2012 is a year of disasters
By Eunille Santos With reports from Jossa Soler The Mayans could have gotten it right. With the series of unprecedented natural disasters that occurred last year and are still occurring with an increasing frequency, the December 21, 2012 prophecy may actually be lurking around the corner, aside from the historic and religious attributions to it. [...]
Better economy, better lives for 2012 – Pnoy
By Ardelle Costuna and Eimor Santos For 2012, President Benigno Aquino III’s New Year resolution is for the Filipinos: a promise to further improve the country’s state of economy and alleviate their lives. In his New Year’s message, Aquino vowed to hasten the fulfillment of change in the country this 2012. “Ang taon na papasok [...]
Beyond Ecotourism: Protecting the Puerto Princesa Underground River
By Elizabeth E. Escaño Preservation of the Puerto Princesa Underground River should not end when the final results of the search for the New 7 Wonders of Nature are announced early this year, after the process of confirmation and verification of global votes is completed. Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn stressed on the local government’s [...]
NSCB: 3 out of 8 MDGs highly attainable
By Dexter Cabalza The Philippines has scored three out of eight so far. Only three out of the eight United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) may be achievable by 2015, according to the September 2011 report from the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB). (see sidebar below) It just proves that the previous and [...]
Remembering November 23
by Dexter Cabalza "The practice of media in the country has become more dangerous not because of the increased number of difficult assignments but of increased number of journalist killings." We will never forget. Justice will be served. End impunity now. Click image to view larger picture. >>
The missing 58th
by Myra Cabujat The families of the 58 victims of the Maguindanao Massacre were still haunted with the memories of the loved ones. All calling for justice for those killed in the heinous crime. And one family still struggles from finding the body of their loved one whose corpse is, up until now, still missing. Two years ago, 61-year-old Midland Review photojournalist Reynaldo Momay joined the convoy of the relatives, lawyers and media workers >>
Fostering a culture of impunity
by Alex Austria A total of 107 journalists have been killed under former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s term, spanning a total of nine years. Most organizations and groups have viewed these figures as the manifestation of the “culture of impunity” in the country. According to an inquiry done in September 2009 by UNESCO and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication, indicators of impunity are “disregard for the rule >>
A test of palabra de honor
by Jon Lindley Agustin Girls always prefer a man firm in his words. If President Aquino wants a prosperous love life, he must be a bachelor adorned with palabra de honor. In his inaugural speech more than a year ago, Aquino promised, “There can be no reconciliation without justice. When we allow crimes to go unpunished, we give consent to their occurring over and over again.” As the members of the media and the Filipino nation on >>
Democracy in peril
by Ralph Angelo Ty Two years after the single deadliest assault on journalists in history, there seems to be little progress in achieving justice for the victims and their families. When human rights lawyer Harry Roque proclaimed that it will take at least 55,000 years before the Maguindanao massacre trials are resolved, Justice Secretary Leila De Lima took offense and laid out an ambitious plan to put closure to what also is the most heinous >>
