ANY motorist will easily notice the street billboards of Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas, candidate for congressman, that blaze with the word “Uswag.” It prompts us into thinking, “Have we Ilonggos really prospered?”
In fairness to the mayor, he and the Chinoys who surround him at the inner sanctum of City Hall – nay, city mall [...]

ANNOUNCING the 38th Iloilo Paraw Regatta Invitational Rapid Chess Tournament on February 20-21, 2010. It will be held at the Iririmaw Hall of the Breakthrough Restaurant in Sto. Niño Sur, Arevalo, Iloilo City.
Interested parties may register at the Freedom Grandstand Chess Center with NM Cesar Mariano or at the Office of Councilor Jose Espinosa III, [...]

I am never a fan of Farmville. I know it would eat a lot of my limited time if I get hooked to it, just how mIRC made me a chat addict in the late 90s. My Facebook life is limited only to posting my thoughts, commenting on my friend’s posts and chatting.
I know a [...]

ONE of the key insights I gained from my study mission in Ontario and Manitoba, Canada, three years ago, was the value of thinking and acting like a region. This is a development mindset advocated by the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI), a non-government organization based in Toronto committed to enhancing the quality of life in [...]

Last February 4, 2010, we received a report that the Commission on Audit (COA) conducted an audit at the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) of Catherine Tingson. No disbursement whatsoever for the whole day. Thank God, COA interfered on time probably knowing that if there is smoke there is fire!
As told, Mrs. Luz Leonora, cash division [...]

Sen. Noynoy Aquino expressed disagreement to the appointment of the new Supreme Court Justice by Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo. He opined that the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, shall be appointed by the next President of the Republic of the Philippines.
On why he is so vocal about it, we have yet to know. [...]

Recently, I attended the Peace Partners’ Forum organized by the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process in a downtown hotel in Iloilo. The forum gathered many participants from all over the Visayas, apparently pleasing Secretary Annabelle Abaya, the current presidential adviser.
Gatherings for peace usually cannot escape the question why peace – as [...]

The culture of impunity to kill Filipino journalists manifests that continued refusal of the Philippine government to embrace transparency and accountability. And for more than 20 years, the Constitutional provision on the right to information remains powerless because no enabling law was passed yet to ensure that it is observed.
While journalists often cite the Bill [...]

WEEKS ago, in between interviews for the city competitiveness study, I read Newsweek’s special edition on 2010 issues, linked together by a common thread – the financial meltdown that started at Wall Street in the last quarter of 2008 and its effects so far. The essays in the edition pondered why it appears that the [...]

The recently held Dinagyang Festival was truly a success. But invited visitors don’t have the faintest idea where the income of the affair should go. Many believe the celebration is still sanctioned by the church who would benefit from this religious celebration.
Unknown to them, it is already under the administration of a foundation, the Dinagyang [...]