Part 1

Part 2

THAT evening of December 5 when I had this conversation with the PRRD, he looked haggard and exhausted. He explained that he had to leave the Cabinet meeting twice that day, first to light up the Christmas tree at the Malacañang grounds and the second to meet with a special group of Chinese mainland visitors earlier, headed by Mr. Huang Rulun who gave P1.4 billion for the rehabilitation of the illegal drug surrenderees. Mr. Rulun had started his business here in Binondo Chinatown way back in 1986 and claims to have an emotional attachment to the Philippines. The President praised this philanthropist for his gesture and appreciated the fact that he asked nothing in return.

Published in LML Polettiques

 

MY close friends tell me that at my age, I am proverbially in the “pre-departure area,” as many of them–postwar babies–have actually departed, some surreptitiously in the night, the others with fanfare. My children think differently. They believe, I have now the time to enjoy my grandkids (three boys, two girls and counting) with “many years” ahead of me. My grandkids think Lolo will live forever in that “big house up thehill.” I think otherwise. I intend to attend the weddings of my two granddaughters, Sylvie and Claudia, ages two and one, respectively, and see them produce me my great-grandchildren. I suppose I have approximately 40 more years before my grand exit.

Published in LML Polettiques

 

MANILA, Nov. 8 — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed on Monday, November 7, an executive order establishing an expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), the body tasked to draft an enabling law that will serve as the legal foundation of the future Bangsamoro government in Mindanao.

Published in News
Wednesday, 02 November 2016 16:21

Duterte’s main political party breaking apart?

 

MANILA, Philippines – Clashes in ideology threaten to split the ruling administration Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) that supported then Davao City mayor and now President Duterte in the last elections, sources disclosed yesterday.

Published in News

 

First of two parts

President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent visit and diplomatic detente to China and his proclamation of a military and economic “separation” from the United States was like a nuclear bomb detonated on a peaceful Friday afternoon.

Published in LML Polettiques
Thursday, 27 October 2016 10:49

PH a sinking ship — FVR

 

THE ship of state is leaking and sinking as its captain, President Rodrigo Duterte, has been oblivious of the danger signs, former President Fidel V. Ramos said Saturday.

“Because we are all together onboard Ship Pilipinas—which is still leaky and slow-moving, because of internal strife and disunity, we all need to pull an oar or plug a leak [instead of adding more holes],” Ramos said.

Published in Commentaries
Monday, 24 October 2016 16:16

PDU30 CORE HOSTS FEDERALISM FORUM

A federalism forum was convened by the PDU30 CORE in Bulwagan ni Tito Marcs, Bacaca Road, Davao City last October 15, 2016.

The forum gathered around Hugpong ng mga Barangay leaders (local government officials) and Alpha Phi Omega (APO) members, private individuals, and non-government organizations such as Centrist Democracy Political Institute or CDPI being one of the resource speakers of the federalism forum, to discuss about the prospects and process of shift from unitary-presidential to modified parliamentary-federalism form of government.
Published in News
Wednesday, 12 October 2016 15:34

A Strong PH!

 

The first 100 days of PRRD have been a whirlwind. In street lingo, Duterte is like a spinning top (torompo), hitting everything and almost everyone is trying to decipher what he is doing. He has upped the ante. And can anything be worse than his narrative?

Published in Commentaries
Tuesday, 11 October 2016 16:58

PH eyes huge Chinese investments

 

Washington – Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte will seek billions of dollars in infrastructure investments from China in the coming months as the country seeks to alter its relationship with Beijing, Philippines Finance Minister Carlos Dominguez said on Saturday.

Published in News
Wednesday, 05 October 2016 13:31

Off-track foreign policy

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS on the foreign-relations front are becoming unsettling. Earlier, President Duterte insulted US President Barack Obama, the European Union and the United Nations for commenting on the rising number of extrajudicial killings here. He followed these up with announcements that he would seek to expand ties with China and Russia. Then last week, he said the coming US-PH war games would be the last.

Published in Commentaries
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