I have been following another case that involved a failed delivery of a letter.
The issue is about copyright, an artist’s protection for his or her creations.
Dennis Garcia of the much-loved Hotdog band wrote that over a week ago, his group was about to close a lucrative deal with a reputable casino group and it involved the use of iconic “Manila”, the song that he and his brother,Rene,created.
Early evening news yesterday reported that finally, the suspension order by the Office of the Ombudsman of Makati Mayor Junjun Binay was served. But not without violence.
Supporters of the Binays were seen throwing monobloc chairs at police officers. Vice President Jejomar Binay was also seen berating Senior Superintendent Elmer Jamias, deputy director of the Southern Police District (SPD), accusing the latter of preventing their supporters from entering the City hall premises where they were holding a rally/vigil.
As China continues its massive reclamation and construction in areas surrounding the seven reefs that it occupies in the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea, the Philippines can only watch helplessly.
The Philippine government’s protests through media now sounds like a broken record.
The United Nations International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea will start the hearing of the Philippine suit against China’s nine dash line map which encroached on territories of the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam on July 7.
But even a favorable decision by the U.N Arbitral Tribunal, which is expected next year, won’t bind China which has refused to participate in the legal process.
What is left for the Philippines to do then?
The BBL missed its timetable of the Senate and House of Representatives passing it by June 11.
Supporters of the legislation which promises lasting peace for Muslim Filipinos and the country are hopeful that the resumption of the deliberations on the bill after President Aquino’s last State of the Nation Address on July 17 would lead to bill’s eventual passage into a law.
When that time comes, more groups will be questioning it before the Supreme Court.
Before the adjournment of the House of Representatives, Magdalo Representative Gary Alejano raised valid issues during his interpellation of Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, one of the vice chairs Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law.
It’s not only Sen. Grace Poe who surged as shown in the results of Pulse Asia’s survey of the people’s pulse for the 2016 elections conducted two weeks ago.
Interior Secretary Mar Roxas said he is happy that his score increased by 150 percent! From four percent last March which put him in seventh place, he is now number four with 10 percent. He tied with former President and now Manila mayor Joseph Estrada.
That’s a classic example of looking at the glass half full.
By Vic Altiche
Known for her resonating vocals and commanding stage presence, Sweet has proven to be an ultimate performer having worked on and off stage for a number of prestigious theater companies such as TRUMPETS, 9Works Theatricals, and Tanghalang Pilipino where she started her theatrical career.
Aside from her impressive acting and musical theater credits, Sweet is also a revered voice coach and musical theater teacher having passed on her skills to the students of the University of Asia and the Pacific and currently, the Meridian International College (MINT) in McKinley.
The call of Liberal Party’s Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice for Sen. Grace Poe to be more transparent on the issue of her residency in the Philippines signals the drawing of the line between Poe and the Liberal Party’s presidential bet, Interior Secretary Mar Roxas.
Erice was quoted as saying that he believes that the lady senator, whose surging popularity makes her the frontrunner in the 2016 presidential elections, is a natural born Filipino citizen and should have no problem with the Constitutional requirement of citizenship for the presidency.
Erice said it’s in the requirement of a 10-year residency immediately preceding before the election that it’s not clear whether Poe is qualified or not. “”Si Senator Poe is a natural born Filipino, wala dapat mag-question doon. But I think Senator Grace should be more transparent as far as accusation she’s been using US passport 2006, 2007, 2009, according to former Senator Tatad,” the LP congressman said.
Erice sounded like United Nationalist Alliance interim president and Navotas City Rep. Toby Tiangco who first exposed the issue of Poe’s residency after the lady senator turned down Vice President Jejomar Binay’s offer for her to be his running mate.
His strategies reflect a good grasp of the factors involved in the political game.
He must therefore have sensed that things are not going right for him after three of the political personalities he mentioned he is eyeing to be a running mate in 2016 elections turned him down.
It gives the impression that no one wants to be associated with him.
Last month, Binay floated the idea of having Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as running mate for the 2016 elections.
Duterte, who has stopped saying that he will kill the person behind the Duterte-for-president-movement and is now thinking of running for the highest post in the land, declined the offer.
The one that I was interested in was the information that the famous Taiwanese dimsum restaurant, Din Tai Fung, will soon be in Manila.
The other welcome announcement was the increase of flights between Taiwan and the Philippines.
These developments show that despite institutional diplomacy limitations, relations between the Philippines and Taiwan continues to improve.
Looking at the almost 300- year-old Philippine map by Fr. Pedro Murillo Velarde which businessman Mel Velarde acquired for P12 million in an auction in London last year, one can see that the Jesuit priest is a great storyteller.
The 1734 Murillo Velarde map shows more than just locations. It has two panels on both sides engraved with images depicting lifestyles and special features of places. One panel shows a farmer plowing the field not far from a river with crocodiles. It’s noted that in Zamboanga, there’s “Pozo de Agua Dulce.” In general it showed Filipinos enjoying a highly civilized society.
But the most significant feature of the Murillo Velarde map is a tiny spot off the shores of Nueva Castilla, which was then the name of Luzon labeled “Panacot.”