Life on Mars
By Antonio C. Abaya
Written on May 28, 2008
For the Standard Today,
May 29 issue
After a journey that took almost ten months, NASA’s Phoenix Lander landed in the north pole region of the Planet Mars last Sunday, May 25, to begin a three-month search for signs of life beneath the permafrost surface.
No other planet in our solar system has excited the human imagination as Mars, for the most part because of apparent “canals” that crisscrossed the Martian surface, which suggested the existence of a superior civilization that constructed them, but …

Combating Smuggling
By Antonio C. Abaya
Written on May 26, 2008
For the Standard Today,
May 27 issue
As every business person or manufacturer in this country knows, smuggling is one of the most insidious banes in our economy, undermining the enterprises of legitimate importers and struggling domestic producers, and depriving government of billions of pesos in tax revenues.
The news that the Bureau of Customs will again use the services of Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) for pre-shipment ocular inspection of goods being exported to the Philippines should be welcomed by all affected parties.(Manila Standard …

ONE – A Filipino Movement
GLIMPSES
Jose Ma. Montelibano
It is public knowledge, internally, that Filipinos are burdened by a curse called divisiveness. This destructive pattern is not the exclusive domain of Filipinos in the Philippines but is like a virus that travels where Filipinos travel. It is very much alive among Filipinos in North America if we look at the number of Filipino associations, around 200 in San Diego alone.
I am now on my second week in San Diego, primarily to support a new and determined effort to promote solidarity …

Dear Folks,
Below is one of Gloria Arroyo’s “praise” releases. Once again, Gloria is taking the Filipinos’ intelligence for granted. With more than 900 extrajudicial killings and 185 forced disappearances of leftists, actitivists, journalists, priests, farmers, and politicians in the past 7-1/2 years of her government, these “human rights action centers” are nothing more than smoke screens for these atrocious acts. Her order to “revitalize” these centers is 7-1/2 years too late. If Gloria was …

The Cancer of Corruption
By Senator Ping Lacson
(Speech before a public forum sponsored by the Concerned Citizens Movement delivered May 28, 2008 at the Manila Polo Club, Makati City)
Let me begin with a short story.
A big acacia tree crashed on a segment of the fence surrounding Malacanang palace. Hence, it needed immediate repairs. Wanting to show “hands-on” leadership, the lady tenant came down to oversee the bidding among competing contractors.
Contractor Nr 1 is from Amsterdam – “Madam, I can fix it for P900,000.”
Contractor Nr 2 is Chinese – “Ma’am, I can …

Doesn’t the SEC act in Meralco remind you of the Comelec?
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo
Thursday, May 29, 2008
A few days before the May 27 Meralco Annual Stockholders Meeting, Winston Garcia, GSIS General Manager representing a quarter of Meralco stockholders, conceded that he will not be able to muster the needed proxy votes to takeover management from the Lopezes.
That comes as no surprise at all. The last thing stockholders would like to see is the government running the power firm. The fastest way to erode share …

Dear Folks,
President Gloria Arroyo must really be scared to death by Rep. Jose de Venecia’s possible appearance at a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing that she insinuated that it could lead to a “tragic ending” for de Venecia. Whoa! Has Gloria gone bananas that she had to use the term “tragic ending,” which could be construed as a veiled threat to end his life, political as well as physical?
…

The Filipino remains clueless
AS I WRECK THIS CHAIR By William M. Esposo
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
If you cannot even identify your rapist, then you have no case at all and may well be raped again by the same assailant. Such is the rape case of the Filipino nation.
Luckily, a patriot named Professor Emmanuel Q. Yap, now in his 70s, has witnessed how our country was raped by our past colonizers and current neo-colonizers.
Adviser to Presidents Jose P. Laurel, Carlos P. Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal and Ferdinand Marcos, Prof. Manoling Yap was instrumental …

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz
Esperon’s New Assignment
The recent retirement of Gen. Hermogenes Esperon as Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines ((AFP) and subsequent appointment as Presidential Adviser on the peace process in Mindanao has made a lot of people agog in disbelief. In the relatively short time that he served as the head honcho of the armed forces, Esperon has politicized the military by serving the political — and private — agenda of President Gloria Arroyo.
Esperon gained notoriety in the “Hello Garci” election cheating scandal during …

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 26, 2008
Contact:
Ben de Guzman 202.422.4909
Perry Diaz 916.691.6642
Jon Melegrito 202.361.0296
www.nafve.org (Web site)
nafve2007@gmail.com
NAFVE SALUTES VETERANS ON MEMORIAL DAY; CONTINUES CAMPAIGN TO SECURE PASSAGE OF FILIPINO WWII VETERANS LEGISLATION
National Coalition Affirms Commitment to Filipino Veterans Legislation, Issues Action Alert during Congressional Memorial Day Recess
Washington, DC- The National Alliance for Filipino Veterans Equity (NAFVE) marks Memorial Day this weekend by recognizing the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have served and are serving our country in our military. NAFVE’s support for all soldiers past and present …