Cattle and the communists By Marifi Jara We, the so-called Generation X – roughly those who are in their 30s now and early 40s -do not fully comprehend the implications of the Martial Law era. We were newborns or toddlers when its dark hand took hold of the country beginning…

“Gifts” – again! By +Oscar V. Cruz D. D. From roads to bridges, houses to water pumps, irrigation projects to electrification—these and other government projects and public works are customarily and proudly, shamelessly even, are called “Gifts” (“bigay”) from the national leadership as again recently reported from Northern Luzon. The…

Why we’ve stopped singing “O say, can you see…” By Gerry Garcia We were graduating seniors of the Dagupan Institute High School on Arellano on December 8 of 1941 when World War II reached our shores through the infamous Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, dawn of the same…

Spines looks beyond himself By Jun Velasco AT the Wednesday victory party of Governor Amado Espino at the Narciso Ramos hall for his 4th district constituents, we saw a new approach in governance in the province. Spines, the spitfire’s nickname, wants to serve notice that the office is made for…

Opposition senators self-destructing too soon? By Gonzalo Duque WE in the education sector paid a courtesy call on Speaker Joe de Venecia at his beautiful residence at Forbes recently. All of us from Cocopea and Pacu were impressed by the warm and touching hospitality of the speaker and his lovely…

Bedol: handle with care By +Oscar V. Cruz D. D. One of the inherent weaknesses of conspiracy is when one of the conspirators squeals their misdeed. When one of the collaborators “lets the cat out of the bag”, the consequence is disastrous to all concerned. They are all exposed to…

Of business and military men By Marifi Jara I once worked with a young lady from a Filipino-Chinese family in a corporate setting. Mondays to Fridays, she earned her own keep, doing her job well and, as far as I can remember, was never late and hardly absent from work….

Blood all over the land By +Oscar V. Cruz D. D. There are countries that already conquered spaced, reached the moon and are even ready to go farther. It is already the age of e-commerce and cyber-education. Science and technology have already made big advances and are still looking forward…

Final homecoming for Pinoy Armboy By Gerry Garcia PANGASINENSES have every reason to be proud like the bereaved parents themselves over the military honors the Iraq-based US Infantry Regiment gave a Fil-Am soldier during his recent burial at a Catholic cemetery in Lingayen. The late Fil-American, 25, happened to be…

Vice Mayor Belen Fernandez blends talent and service By Jun Velasco A NEW set of officials under the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has just taken their oaths of office. Many of us don’t give a damn any more, courtesy of the kind of do-nothing and corrupt officials we have…