THE accolade given by some 300 industry experts across the region to Ms. Margarita Fores as “Asia’s Best Female Chef” is both an honor to the Philippines and to the industry where she belongs.
Gaita Fores, who has spent years in Italy to perfect her expertise, has put up several restaurants and establishments, and, together with another well-known chef, Glenda Barretto, prepared dinner for some 700 delegates and guests of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.
One of the many restaurants Gaita has put up is Cibo, which is my favorite. Congratulations, Gaita, may the force be with you always.
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Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile is not the only one who would like to clarify from President Aquino his role in the botched “Oplan Exodus” which led to the slaughter of 44 police commandos in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.
The people are likewise still asking questions on how the massacre of the “Fallen 44” happened when there is a battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippine stationed not too far away. Why didn’t the military aid the PNP Special Action Force when they were being butchered by a combined force of the Moro rebels led by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters despite calls for assistance?
These are the questions that BS Aquino III’s “bosses,” the Filipino people, would like answered when the Senate re-opens its probe into the Mamasapano massacre.
But BS Aquino III is not happy over the Senate reinvestigation scheduled next Monday, the anniversary of the massacre.
According to BS Aquino III, it’s “politically motivated,” and that Enrile holds a grudge against him for his incarceration for his supposed involvement in the pork barrel scam. People around the President echo the fact that he has already accepted “ultimate responsibility and liability,” but Santa Banana, he never apologized for it like a leader should.
Enrile stated that one of the reasons he would want the Mamasapano massacre to be reopened was that he was under detention when the Senate committee of Mrs. Mary Grace Natividad Kelly Poe Llamanzares started the probe.
Enrile wonders why on the day of the massacre, nothing was heard from Malacañang. Was President Aquino, as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, in control of the Oplan Exodus?
I don’t know why BS Aquino III refuses to have the Mamasapano massacre investigated again. Doesn’t he realize that by claiming that the reopening of the massacre is “politically motivated” would make the people suspect that he is hiding something?
I am not surprised, knowing BS Aquino III’s lack of empathy and compassion for the survivors and relatives of the Fallen 44. He did not even care to see the arrival ceremonies at Villamor Air Base, and instead chose to attend the inauguration of a Japanese car manufacturer. Former President Fidel Ramos was there; why didn’t BS Aquino III make the effort to be present?
JPE wants President Aquino to be invited to the probe in Jan. 25, but, I am sure he would not attend.
I’m afraid that the people will never know the truth about the Mamasapano massacre. This President can never accept his mistakes.
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Why all this fuss over the budget cut of P1 billion by the bi-cameral committee during the final deliberations of the 2016 General Appropriations Act which has already been signed into law by President Aquino?
Some sectors, including the Reproductive Health Law advocates, are beating their breasts and shouting to high heavens that the P1-billion budget cut was supposed to be used for the purchase of contraceptives, like condoms, birth control pills and IUDs for family planning purposes. They fear that the problem of teenage pregnancies will worsen.
But if we look hard enough at the Department of Health’s budget, there remains P1.6 billion that the government can use for the full implementation of the Aquino family planning program. Like what Senate Finance Committee chairperson Loren Legarda said, “the DoH has enough budget to fund for family planning for this year. The 2016 budget for Family Health and Responsible Parenting was reduced by P1 billion, but the budget for the procurement of contraceptives is not zero. There remains P1.6 billion that can be used for this.”
Aside from P1.6 billion under the 2016 budget, there are other sources of funds for family planning commodities, she added.
In other words, Reproductive Health Law advocates like Senator Pia Cayetano and many others are attacking anti-RH law senators headed by Tito Sotto for nothing.
And that’s the problem, my gulay! Critics fire first before they study and ask questions.
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Politicians make a lot of promises before Election Day, many of which will never come to pass. But, there’s one promise made by Senator Bongbong Marcos, vice presidential candidate, which I believe is doable.
Bongbong has promised to revive the country’s arts and culture, which form the heart and soul of a nation.
Not since the Marcos regime when former First Lady Imelda Marcos gave priority to Philippine arts and culture has there been anybody in power who gave value and priority to these.
During the years of the Marcos regime, Philippine arts and culture flourished. There was emphasis on the visual arts, music, literature, stage and even the Filipino movies, sculpture and language. The Cultural Center of the Philippines was precisely built for this and so was the now-neglected Film Center. Philippine Arts and culture flourished to an extent that the country was then known for its culture and arts around the world.
There were even moves to declare ancestral homes as national heritage. Those were the years of national artists in their own area of influence.
But, somehow, the country’s national leaders failed to continue what Imelda did.
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A new audit report on Abaya’s department has shown his failure to build clean comfort rooms in train stations, ports and airports under the P351-million “Kayo ang boss ko” toilet improvement project. This, despite the availability of funds.
In other words, despite the fact that the money is there for Abaya to use to improve all those stinking toilets at LRT 1 and 2, and more importantly, at MRT-3, Abaya did nothing. The negligence is just criminal!
The KBK is a foreign-assisted project, and was named after BS Aquino III’s motto suggesting that the people are his ultimate boss. But this mantra has become more of a joke.
I suggest all LRT and MRT commuters band together and throw Abaya into the polluted Pasig River where he belongs.