Like a wallflower who has been asked to dance
VICE President Maria Leonor Robredo has hurtled so fast like a cannonball out of the presidential appointment system it’s impossible even for a media organization like The Manila Times to keep track of what she is doing and of her many plans and initiatives. First, almost like the Pope speaking...
On debate over married priests, what do Filipino bishops say?
AT the start of the synod of Amazon bishops at the Vatican on October 6, it was widely projected that the synod would unanimously draft and submit proposals that...
Quality, inclusive growth just as important as GDP
Naturally, the most recent economic growth report for the third quarter was welcome news. But the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) was quick to put the good news...
Plastic ban a difficult but worthwhile idea
AT a Cabinet meeting this week, President Rodrigo Duterte “floated the idea” of imposing a ban on plastic as an environmental measure, according to his spokesman Salvador Panelo. Although...
The President needs to rest
THE statement from Malacañang on President Duterte’s condition and need for a rest was incredibly frustrating and rambling. Instead of saying outright that the President is exhausted and weary from...
Inflation still needs careful attention
OCTOBER’S inflation rate, which was announced by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Tuesday, was just 0.8 percent, the lowest rate in more than three years, and lower than...
Trump doing Asean – and his own country – a grave disservice
DIPLOMATIC feathers were ruffled a bit at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Bangkok this week, when US President Donald Trump snubbed the key regional meeting,...
Asean should ask China whether it respects their EEZs in South China Sea
ABSENT this recognition, it has been impossible to move even a millimeter forward discussions on the long proposed Code of Conduct (COC) on the South China Sea between Association...
Filipinos play a perpetual guessing game with earthquakes
IT is striking that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) does not assign names to earthquakes that hit the country in the same way that the Philippine...
Newer nuclear power technology makes sense
Days ago, the Department of Energy released the results of an SWS survey saying 79 percent of Filipinos would support nuclear power if President Rodrigo Duterte pushed for its...
DoH should focus on health, not economics
EARLIER this week, lawmakers from both the House of Representatives and the Senate voiced their disapproval of a proposal by the Department of Health (DoH) to impose an additional...
PNP backs scrapping ‘Tokhang’
THE Philippine National Police (PNP) is open to scrapping “Oplan Tokhang” if Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo will order it, its spokesman said on Tuesday. Brig. Gen....
7 dead, 20 wounded as troops, NPA clash in Eastern Samar
SIX soldiers and a communist rebel were killed while 20 other troopers were wounded during a firefight on Monday afternoon in Borongan City, Eastern...
LPA intensifies into tropical depression ‘Ramon’
A low pressure (LPA) off the coast east of Visayas has intensified into a tropical depression on Tuesday morning and has been named “Ramon,” the...
Dumaguete broadcaster slay suspect placed on immigration watchlist — Andanar
ONE of the suspects in the murder of Dumaguete broadcaster and blocktimer Mercedario “Dindo” Generoso, has been placed on the immigration lookout list, according...
Duterte, MNLF agree to form peace coordinating panel -Go
THE Government (GPH) and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) on Monday night agreed to create a peace coordinating committee between GPH and MNLF. Sen....