Elements of a very nasty conspiracy theory are coming to the fore. The fact that a clear majority of political families own construction companies, a budget for flood control projects in the trillions, and now, lawmakers quick to shift the blame for the most recent deluge to somewhere else. Are
August 6, 2024
We should not be intimidated by the sight of the Chinese Coast Guard Monster Ship or their Navy’s Shandong Carrier sailing in our seas. But we must also accept that we cannot beat these ocean goliaths with just smarts and unshakeable faith. Indeed, their very presence should ignite a burning
July 24, 2024
Our One China Policy is found in the 1975 Joint Communique between Manila and Beijing, whereby among other things, “The two Governments recognize and agree to respect each other’s territorial integrity.” This accord was spurred by Resolution No. 2758 of the United Nations General Assembly issued on October 25, 1971
July 10, 2024
It is so easy to get fired up in the fight for supremacy between the United States (US) and China. And it is so tempting to think that we must take sides in this historical geopolitical drama. It is a good thing that as far as our government is concerned,
June 25, 2024
House Bill No. 9349 or “The Divorce Bill” is another clear example of poor lawmaking. This critique has nothing to do with divorce per se. But everything to do with an inadequacy afflicting our lawmakers today. Lawmaking is fundamentally a problem-solving exercise. In his seminal book, Making Laws That Work:
June 11, 2024
This is a great time to be reminded of the 1994 Supreme Court decision of Yabut vs. Ombudsman where these words are immortalized: “A public official, more especially an elected one, should not be onion skinned.” The court’s admonition continues, “Strict personal discipline is expected of an occupant of a
May 28, 2024
Nations interfering in each other’s affairs has been going on since before the creation of states as we know it. Indeed, many democratic governments today generally see these activities as being part of international relations. But there are still acts of interference that most nations deem as unacceptable. According to
May 14, 2024
Our sovereignty is under threat. A foreign invader is getting more aggressive in the West Philippine Sea. It is so inspiring to see patriots rise to the occasion. But lamentably, we are also witnessing compatriots blatantly betraying our cause. An article reporting on Chinese vessels removing the payao installed by
April 30, 2024
Seems only logical for the government to drastically improve our national defense capability given the military’s shift to focus on external threats. Of course, this fundamentally means getting ourselves ready for war. Hence, it is still prudent to probe the timing of proceeding along this path. In a way, President
April 16, 2024
Let us be clear about this. Our President has no authority whatsoever to enter a “gentleman’s agreement”, or whatever name it is called, with any world leader or with whomever else in the planet. A President who does such a thing is not performing an official function, but is actually
April 3, 2024
By Michael Henry Yusingco, LL.M Let us be clear about this. The 1987 Constitution prescribes only three modes to amend or revise it. Despite the hype by some of our lawmakers, there is no fourth mode. Fr. Joaquin Bernas, S.J. did mention the words “fourth mode” in his column, but these lawmakers have misappropriated his
March 19, 2024
The Cha-Cha buzz should inspire us to learn more about our constitution and constitutions in general. Sadly, for most of us this is not a subject we study in school, even though the 1987 Constitution explicitly requires it to be part of the curriculum. But, the truth is, having sufficient
March 8, 2024