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Expect more of the same incompetence in foreign relations

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

This is what earned Romulo the retention to the foreign secretary post.
By now, after six months in Malacañang, we have to say that there is so much more that President Aquino will have to do to earn our admiration as the country’s chief executive.

We don’t expect him to master all issues but it is important that he knows how to choose people to help him run the country. He should have an eye for , to borrow a phrase from what American journalist David Halberstam , the best and the brightest.

The late President Marcos was gifted with such talent even as he himself was brilliant. There were executives who were not intellectually heavyweights but were honest enough to admit their inadequacies and did the smart thing of hiring the “best and the brightest.” The one that comes to mind is former Ambassador to the US Benjamin Romualdez who tapped the brains and skill of the bright boys in the Department of Foreign Affairs namely Pacifico Castro,Rodolfo Severino and others.

President Aquino and his Malacanang team are weak in the area of foreign affairs. And the worrisome thing about this is, they don’t seem to realize it. They do not know that they do not know about foreign affairs.

Continue readingExpect more of the same incompetence in foreign relations

Hopes for the New year

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

From his column in the Philippine Star:

By Roberto R. Romulo
Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs

The better Romulo
President Benigno S. Aquino III begins his seventh month in office on January 1 with his approval ratings comfortably high and broad public support for the major initiatives of his administration. It adds a hopeful note for the New Year that this support – as well as from foreign governments and international business – could be major factors in the success of the President’s major initiatives – particularly those relating to revving up the economy, turning around the culture of corruption, forging greater security and peace across the entire archipelago.

None of this should becloud perceptions of the administration’s shortcomings during the last six months – for these have been also all too real and palpable.

There has been considerable sobering in what was once a triumphalist posture of the administration. After a succession of setbacks – notably in the hostage-taking crisis in August last year, the defeat of his signature executive order creating a Truth Commission, and the chorus of criticism of the administration’s legal acumen and the poor quality of paper work pouring out of Malacanang — the administration speaks more softly now. There is now a clearer appreciation of limits to power, and hopefully more willingness to acknowledge mistakes when they are made.

Continue readingHopes for the New year

Dapat ikondena ang pagpatay sa Samar 11

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2011

Peace Presidential Adviser visits one of the Samar 11 wakes
Tama ang punto ni Col. Antonio Parlade, Jr., hepe ng Public Affairs ng Philippine Army sa kanyang emosyunal na sulat kung bakit ang mga defenders ng human rights ay tahimik sa ginawang pagpatay ng New People’s Army ng 10 sundalo kasama ang isang bata sa Samar noong Disyembre 14, dalawang araw magsimula ang napagkasunduang ceasefire sa pamagitan ng pamahalaan at ng Communist Party party of the Philippines, National Democratic Front at NPA.

Nagawa ang pagpatay sa pamamagitan ng landmine sa Las Navas sa Northern Samar. Mga miyembro ng 803rd Brigade ang nasawi na pabalik na sa headquarters para umuwi sa pamilya sa Pasko at bagong taon.

Malalim ang sama ng loob ni Parlade. Sabi niya:

“ Ang tanong namin: nasaan ang mga human rights advocates? Nasaan ang mga nagpu-protekta ng karapatan ng mga bata?

Continue readingDapat ikondena ang pagpatay sa Samar 11

Nag-iiba tradisyun sa paglakad ng panahon

Published by Ellen on January 1, 2011

Rizal Park New Year 2010.From ABS-CBN
Kumusta ang bagong taon ng isa’t isa sa atin? Sana walang daliring naputol o ano pang kapansanan dulot ng paputok.

Kausap ko ang aking kamag-anak kahapon at nagkamustahan kung paano sinalubong ang bagong taon. Sila ng kanyang dalawang anak na dalaga ay nagpunta sa Eastwood. Sa unang pagkakataon, sabi niya, sa labas ng bahay siya ng New Year. Ang dami-daming tao daw at punong –puno ang lahat na restawran.

Sabi nga niya, sa pag-iba ng panahon, naiiba na rin ang mga tradisyun.

Ako, lumaki sa tradisyun sa probinsya na kapag bagong taon, may sayawan sa plaza. Kapag malapit na ang bagong taon, may misa. Sabay-sabay ang buong baryo na magsalubong ng bagong taon. Kasama ang banda, umiikot sa buong baryo at nagsisigaw ng “Adios, (kung ano ang taong lilisanin) at “Viva (kung anong bagong taon).

Continue readingNag-iiba tradisyun sa paglakad ng panahon

May we be able to sleep better in 2011

Published by Ellen on December 28, 2010

As we approach the New Year, we always promise ourselves improvements if not change for the better.

I’m sharing with you some of the articles I find useful in this world where we have to cope with a lot of toxic elements that are not our own making but we are compelled to deal with.

This article, “Harnessing good stress” is from MSNBC:

“Stress is not always a bad thing — it’s what you do with it that’s key. Here are some ways to avoid the pitfalls of pressure overload:

Continue readingMay we be able to sleep better in 2011

Bawal sana ang utak pulbura sa bagong taon

Published by Ellen on December 28, 2010

Photo courtesy of http://www.solarnavigator.net from the website of Arnel Syjuco Oroceo
Tatlong araw na lang bago magbagong taon ngunit ang dami nang napuputulang ng daliri sa paputok. Hindi talaga tayo natututo.

Bakit ba ganun tayo mag-celebrate ng New Year, nakakasakit ng katawan?

Noong nagkaroon ako ng Marshall Mc Luhan grant sa Canada noon 1999, nagsalita ako sa isang grupo ng mga Pilipinong estudyante sa elementary grades sa Winnipeg. Tinanong ko sila kung ano ang name-miss nila sa Pilipinas. May ilang sumagot ng putukan kapag bagong taon.

Talagang mami-miss nila ang putukan sa New year dahil istrikto ang Canada sa paglinis ng kanilang kapaligiran.

Kung maari lang umaalis ako sa Manila kapag bagong taon dahil may asthma ko. Kapag New year, nagkukulong na lang ako sa kuwarto.

Dati okay sa probinsiya namin, may sayawan sa plasa. Pag dumating ng hating gabi, umiikot sa buong baryo at sumisigaw ng “Adios” sa patapos na taon at “Viva” sa bagong taon.

Continue readingBawal sana ang utak pulbura sa bagong taon

Caregiver of caregivers’ kids

Published by Ellen on December 26, 2010

Nina Simon receiving the award from Nokia Marketing Manager,Nikka S. Abes
The phenomenon of Overseas Filipino Workers, OFW in short, which disperses more than 10 million Filipinos all over the world, most of them away from their families, has created another phenomenon: children growing up without the care of their mothers who are taking care of other people’s children.

This sad situation has created also another kind of job in the Philippines : mothers taking care of children of mothers who go abroad to take care of other people’s children.

One of the outstanding entries in the this year’s Philippine Expat/OFW Blog awards was Niña Simon’s “My Mom’s Quasi-orphanage” . It won the Nokia award for Philippine-based blogs that also deal with overseas Filipino workers.
Simon’s blog is http://pinaywriteroraldiarrhea2.blogspot.com.

Here’s her winning article which PEBA has allowed me to reprint here:

Continue readingCaregiver of caregivers’ kids

Marami pa ang dapat abutin ng diwa ng Pasko

Published by Ellen on December 26, 2010

After the blast. Manila Bulletin photo
Dalawang insidente sa Muslim Mindanao ang nangyari noong Sabado na dagok na naman sa seguridad ng bansa at nagpaala-ala sa atin na marami sa atin ang hindi na aabot ng diwa ng Pasko.

Una ay ang pagbomba sa simbahan sa loob ng kampo ng Philippine National Police sa Jolo at ang pangalawa ay ang pagtakas ng apat na suspek ng pambubumba sa detention center ng PNP sa Zamboanga city.

Kung sino man ang may kagagawan ng pagbubomba sa simbahan, maitim ang kanyang kaluluwa.

Nakakabahala din ito dahil kung itong lugar na dapat protektado dahil nasa loob ng kampo ng pulis ay napasukan ng terorista, saan pa ang lugar na ligtas ang ordinaryong mamamayan?

Wala naman daw namatay ngunit sampo ang nasugatan.

Continue readingMarami pa ang dapat abutin ng diwa ng Pasko