ellen tordesillas – Page 7 – Making life worth living.

House panel’s votes on ABS-CBN do not reflect people’s sentiments

Published by Ellen on July 13, 2020

Sayang, that the Social Weather Stations released its survey on the sentiments of adult Filipinos on the ABS-CBN franchise the day after 70 members the House committee on legislative franchises voted to deny it. Only 11 showed clear thinking and voted against the despicable resolution.

The special SWS survey conducted on July 3-6 while the House panel was discussing the ABS-CBN franchise, used mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI) among 1,555 adult Filipinos (18 years old and above) nationwide.

The result was 75 percent among the respondents want ABS-CBN’s franchise renewed; only 13 percent disagreed and only ten percent were undecided. That’s the complete opposite of what the members of Congress did last Friday, which leads us to ask whether those 70 ever consult the people they are supposed to represent.

Don’t shoot the messenger, renew ABS-CBN license

Published by Ellen on July 10, 2020

Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla said ABS-CBN “played up” his blunder during the July 1 hearing on the media giant’s bid for another 25-year franchise where TV cameras caught him writing a note while the Philippine National Anthem was being played.

“As usual, the ABS-CBN people are the ones playing it up now on social media,” he said.

Days later, also during the ABS-CBN franchise hearing, Remulla complained about the “cyber bullying” that he suffered that prompted him to lodge a complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation.

“I thought this wise because we are doing our job for this country, we are not doing this job for personal reason. This matter of scrutinizing a constitutional franchise, this franchise of ABS-CBN, is a constitutional duty. Ito ay aming tungkulin sa ilalim ng Saligang Batas na tingnan ang bagay na ito,” he said.

Ronnel Mas’ case: A preview of the possible horror of Anti-Terrorism law

Published by Ellen on June 26, 2020

The case of public school teacher Ronnel Mas should give us a preview of the horror that we would have to go through if and when the Anti-Terrorism bill, which is awaiting the signature of President Duterte, becomes a law.

The anguish that Mas suffered since he was arrested without a warrant last May 11 for his tweet that the National Bureau of Investigation considered “seditious” is immeasurable that you would not wish on your worst enemy.

Thankfully, Olongapo RTC Judge Richard Paradeza saw the illegality of the arrest and dismissed the inciting to sedition charge against Mas.

Media and public trust

Published by Ellen on June 18, 2020

In one of the forums where pressure on media was discussed, the respected Luis Teodoro of the Center Media Freedom and Responsibility said the best protection for media is the people’s trust

In principle, people’s trust on media should be a given because media’s role is public service – to give the public information , as truthfully as it can- that will empower them to make decisions in the daily life including on matters of national interest.

The reality, however, is not that simple. That’s why we have a situation where media becomes a target of attacks from the government as well as other powerful forces.

Duterte’s next ‘solution’: Will it make life for Filipinos worse or better?

Published by Ellen on June 14, 2020

Our lives have been drastically altered by the rigid measures the government has imposed to stop the spread of Covid-19 the last four months.

The new quarantine classifications that President Duterte is going to announce Monday, June 15 will further affect our lives. Will it make life worse or better?

The study done by a group of professors from the University of the Philippines on the situation in Metro Manila and Cebu related to Covid-19 released last June 8 would help us deal with whatever Duterte will decide.

The UP professors said based on the trends that they have observed since March 1 to June 8, 2020, they forecast that “the number of Covid-19 cases, assuming a continuation of current trends, is a total of 40,000 Covid-19 cases by June 30, and 1,850 total deaths due to Covid-19.”

Beware of spoof/fake Facebook accounts

Published by Ellen on June 7, 2020

Malevolent forces are busy at work in Facebook.

I was informed by my niece yesterday about a fake “Ellen Tordesillas” Facebook account.

I checked it out and there it was: just my name. No photo, no post.

ASEAN unlikely to conclude ‘meaningful’ COC in South China Sea – Vietnamese academic

Published by Ellen on January 11, 2020

A slide from the presentation by Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh in a New Delhi conference on South China Sea.

A Vietnamese academic pierced whatever illusion about the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea being worked out between ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and China and being coordinated by the Philippines.

Speaking in aconference on South China Sea in New Delhi, India November 29, 2019, Dr. Vo Xuan Vinh of the Institute for Southeast Asian Studies at the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences said, “It is unlikely that ASEAN and China could conclude a COC as scheduled (2021).”

“If they do, “ Vo said, “the COC is not meaningful.”

There’s more to the U.S. visa ban that Duterte and allies are afraid of

Published by Ellen on January 6, 2020

Senator Leila de Lima waves to supporters on her way to a court hearing, June 7, 2019. Photo from Senator de Lima’s office.

Why is Malacañang panicking over the U.S. visa ban on officials involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of Senator Leila de Lima that has yet to be implemented?

The panic was obvious in the President’s order at the beginning of the New Year that aside from banning the three American senators – Richard Durbin of Illinois, Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Edward Markey of Massachusetts from entering the country – he had wanted “to require all Americans intending to come to the Philippines to apply and secure a visa.”

The order would trash the current policy of a 30-day visa free privilege for U.S. citizens.

Filipina human rights worker, one of the 15 recipients of the Franco-German Human Rights Award

Published by Ellen on December 17, 2019

Human Rights advocate Aileen Bacalso accepts the 2019 Franco-German Prize for Human Rights award from French Ambassador Nicolas Galey (left) and German Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel (right).

It could not have been given to a more deserving person.

Last Dec. 12, two days after the universal observance of International Human Rights Day, human rights advocates gathered at the Novotel in Quezon City to applaud the awarding to Aileen Bacalso, the Franco-German Ministerial Prize for Human Rights and the Rule of Law.

Bacalso was one of the 15 in the world who were honored this year for the work they are doing in protecting human rights. The others were: Ales Bialiatski (Belarus), Li Wenzu (China), the Nadim Center (Egypt), Ameha Mekonnen Asfaw (Ethiopia), Robin Chaurasiya (India), Nasrin Sotoudeh (Iran), Amina Hanga (Nigeria), Miluska Del Carmen Luzquinos Tafur (Peru), Irina Biryukova (Russia), Delphine Kemneloum Djiraïbe (Chad), Asena Günal (Turkey), Luz Mely Reyes (Venezuela), and Vu Quoc Ngu (Vietnam).

The countries where the other recipients come from is a commentary on the notorious company that the Philippines keeps, despite the fact that the preamble in its Constitution speak of building “a just and humane society.”

More on Bato visa ban and ARIA

Published by Ellen on December 15, 2019

Senate President Vicente Sotto and Sen. Ronald Bato de la Rosa watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight in a movie house in Makati in July 2019. Permission granted by Inquirer.net for the use of this photo by Neil Arwin Mercado.

Remember this photo of Senate President Tito Sotto and Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa watching the Las Vegas fight between Senate colleague Manny Pacquiao and American boxer Keith Thurman fight at a theater in Rockwell last July?

We wondered then why de la Rosa, who was investigated by the Ombudsman for accepting an all-expenses paid trip to watch the Pacquiao-Jesse Vargas fight in Las Vegas in November 2016 when he was police chief, opted to stay in Manila when President Duterte cleared him of any wrongdoing. (In fairness to the former police chief, he also skipped the Pacquiao -Jeff Horn fight in Brisbane, Australia in July 2017.)

A source told us that De la Rosa actually wanted to watch the Pacquiao-Thurman fight but his United States visa was cancelled in connection with The Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (ARIA).

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