ellen tordesillas – Page 218 – Making life worth living.

Foreign policy forum for presidentiables

Published by Ellen on January 7, 2010

On Jan. 14, the Carlos P. Romulo Foundation, Asian Institute of Management, and ABS News Channel will hold a foreign policy forum featuring presidential candidates and will focus on Philippine credibility and competitiveness in the world.

The forum takes special significance at this time when world has to deal with the twin threats of terrorism and economic recession and the Philippines carries additional burden of resources strained by recent calamities and a notorious reputation of lawlessness.

Liberal Party presidential candidate Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who is leading in all election surveys, has declined the invitation to participate in the forum. Surprisingly, Nacionalista Party presidential bet Manny Villar, who used to have a phobia with presidential fora, has agreed to attend.

CHR’s De Lima slams Cebu Pacific on discrimination of “special child”

Published by Ellen on January 7, 2010

The Commission on Human Rights bewailed the discrimination against a “special child” by Cebu Pacific last Dec. 23.

It has been reported last Dec. 23, Maritess Alcantara and her son, John Arvin, boarded a Cebu Pacific flight to Hongkong. They were reportedly asked to deplane because of her son’s “special” condition.

Alcantara, in a broadcast interview related that, prior to departure, she was asked by the crew prior to departure if her son was ill. She responded that he was not, albeit he was a special child with Global Developmental Delay, a condition that impedes the normal development of the child’s faculties. The crew responded that it was company policy that no two special children/persons may board the same flight, and insisted that she disembark together with her son. Based on other news reports, it appeared that there was another passenger on board who had down syndrome.

Bakit pinagpipilitan ni Gloria Arroyo ang Con-Con?

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2010

Talaga naman itong si Gloria Arroyo. Hope springs eternal.

Pinagpipilit pa ngayon ng kanyang mga kampon sa House of Representatives ang pagpapalit ng Constitution. Hindi na Constituent Assembly ang pinagpipilit. Sumakay na sila sa Constitutional Convention na nakasaad sa House Bill 6975 na nasa second reading na.

Sabi ni Rep. Neptali Gonzales II tatawag daw ng special session mula Enero 18 hanggang Pebrero 5 para dito sa Con-Con. Kumpyansa si Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga na maipasa nila ang HB 6975 na may 51 na authors, pat ay miyembro ng oposisyun.

Let Trillanes fulfill his mandate

Published by Ellen on January 5, 2010

Senate Majority Floorleader Miguel Zubiri should not worry about the Philippines setting a precedent in allowing a detained senator to fulfill his duties to the people.

The Philippines has already set a precedent for having a president who has never been elected to that position by the people.

Zubiri, defending his sitting on a Senate resolution allowing detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to participate in the sessions and other legislative functions through remote or electronic Zubiri asked, “Is there a parliament anywhere around the world that allows legally detained members to participate in their sessions?”

Lawmakers international group takes cudgels for Trillanes; Zubiri replies

Published by Ellen on January 4, 2010

The Inter-Parliamentary Union urged the Philippine Senate to act on the resolution allowing him to perform his dutiees as elected senator noting that his six-year detention, despite his not having been convicted of any crime, is a violation of his basic rights.

In its letter to majority floor leader Senator Miguel Zubiri to act on a 2008 Senate resolution allowing detained Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to participate in the sessions and other legislative functions through remote or electronic means.

They called on authorities to “ensure that the resolution is implemented without further delay.”

“The Philippines is a party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which enshrines fair trial guarantees and that, as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, it has pledged to uphold the highest standards of human rights,” said the IPU.

Huwag maniguro kay Arroyo

Published by Ellen on January 2, 2010

Kamakailan, kausap ko si Albay Gov. Joey Salceda, ang economic adviser ni Arroyo, at inamin niyang talagang hindi nakuha ni Arroyo ang tiwala at pagmamahal ng taumbayan.

Paano ba naman nila itatanggi yan. Sa Disyembre 2009 na survey ng Social Weather Station, minus 38 ang satisfaction rating ni Arroyo. Sobra 60 porsiyento ang ayaw sa kanya at 23 na porsiyento lang ang kuntento sa kanya. Siya ang pinakaii-nisan na presidente sa Pilipinas mula ng mabalik ang demokrasya sa Pilipinas noong 1986.

Sabi ni Salceda ngayon daw nakita nila na “Good economic performance cannot compensate lack of mandate”. (Hindi talaga mapagtakpan ng magandang ekonomiya ang kawalang mandato o kung hindi ka binoto ng taumbayan.)

Tagubilin at Habilin

Published by Ellen on December 30, 2009

Sa pagtatapos ng taong 2009, gusto ko dito ibahagi itong tula na sinulat ni Pete Lacaba na binigkas ni Armida Siguion-Reyna.

Mabuhay ka, kaibigan!

Mabuhay ka!

Iyan ang una’t huli kong

Tagubilin at habilin:

Mabuhay ka!

Sa edad kong ito, marami akong maibibigay na payo.

Mayaman ako sa payo.

Maghugas ka ng kamay bago kumain.

Maghugas ka ng kamay pagkatapos kumain.

Pero huwag kang maghuhugas ng kamay para lang makaiwas sa sisi.

Huwag kang maghuhugas ng kamay kung may inaapi

Na kaya mong tulungan.

Winners of 2009 Pinoy Expat/OFW blog awards

Published by Ellen on December 30, 2009

Congratulations to the winners of the 2009 Pinoy Expat/OFW Blog Awards.
The awarding ceremonies was held at the Philamlife Auditorium last Dec. 27.

The winners are:

1.Isla de Nebz (Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia)

http://isladenebz.blogspot.com/2009/07/peba-entry-where-my-ofw-dollars-go.html

2.Pink Tarha Girls (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia)

http://thepinktarha.blogspot.com/2009/08/ang-tunay-na-katas-ng-saudi.html

3.Wits and Spirits (Bangkok, Thailand)

http://josephilsaraspe.blogspot.com/2009/08/going-abroad-is-dream-of-almost-every.html

A seafarer’s suggestion to avoid maritime tragedies

Published by Ellen on December 29, 2009

Sea tragedies have become become common occurrences during the holiday season when city folks go home to the province to spend Christmas with families and relatives.

We never learn our lesson.Every tragedy, we bewail the overloading, the poor vessel maintenance and the questionable capabilities of the crew. But after the stories have ceased to be headline news, we go back to our usual slipshod “bahala na” attitude until the next tragedy.

The past week has seen two sea tragedies that claimed hundred of lives caused miseries to families in this supposedly season of joy.

Pacquaio: idolo sa boksing; hindi superhero

Published by Ellen on December 28, 2009

Ayun sa reports, kulelat ang pelikula ni Manny Pacquiao na “Wapakman” sa Metro Manila Film Festival.

Sana magmumulat yan sa mga mata ni Manny na siya ay ini-idolo sa boksing. Sa boksing lang. Kung gusto ng mga tao manood ng pelikula, gusto nila ang magaling na artista. At hindi si Pacquaio yun.

Ayon sa official box office records ng MMFF, ang topnother ay “Ang Panday” ni Sentor Ramon “Bong” Revilla na kumita ng P16.9 million sa unang araw, na sinundan ng “Ang Darling kong Aswang” ni Vic Sotto (P16.8 million) at “Shake, Rattle & Roll XI” (P16.2 million). Fantasy films itong mga topnotcher.

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