Cory Aquino: 1933-2009

I met Cory Aquino only once, before she found out she had cancer. The Foreign Correspondents of the Philippines (FOCAP) was trying to invite her as a speaker, ad the board of directors met with her. It was just a cordial meeting, not an on the record presser, and so no one wrote about what [...]

US plans on how to distribute swine flu vaccine

The New York Times has a story on how government is planning to distribute vaccine for the Influenza AH1N1.
Buti pa sa Amerika, nagpa-plano na sila kung paano, kanino at kailan ibibigay ang vaccine laban sa swine flu, kahit wala pang dumarating. Sa atin, wala nang balita mula sa Department of Health (DOH) tungkol sa swine [...]

The MRT on a rainy day

When it rains, the best way to travel in Metro Manila is via the light rail train system: the MRT or the two LRTs. But, as this picture shows, “best way to travel” only means you’ll get there on time, but not necessarily dry.
If you look closely, you’ll see a woman holding a brown umbrella [...]

A call to Pinoy bloggers to link blogs on HR1109

There is a call to Filipino bloggers — and other bloggers as well – to link blogs and help inform the public on House Resolution 1109, which convenes Congress into a constituent assembly that will change the Constitution.
We are issuing this call to all pinoy blogs and bloggers to link to other blogs discussing [...]

House of Representatives to pass Right of Reply bill tonight?

Word is that the House of Representatives will approve the Right of Reply bill tonight, June 3, in a marathon session that will last into the wee hours of the morning. Those who are against it, protest while you still can. Meanwhile, I am reposting the Foreign Correspondent’s Association of the Philippines’ (FOCAP) position on [...]

Plenary debates on Chacha

The House of Representatives is debating on the proposed resolution to convene Congress into a constituent assembly.
These are notes: there is no context here at all and I missed a lot of points. These are not accurate, either. But it may give one an idea of how the debates went. For accuracy, though, I [...]

Cafe Xocolat

I do my best “grilling” in restaurants, and I usually choose quiet places not frequented by fellow reporters. Restaurants that serve tasty, but not pricey, meals, where the ambience is relaxed and the waiters kind but not overly solicitous.

Pacquiao-Hatton fight (interviews after)

TV interview with Manny after the fight:
manny says: just happy to hit him with a right hook.
announcer turns to freddie: you have to be surprised at the fashion it ended.
Roach: no, not really.

Hatton down on Round 2

Ricky Hatton went down on round 2, giving Manny Pacquiao a TKO win. It was the third time he went down, because he had gone down twice during the first round. He didn’t even finish round 2. And when he went down, latag talaga. His arms were over his head, and he was flat on [...]

Pacquiao-Hatton fight

Martin Nievera sings “Lupang Hinirang,” and no one stands up in the restaurant. A boy, about 9, puts his hand on his breast and a young man imitates the gesture, smiling at his companion. The boy gingerly puts down his hand and play with his gun again, shooting at the screen while the national anthem [...]