I put down my thoughts today with much regret for the time I had let pass. Time I have lost. Perhaps, if I’d made up my mind sooner, I could have done more. But here we are, five days to go before we, the Filipino people, are given an opportunity to steer our nation. In five days, we will let our voices be heard and brace ourselves for a change in leadership that we all hope will bring this troubled country some relief. By this time, most of us will have decided on whom to support. I write in the faint hope that my verbosity might help at least one person decide.

This note is borne partly in response to an article written by the young and brilliant Patricia Evangelista which is certain to sway many minds. In her piece entitled ‘People call me Dick.’ (you might have read it or will find it with relative ease), she delineates her dislike for Richard Gordon and questions his character. She gives as an example Gordon’s dismissal of UNO editor Erwin Romulo as a “nobody” during his interview on NU 107’s RockEd Radio. (more…)

Patricia Evangelista spoke her mind and revealed her personal dislike for Dick Gordon. She’s entitled to voice her opinion. Dick Gordon is not her cup of tea. That’s fine, it’s a free universe. I’m sure there are people who share her disdain for the Man Who Would be President. You are entitled to your thoughts.

Now let me share mine. First, for the sake of public disclosure, let me say that I was a former volunteer and assistant to Senator Gordon during his days at the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA). I first met him as a college student at a presentation at the George Washington University in Washington DC back in 1997. I was curious to see what he and his team created in Subic and Olongapo. He asked me if I wanted to help my country and I said yes. Good! he said, come out to Subic, volunteer and we’ll get to work. That being said let me share my thoughts and impressions of my former boss and his persona/temperament to lead a country of millions of Filipinos. (more…)

With just a few remaining days before the moment of truth, presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon sues two polling firms.

During the past several weeks, both Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia had been releasing poll results showing Gordon at the tail end of the surveys. Because of this, Gordon is believed to have lost votes because people tend to be affected by the publicity on survey results.

Opinion polls really create trending. Because of constant publicity, people are inclined to vote for the candidate who is ahead in the survey. Many voters have said: “Why vote for a losing candidate?”

During the 2004 elections, both SWS and Pulse Asia made a forecast that Arroyo would defeat Fernando Poe Jr. in Metro Manila. Both pollsters were proven wrong. FPJ beat Arroyo in Metro Manila by a wide margin. In past senatorial elections, poll surveys placed Gordon as number 25. Gordon ranked number 5 in the actual election results.

There have been too many reports about sex crimes involving the clergy.

Maybe it’s about time that the Vatican change the rules about priesthood. Doing away with celibacy might solve the problem. Men are men. They are as human as anyone can be, possessing primal urges that are not easy to control.

In many seminaries around the world, the students are fed with papaya during breakfast. The intention is to bring down their testosterone levels.

Or, the more drastic solution is to castrate would-be priests and convert them into eunuchs, just like the Harem keepers of old. But that will scare the wits of religious aspirants and further reduce the dwindling enrolment in seminaries. (more…)

Manny Pangilinan delivered a graduation speech at the Ateneo. It was subsequently revealed that substantial portions of the speech had been lifted from speeches of President Barrack Obama, JK Rowling of Harry Potter fame, and Oprah Winfrey. It was a case of plagiarism.

Learning of the embarrassing situation which he had unwittingly fallen into, Pangilinan did the honorable thing. He took full responsibility for the incident, apologized, and announced his resignation as chairman of the university’s board of trustees. What were his other options?

He could have blamed his speech writers. We understand that two young people had ghosted for Pangilinan, rather than his usual writers. He could have exploded with righteous indignation over the unwarranted stain on his honor and dignity. (more…)