Mabini Hall - Access to Justice

The right to reply is the right to answer charges or allegations in the public arena chiefly those in media like newspapers, tabloids and other forms of print media including television, radio and now the Internet.

What happens oftentimes is that a newspaper exposes an alleged scam or wrongdoing in bold headlines and brings a person to ridicule. When the affected person defends himself or presents his explanations, his reply never gets to see the light of day. If ever, it is buried deep in small column spaces in the ‘letters to the editor’ or some obscure section. It is unfair and is harmful to the civilized order. The reputation of the person is effectively destroyed without a remedy unless he goes to court. In the meantime, the accusations may continue. [Read more →]

In the news recently, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) employee lost her valuables when thieves broke into her sports utility vehicle parked in the lot between the ADB Building and the Podium Mall. The husband and wife victims lost their personal belongings including a laptop. The car park company, Secure-Citiparking Philippines Corp., has promised to investigate the incident but remains firm that they are not responsible for her loss. It seems that it is insecure on this security breach. [Read more →]

Back to colonial mentality and national development. Since the founding of the Republic, we Filipinos have been blaming our colonial past for the state of the nation. The Spanish for the siesta, the mañana habit and the culture of patronage; the Japanese for the rape and pillage and for outstripping us in growth since; and the Americans for the undue influence and consumerism. The whole thing is like an MMDA truck tied to our necks while we try to cross an EDSA overpass. [Read more →]

This week is turning out to be pretty special. I celebrated my birthday and what better way to celebrate than to speak before 5,000 high school student leaders from all over the land. Their energy level was breathtaking and impossible to match from the opening raucous birthday song as a welcome gift. [Read more →]

Don’t look now but if you do, that figure is the monthly salary of the President of the Republic of the Philippines—before tax. To most of our countrymen, that is a huge amount that can go a long way to feed a family of five on more than a staple of NFA rice and the occasional Jollibee cheeseburger. It may even be a decent budget for a middle class family living in a subdivision in Q.C. with two family cars on amortization. But for the Chief Executive of the twelfth largest nation in the world in terms of population, P63,525 or $1,400 is a joke. [Read more →]

Finally, Republic Act No. 9211, or the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003 is fully in effect. All forms of tobacco advertising in mass media are now prohibited. Did you notice? With the increasing awareness and evidence of the harmful effects of smoking and the snowballing anti-smoking movement globally, it is time we cut big tobacco to size. But first, on human stupidity. [Read more →]

What do you say my fellow Filipinos? Shall bid for the right to host the Olympics right here in Manila in 2020? If Beijing and the other world cities can do it, why not the capital of the 90-million strong hardworking and creative Pinoys? Let’s imagine the possibilities. [Read more →]

The State of the Nation Address aside, one burning issue is the advertisement of products by national politicians. You see them on big billboards endorsing bath soaps, laundry detergents, food supplements and skin care. Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago complained to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) that such constitutes premature campaigning and partisan political activity and is a violation of the spirit and intent of our election laws. The Comelec recently ruled that no law was violated and promptly referred the matter to Congress for more legislation. And we thought we had more than enough laws. [Read more →]