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  By Jose Bayani D. Baylon As the country remains gripped over the incident that cost the lives of 44 members of the PNP Special Action Force, I could only remind myself that war is never pretty. Now, someone might say, the 44 were not in a state of war as they were simply carrying

                    By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS THERE was something amusing in the narration of Mamasapano Mayor Tahirodin Benzar A. Ampatuan that reflects a trait common to many Filipinos. Mayor Ampatuan (yes, the Ampatuans of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre are still very much a force to reckon with

By JAKE SORIANO IN December last year, blind massage therapists from Zamboanga City traveled all the way to Cagayan de Oro to undergo licensing exams. They took the nearly 500-km journey because their jobs were on the line. But Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) struck, and they were told to go home. No exams meant no licenses.

By CHICKIE R. LOCSIN FOUR years ago, mothers were dying in the Philippines at the rate of 221 per 100,000 live births. Given that maternal mortality is a barometer of a country’s health system, those are disturbing numbers. The situation has improved and it is expected that by this year, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR)

  By REYNARD MAGTOTO “I make movies because I have a story to tell and I have a story to share,” multi-awarded filmmaker Brillante Mendoza declared. Mendoza’s four-part documentary series, titled “Small Acts, Big Stories,” was inspired by the stories of ordinary people who wanted to make a difference through their extraordinary acts. His documentary

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS I hold President Aquino accountable for the death of 44 Special Action Force commandos but I don’t want him forced to shorten his term which is due to end on June 30 next year. I’m not joining calls for him to resign. I’m against a coup de’etat. I want him to

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS WEARING black arm bands emblazoned with “44”, apl.de.ap of the international hip-hop group Black  Eyed Peas and one of the judges of The Voice PH, led the performance of one the group’s hits, “Where is the Love?” in last Sunday’s episode of the singing competition. The lyrics were sharply apt: “Overseas,

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS POLICE Inspector Joey Sacristan Gamutan, 33, of the elite Special Action Force, was a fan of the San Miguel Beermen. He won a bet in the championship game for 2015 Philippine Cup title between the San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces last Jan. 21. He was so happy he told

By JAKE SORIANO CITING the persistence of media and other extrajudicial killings, torture and enforced disappearances, an international watchdog scored the Aquino administration for its poor human rights record in 2014 and its lack of political will in addressing abuses committed by government security forces. “With less than two years left in office, the administration of

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS IT took him four days to say something about the worst tragedy in the history of the country’s  police force and when the bodies of the fallen police officers arrived at Villamor Air Base yesterday, President Aquino was at Mitsubishi plant Sta Rosa, Laguna inspecting and enjoying the classic cars

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS FORTY-FOUR members of the Special Action Force, the elite group of the Philippine National Police, were killed by the rebel Muslim group the Aquino government has signed a peace agreement with. Yet, social media denizens are in an impassioned discussion over Philippine Miss Universe pageant candidate MJ Lastimosa’s “cake gown.”

Text and photos by JAKE SORIANO THE message of the estimated 12,000 “angels with wings” dancing to the beat of Taylor Swift’s pop hit “Shake It Off” was a simple one: awareness, acceptance and inclusion of persons with autism in society. “What we want is for the Philippines to be autism-OK,” said Autism Society of

FOLLOWING complaints, budget carrier Cebu Pacific now aims to be more sensitive to the needs of passengers with disabilities. At the company’s request, National Council on Disability Affairs (NCDA) Acting Executive Director Carmen Zubiagalast week led in the orientation of flight cabin staff and reservation officers of the airline. “Discussed during the seminar workshops were

COTABATO City — Every municipality in Maguindanao is expected this year to have an office for persons with disabilities (PWDs), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here said. The provincial board unanimously approved last month an ordinance directing local governments to create a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) down to the municipal

  By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS PRESIDENT Aquino has not yet spoken on reports, confirmed by Social Services Secretary Dinky  Soliman, about the government banishing 490 homeless persons to a Batangas resort during the five-day visit of Pope Francis. But his deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said, “Wala naman hong ganoon. Parang insulto din sa bisita

Text and photos by JAKE SORIANO PERSONS with disabilities (PWDs) are now guaranteed the best market for their products and services: the government. The signing last year of the implementing rules and regulations of Executive Order 417 or the Economic Independence Program for PWDs, is key to providing sustainable livelihoods for PWDs, say advocates. “PWDs are

  By NORMAN SISON ON the second day of his memorable visit to the Philippines, Pope Francis celebrated mass for the local clergy at the Manila Cathedral. In his welcome remarks after the ceremony, Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Archbishop of Manila, related to the Pope how the cathedral was repeatedly destroyed by fire, earthquakes

By ELLEN T. TORDESILLAS I don’t do online purchases for fear that information about my credit card would be mis-used. That’s why I was surprised and outraged when I got a notice by email the other night that I was being charged two purchases, $39.99 each totalling $79.98 almost $80.00 or P3,600.00. The items downloaded