The Criminals’ Right

All humans have basic rights. Criminals are humans. Therefore, criminals have basic rights. This syllogism, although to my mind is valid, is for some hard to accept,  or is simply unacceptable. For how can someone possess a right and yet trample upon another’s right? How can someone’s constitutional right to due process be protected when … Continue reading →

In search of peace: SMAD celebrates the Mindanao Week of Peace

There were about ten people who stood in the center ground. Each was holding a white balloon. “Those balloons symbolize the prayers, hopes, and aspirations of all Marisians,” said Mr. Oliver Calledo, the moderator of the Samahang Araling Panlipunan. “At the count of three, they will release the balloons.” Then the balloons were released.

149 Minutes

Nervous, I inserted my ballot into the PCOS (Precinct Count Optical Scanner) machine. I was nervous because what if the PCOS would reject my ballot like it did to the woman before me. The PCOS didn’t reject her ballot at all. But she inserted it six times before her ballot was counted. Less than a … Continue reading →

Is Talk ‘N Text stealing from its cash-strapped subscriber?

Is Talk ‘N Text, “a wholly owned subsidiary of SMART,” stealing from a cash-strapped subscriber? This morning I loaded Gaantxt 10 onto my cellphone, a load equivalent to 55 texts to Talk ‘N Text/Smart + 5 texts to all networks! But when I replied to a very urgent text message, what appeared was not “Message … Continue reading →

Poll automation, no matter what

A new way of doing things will always give feelings of discomfort to those who are accustomed or programmed to doing things their way—which is the old way. Just imagine you grandparents, who have never seen, let alone touch a computer, signing up for Facebook. But if we know the old way is no longer … Continue reading →

NOYNOY

No time for Mindanao?

Towards the end of the forum “Paminaw Mindanao,” Amina Rasul, one of the the forum’s convenors, gave a summary of Gibo’s, JC’s, Perlas’s, and Villanueva’s plans for Mindanao. There is, however, a trace of disappointment in Rasul’s voice. And she expressed the same sentiment in her column: Unfortunately, of the nine presidential candidates, only Secretary … Continue reading →

Wala naminaw sa Paminaw Mindanao

Unlike some of my friends who went to HCDC Gym to attend Paminaw Mindanao, a presidential forum on Mindanao, I was able to secure a white ticket, that which allowed me sit in the chairs below, among the important and not-so important people, not in the bleachers above. Since I don’t have a laptop to … Continue reading →

Whom we should not vote for?

My friends and I made a pact: We will not vote for candidates who violate the law. Those who post their campaign ads on restricted areas we will not vote for. Those who campaigned during the Holy Week we will not vote for. Those who spend more than what is allowed we will not vote … Continue reading →

Why I will vote for Noynoy…

Because he is good, among others, for education. I have a special interest for education. First, I’m an education student, which means that I’ll be a future teacher. True, I’ll be taking up law soon after I graduate from college. But that doesn’t mean I’ve lost my special interest for education. Who knows, I just … Continue reading →