‘Save 182′

MANILA, Philippines — “Save 182” is the name of a fledgling movement to save 182 pine and alnus trees at SM Baguio. SM says they want exactly the same thing.  Read More »

‘Forbidden’ Idols

Manila, Philippines – Just as Jessica Sanchez is reaping praises and winning fame on American Idol, a clutch of ensemble actors is earning laffs, live, from the stage of RCBC’s Carlos P. Romulo Theater in Makati. There are just four of them plus one unbelievable pianist, but it’s as if there are 40 of them performing the incredible feat of turning Broadway’s biggest hits upside-down in... 

Another Detour

MANILA, Philippines – WITH Hong Kong’s blacklisting of the Philippines as a travel destination still a sore point, no news could’ve been worse than the suspension of all tour packages to our islands by the Chinese mainland’s travel agencies. The Chinese know where to hurt us – and just when “it’s more fun…” was beginning to sound like a lot of fun. Incoming search terms:China... 

Furious Fists

Manila, Philippines – ‘TWAS a weekend begging to be dubbed Super Slugfest. Not quite Part 2, Thrilla in Manila, but fists of fury rained like April showers in May. Incoming search terms:MON TULFO COLUMNIST TEMPOeric salud claudineraymart santiago pribado Read More »

‘Basura Queen’

Manila, Philippines – LONG before it became cool to talk dirty, Narda Camacho was already the queen of garbage, she who nagged us to keep used bottles and old newspapers for the pushcart brigade to collect for the junk shop and save the environment. A century later I see her at a tea party of Philippine Ballet Theater’s “Coppelia” weekend and she still looks like a queen, holding a delicate... 

Trashing Politics

MANILA, Philippines — Plastic bags clog creeks, rivers, landfills, Manila Bay. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. They pollute the environment. Non-negotiable: they should be banned. Incoming search terms:plastic manufacturerwhat is the right thing to do about the plastic garbage? Read More »

Doctor’s in

Manila, Philippines – In this hospital, the doctors wear red, the color of blood that also signifies life and vitality. The hospital is in Philadelphia, where Dr. Lemuel Non of the Philippines is about to complete the first year of his residency in internal medicine at Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he is researching an emerging disease called clostridium difficile. It has to do with... 

Madame Ambassador

MANILA, Philippines — The lady would not be provoked. Asked to comment on a report (MB, April 28) that “DFA decided to temporarily stop diplomatic meetings in the wake of China’s accusations that the Philippines has not complied with an agreement on the standoff,” Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing immediately sense the danger. “Are you with media?” she asked me. Incoming search terms:alberto... 

K what?

Manila, Philippines – In the long run, will K+12 – that’s Kindergarten plus 12 – be good for learners and teachers? Parents of public school children are groaning under the weight of an additional two years for their kids. Parents whose children are enrolled in private schools are almost – almost – glad that their kids in the grades will be accelerated, skipping one year and one grade,... 

Mistress, Distress

MANILA, Philippines — Mistresses who play, men who stray and the wives who stay should be grateful to the committee on women and gender equality in the House of Representatives for trying to eliminate “gender bias” in penalizing crimes of sexual infidelity. The bias is apparent in the Revised Penal Code, which distinguishes between the married woman in a love affair with a man not her husband...