Call this general irresponsible

With the economy surging to unprecedented heights, President Arroyo expressed hopes for the country to finally end its dependence on the remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFW), encouraging them to find lucrative jobs locally with the infusion of more job opportunities as foreign investors come pouring in their stake in a globalized market.

The topside of the issue is economics, made attractive by the prospect of dollar earnings and the promise of giving one’s family a better life. The downside is a more traumatic issue when one considers the pain of family separation, the resultant confusion of children seeking parental guidance and finding none. 

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The President said that the country is thankful to its OFWs who gave the much-needed boost in times when the economy was in the doldrums. But now that her economic reforms are in place and producing the desired results, the country is experiencing a windfall and she intends to “transform the pain into gains in human and physical infrastructure. . . [in terms of] education, health care and training.” 

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We share the President’s hopes and we commend the great sacrifices and contribution to the economy of OFWs and their families. Indeed, the President inherited a nation in chaos and an economy that is one of the worst in Asia.

In those unglorious times, the remittances of OFWs offered a saving grace, a reason to hope. Propped up by the valuable support of foreign remittances, slowly the President’s economic policies untangled the mesh of problems while addressing the many barriers to progress that for decades have burdened the country’s rebirth. With so much effort and sacrifices, the reforms launched by the President bore fruit and prospered. To the OFWs, we owe much of our new-found strength. 

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The Supreme Court recently dismissed the petition of educators to annul Executive Order 210 prescribing English as the country’s second language. The petitioners claimed that the EO 210 is unconstitutional and antipoor. The High Court disagreed and said so in English! 

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Finally, the Catholic Church has decided that some form of dress code shall be followed by those who attend Mass in church. In fact, I have been advocating this since my We Forum days because I can’t help but be scandalized by women who attend Mass scantily attired. It is not unusual to see men in church wearing slippers and sporty shorts, and worse, women in church wearing revealing minis and short shorts. And worst, they receive the sacred host in this kind of immodest attire. 

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I narrated my observations to a parish priest in the city and pointed out that when these women bend down to take communion, the people behind her are presented with a clear view of their underwear. This might be a glimpse of heaven to others but to this, the good father said: “Never mind, when the church becomes very strict with our dress code, these people might not attend Mass anymore.”

I disagree with the good father because even in such places as nightclubs, dress codes are strictly followed. If rules are enforced in nightclubs, why not in church? Come to think of it, this may be the reason why Archbishop Cruz has retired from serving his flock and wants to plant camote instead. 

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I have no objection to the move of Chief Justice Rey Puno to call for a summit on extrajudicial killings. I don’t know the intended parameters of the Chief Justice but any reform in the judicial system that will help expedite judicial forces without sacrificing the rule of law and the due process requirements of the Constitution will always be welcome.

What I am wary about is that in our over-enthusiasm and desire to “solve” extrajudicial killings, we might go into legal shortcuts that would be disastrous to the due-process clause of the Constitution.

Let us give a chance for this program of the Chief Justice to work and we hope everyone who has anything to say about the law will be at the summit to offer assistance. 

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The PDI carried a story the other day of a general who refused to be identified and who was talking about extrajudicial killings. It is sad that this general is such a coward that he refuses to identify himself after besmirching the entire Armed Forces of the Philippines.

He does not deserve, even for a minute, to have star rank because a general who is loudmouth enough to irresponsibly talk about extrajudicial killings in a manner bereft of facts and accurate data must be the most irresponsible and misinformed military officer who ever held command of troops.

I hope they will be able to identify this loudmouth general and remove all his stars and send him back to the barracks.

The issue of extrajudicial killings is mired in conflicting views and speculations and any version of one party often differs with published facts and figures. It is an issue involving lives and causes, of moral responsibilities and ideology.
It is not a subject one can befuddle with a cotton-pickin’ mind.

THE Philippine government recently announced it is considering the nuclear option in its “energy mix” to ensure a stable source of power.

My Palace source was concerned about the recent surge of robberies. 

“People have no respect for anything anymore,” he lamented.

Wednesday last week I had this rare privilege of lunching with the stalwarts of the local journalism profession, especially the respected professionals of the print medium who have endured (and visibly aged) in the past two or three decades and are now on top of their respective heaps—including Isagani Yambot of the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Crispulo Icban Jr. of the Manila Bulletin, to name only two, who sat next to me at the State Dining Hall in Malacañang.

Investor expectations in Thailand are pinned on an election that will probably occur toward the end of 2007, after the country’s new constitution—the 18th in 75 years—is ready.

With the economy surging to unprecedented heights, President Arroyo expressed hopes for the country to finally end its dependence on the remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFW), encouraging them to find lucrative jobs locally with the infusion of more job opportunities as foreign investors come pouring in their stake in a globalized market.

When the going gets tough, the tough get buying soccer teams.

With apologies to one of the English language’s better-known adages, this phrase aptly describes Thaksin Shinawatra. Last week, the ousted Thai prime minister took time out from his busy schedule rehabilitating his image to buy English soccer team Manchester City.

THE Association of International Shipping Lines (AISL) draws your attention to the news report (BusinessMirror June 19) entitled: “RP trading costs too high—WB.”