The past few weeks have been eventful, with the usual ups and downs in our national life. President Rodrigo Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address on July 23 was overshadowed by the “coup” at the House of Representatives. Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted as Speaker and replaced by Rep. Gloria M. Arroyo. The maneuver […]
Metro Manila is so urbanized today that only a few people know or can imagine that its capital, Manila, was once surrounded by a “Metropolitan Garden Ring.” When we talk of the metropolis’ vegetable supplies, what almost always comes to mind is the produce transported from the provinces, especially Baguio. But just a century or […]
The 22-person Consultative Committee tasked by Malacañang to review the 1987 Constitution and propose a new Federal System charter submitted its draft to President Duterte July 9, its work finished in a mere five months. Why the undue haste? The 1971 and 1987 Constitutions were crafted after extensive and exhaustive public hearings and consultations. This […]
In the winter of 1452, Wang Ao (王翱) was designated by Ming Emperor Zhu Qi Yu (朱祁鈺) as imperial envoy to the Huai River (淮河) region of Anhui (安徽) and Jiangsu (江蘇) provinces, as well as the prefecture of Yangzhou (楊州) in Jiangsu. At the time, the prefectures of Feng Yang (鳳陽), Huai’an (淮安) and […]
Last June 30, President Rodrigo Duterte marked his second year as president. On July 23, he will deliver his third state of the nation address and detail his accomplishments. Will he also candidly detail where he has failed and what he intends to do about them in his remaining four years in office? An informal […]
The three-year British occupation of Manila (1762-1764) had extensive repercussions on the Chinese community. No doubt, the almost complete expulsion of the Chinese in the Philippines by the Spanish colonial regime was a retaliation for their sympathy with the British. In Essays in Colonial Cavite, 1616-1898, Recoletos Ingleses y la joyagaditana (De La Salle University-Dasmariñas, […]
This year marks the 120th anniversary of Philippine Independence from Spain, the 147th birth anniversary of our national hero, Jose Rizal, and the 200th birth anniversary of his father Francisco Mercado Rizal. These memorable events highlight our nation’s rich history and heroic past. Ten years ago, on June 16, 2008, Abdullah Al-Maghlooth from Saudi Arabia […]
May 11, 2018 was truly a sad day. The Supreme Court allowed the rule of men to prevail over the rule of law. In a vote of 8-6, the nation’s highest court ousted Ma. Lourdes Sereno as Chief Justice. This historic decision, granting the quo warranto petition filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida, will have […]
In April 1434, Ming Emperor Zhu Zhan Ji (朱瞻基, 1426-1436) accompanied the Empress Dowager to the Chang Mausoleum (長陵) and Xian Mausoleum (獻陵) to pay homage. On their way home, when they reached the suburb of Chang Ping (昌平), Zhu saw common people along the roadside tilling the fields. He got off the horse and made […]
They acted like criminals who could not work in broad daylight. The Department of Public Works and Highways, with orders – we learned much later – from senior government officials, illegally removed a seven-foot bronze sculpture under the cover of night on April 27. The comfort woman statue, a symbol of arrogance, brutality and shame […]