Christopher Ocampo and Niel NucupWASHINGTON, D.C.—Two children of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) helped propel the University of the Philippines College of Law into the circle of the world’s top four law schools, after taking part in the most prestigious moot court competition in the U.S.
Christopher Louie Ocampo, whose father works as a pumpman for an oil tanker, and Neil B. Nucup, son of a housekeeper in Rome, were part of the team which made it to the semifinals of the 2012 Jessup International Law Moot Court Championship in Washington D.C.
U.P. was the only team from Asia and the Third World that made it to the semis, finishing as one of the top four schools after competing with 137 teams from 80 countries, culled from an original field of over 600 law schools.
Well-protected fugitiveTake a look at these headlines the past days:
CEBU SCHOOL DEFIES COURT ORDER ON BIKINI GRADUATES
DE LIMA DEFIES COURT
The first headline was about officials of St. Theresa’s College in Cebu defying the temporary restraining order issued by Cebu City Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Navarro directing the school to cease and desist from enforcing the penalties on five students graduating from highschool for posting in Facebook photos in a bikini and in poses which school authorities considered “lewd.”
STC Cebu decided not to allow the five students to join the graduation rites although they can get their diploma.
Using God for political plans?Sabi ng boxing champ na si Saranggani Rep. Manny Pacquiao, nag-uusap daw sila ng Panginoon.
Sabi niya sinabi daw ng Panginoon sa kanya na huminto na siya sa boxing. Natutulog daw siya ng sinabi sa kanya ng Panginoon itong mensahe.
Ang pinagtataka ko, bakit ngayon lang ba niya narinig yun? Matagal na yan sinasabi ng Nanay Dionisia niya at ng kanyang trainer na si Freddie Roach. Sinasabi rin sa kanya yan ng boxing writer at analyst na si Ronnie Nathanielz. Lumabas yan sa mga media.
Saan nga ba patungo ang direksyun ng buhay ni Pacquiao? Tumatanda na siya. Kahit ano pang galing niya, ang boksing na sports ay para sa mga bata. At ano pa ba naman ang gusto niya, lumalangoy na siya sa pera.
A call for JusticeExecutive Secretary Jojo Ochoa issued a call today, on the eve of Earth Day, to care more for Mother Nature. Meanwhile, Malacanang spits on the soul of a fallen environmental warrior. Here’s why:
A couple of months back, the nation was glued to the spectacle of government operatives barring former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from leaving the country. The incident happened in the absence of any hold order on the much-maligned former Chief Executive. There was no hold order because no court had yet issued an arrest warrant for her. In fact, no case against Mrs. Arroyo had even reached the courts yet. What the government had was a watchlist order (WLO) on President Benigno Aquino’s predecessor. This watchlist order was the subject of a Supreme Court temporary restraining order (TRO) — a TRO that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima refused to implement.
I will not discuss the merits of the TRO or the WLO — the latter the same weapon Mrs. Arroyo had wielded against her political opposition. The TRO later became part of the Aquino administration’s impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona. Mrs. Arroyo has since been arraigned and remains in hospital arrest due to an ailment affecting the spine. The Chief Justice is still battling it out in his impeachment trial.
Another Antiqueña excellsDuring graduation season, inspirational stories of triumph over adversity are in abundance. Which is very good.
Iloilo writers Hazel Villa and John Kevin Arevalo submitted to VERA Files and Yahoo the story of Ruthell Moreno, who is graduating summa cum laude, Bachelor of Special Education,major in Teaching Children with Mental Retardation from the West Visayas State University.
Ruthell, who is from Antique, is only the fourth summa cum laude of the College of Education (COE) after its founding as a Normal College more than a hundred years ago. The COE is a Center of Teaching Excellence and consistent placer in the Licensure Exam for Teachers.
In last Tuesday’s WVSU recognition day Ruthell, with a Grade Point Average of 1.23, received more receive university level awards: Most outstanding student teacher, Student of the year, Proficiency in SPED Award, Academic excellence award, an award from the Philippine Association for Teacher Education, Journalism Award, Rotary Award, Abelardo Alegre Ledesma award for excellence in culture and arts, Sen. Manuel Villar Jr Academic Excellence Award and two awards from Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III.
She also delivered the valedictory address in behalf of the graduates of 2012.
Hazel and John Kevin said, the story of Ruthell, 24, known to friends as “Che” could have been any regular story of an intelligent young woman making the most of her resources and abilities, except for the fact that she has Systemic Lupus Erythematosus or lupus, an autoimmune disease characterized by acute and chronic inflammation of various tissues of the body.
Abel and PetchayFacebook is full of posting by proud parents in their children’s graduation rites. Double pride for parents with children graduating with honors.
But the award-winning post,for me, was by journalist Isabel de Leon of the Manila Bulletin. Last week, she posted: “Scoured the entire Recto Avenue for a toga for my Petchay who’s graduating this Sunday.
“Found the toga and the cap. At dahil di ako sure kung may award na matatanggap ang apo ko, ibinili ko na rin sya ng gold medal. (And since I’m not sure if my grandchild will get an award, I also bought a gold medal.)”
Who can top that?
Recto Avenue, as we all know, is where you buy what you can’t get in school: fake diplomas, school ring, medals, etc. etc.
It’s travel time and we have 7,107 choices in the country. For those who have more disposable income, Southeast Asia destinations are tantalizing.
Vacation is time for relaxation and merriment. For some it’s adventure. But we should be careful not be too relaxed that we forget caution. The last thing that we would want is to turn vacation into nightmare.
Here are some simple, practical vacation and travel tips.
Kahit na paminsan-minsan ay umu-ulan, talagang summer na. Ang sarap magbabad sa tubig. Dumadami na ang mga tao sa beach at swimming pool.
Sa pinupuntahan kong gym,Fitness First, at siguro sa ibang gym, mas marami na ang nagwu-workout. Siyempre ang gustong pumunta sa mga sosyal na beach, kailangan may ipakita ka.
Napansin ko nga, sa mga department store, naglabasan na ang kanilang mga pang kasuutan para sa summer. Marami na ang bumibili ng swimsuits.
Merong iba kasi na nagpa-fashion show sa beach. Kung ‘yun ang kanilang hilig, pagbigyan. Sa beach naman, busy lahat sa sariling lakad at gimik, hindi na rin naman mahalaga kung pang-Miss Universe ang katawan mo o hindi. Ang mahalaga ay malusog ka, wala kang sakit at nae-enjoy ka sa iyong ginagawa.
Miriam taking Diaz to the cleanersTo those who follow the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona, Eulalio Diaz III, a classmate of President Aquino whom he appointed administrator of the Land Registration Authority, bungled his job, big time, in releasing a list of 45 properties credited to Corona.
But if you look at it from the point of view of the Aquino administration’s crusade against Corona and his benefactor, Gloria Arroyo, Diaz did a great job.
Imagine, with a phone call from Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupaz, head of the prosecution panel, he produced the list as his Jan 10, 2012 letter to Tupaz indicated: “Pursuant to your official request for the information relative to real estate properties registered in the name of Renato Corona et al, please find enclosed herewith certified true copies of titles registered in their names.”
Diaz related that he employed a “name search” in the LRA data base. He said that it was not only Renato Corona’s name that he punched in. He also searched for real estate properties with the name of Cristina Roco Corona, Francis Vincent Corona, Charina Corona, Maria Carla Corona Castillo and Constantino Castillo III.
Pro and anti Corona rallies at the SC. Thanks to Inquirer for photo.There will not be a repeat of EDSA DOS, the “civil society”-induced activity in 2001 that led to the ouster of elected president Joseph Estrada and the installation of Gloria Arroyo in Malacañang, whatever would be the decision of the senator-judges in the impeachment trial of Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona.
It is worthy to note that many of the people that helped Arroyo assume the presidency without election in 2001 are now with the Aquino administration, which is pursuing the impeachment of Corona, Arroyo’s midnight appointee as chief justice.
The expectation of public acceptance of the senator-judges’ verdict on Corona is once again affirmed in a survey, this time by Pulse Asia.
