Emma Nava to Incoming District Governor Edgar Sy of the Rotary Club of Bacolod. Something I observed new was that the joint induction of all officers of 12 Rotary Clubs in Negros Occidental [...]

Dingle: 1st in Iloilo to have hospital

admin — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:05:26 +0000

Dingle is the first town in Iloilo to erect its own municipal hospital. Before his first term ends in May next year, Mayor Biloy Palabrica will be inaugurating the 10-bed “Norweigian-American Hospital” that shows how resourcefulness and overseas friends work to overcome financial constraints. We say “overseas friends” because it is not only expat Dingle-anon but also [...]

After Sona, a lame-duck presidency

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:18:13 +0000

PRESIDENT Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo stirred a hornet’s nest when Cabinet proxies floated the trial balloon that she planned to run for Congress to represent the second district of Pampanga in the 2010 national election. The revelation not only threw in disarray the newly formed merger of Lakas-CMD and Kampi, the President’s own party, but also prompted former [...]

Feedback on feedback from abroad

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:20:57 +0000

It is nice to know DAILY STAR is widely read abroad. But it is still nicer that they react and send us e-mail. They participate. I received three letters through the e-mail from three continents, Africa, Europe, and the U.S. Let us give them this space. From Rodeo, California our friend Bing Ramos greeted us Sunday, not [...]

True friends are good friends

admin — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:05:52 +0000

MY nephew Murphy yesterday asked me, “Tito, how should I know who among my friends are true friends?” I fumbled for an answer and began thinking of famous quotations like “A friend in need is a friend indeed” and “Tell me who your friends are and I will tell you who you are.” “Well,” I hesitated, [...]

Limits of Press Freedom

admin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:36:06 +0000

Misleading and derogatory statements of the media related to the workings of people in the government within a constitutional order, have become the best ground for inquiry into the limits of press freedom. Journalist’s Code of Ethics commands the writer to interpret and report the news but not to suppress the essential facts that distort the [...]

Good news on sugar

admin — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:30:38 +0000

BACOLOD CITY — From Brazil, Nene Rojas of the National Federation of Sugarcane Planters texted me that with Nene Trebol of Confed, tagging along with President Arroyo, they are signing a program of exchange of technology for Philsurin and the Brazilian counterpart on ethanol and other things related to sugar. And from China Toti Ramos who [...]

2 leaders of Edsa I uprising unite vs Arroyo

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:24:54 +0000

TWO remaining icons of the 1986 People Power Revolution have opened heavy fire on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in an attempt to stop her political machine from clearing the way for returning her to power after she serves out her term in 2010. They carried out their attack within the space of eight days. Former president Fidel [...]

How to get in front of investment queue

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:06:40 +0000

THERE are two types of foreign investments that the Philippine economy receives which would be a good gauge of how confident investors are with respect to doing business in our country. These are foreign direct investment (FDI), which are long-term capital, and “hot money” or portfolio investments, which are largely short-term investments in the stock [...]