Today’s Views

Journalists Must Protect Our Freedoms

It is only by standing by your principles as mediamen that you can be called as such. Deviating from it makes you irrelevant.

By Alex Roldan

DAVAO CITY — When I was asked to make a testimonial tonight, one question came to dominate my mind. That question is, after all the years of struggle and idealism about press freedom, what have I contributed towards this aim as a mediaman? This created a vacuum on my innerself which is suddenly filled with more doubt of my ideals if it is really realistic and achievable or just a plain utopia ? and maybe better leave it that way so that the next generation has something to continue. I know there are more worthy experiences of practicing media in the past, all I want is to share my story and thoughts about the my experiences and struggles as a mediaman.

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North Korea Nuclear Deal: Better Late than Never!

By Ralph A. Cossa

(More than) a day later, but not a dollar short. That pretty much sums up what to Pyongyang is a perfectly reasonable negotiating position. It will honor its end of the Feb. 13, 2007 “action for action” denuclearization deal, once the money is in the bank. In short, “checkbook diplomacy” still works with North Korea; the “check’s in the mail” diplomacy does not!

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Suara Bangsamoro Salutes Philippines’s Chief Justice

By Zaynab Ampatuan
First Nominee, Suara Bangsamoro Partylist

Suara Bangsamoro Partylist salutes Chief Justice Reynato Puno for standing up for human rights vis-?-vis the senseless war on terror.

To CJ Puno, we say: May your tribe increase!

The Bangsamoro people are solidly behind CJ Puno in his critique of the anti-human rights and repressive war on terror that is mimicked by the Arroyo administration in near lethal doses. The Filipino Muslims are made the usual suspects by insensitive people in the current administration and military leadership in this mindless war. We are only too happy that we have a CJ Puno who rushes to our defense.

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Philippines: Surveys Are Not Just a Matter of Voters’ Bets

By the Policy Study, Publication and Advocacy (PSPA) Program
Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG)

MANILA — The pre-election surveys (PES) conducted by the country’s leading pollsters show the voting preferences of the country’s electorate in the May 14 mid-term elections. Conducted regularly since October last year, the surveys done by the Social Weather Stations (SWS), Pulse Asia and, to some extent, the non-profit IBON, showed opposition candidates for the senatorial race under the Genuine Opposition (GO) pulling away from the administration ticket, Team Unity (TU). Indeed, the latest surveys reveal that between seven to eight opposition candidates, led by Loren Legarda, are the choice of the respondents, with only about two to three administration bets making it. Two independent candidates, Francis Pangilinan and Gregorio Honasan, fill up the rest of the “Magic 12” seats that are up for grabs in the elections.

The surveys also show quite similar trends for the House and local government elections.

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