To lead a modest life
Article XI of the 1987 Constitution on the Accountability of Public Officers provides: “Section 1. Public office is a public trust… Public officers must at all times be accountable to the people and serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, … AND LEAD MODEST LIVES.” (emphasis provided)
The case for a federal form of government
There is no magic wand in the choice of form of government. Effective governance results from the actions of leaders to adopt the appropriate policies and to make the right choices of actions to respond to the challenges they face.
Rappler and two other issues
Three topics vied for the attention of this column this week: the desire of Congress to constitute itself into a constituent assembly, the 60th birthday bash of Speaker Alvarez in Davao, and the government’s attempt to close down Rappler.
Constitutional amendments – Senate hearing concerns
In connection with the hearings being conducted by the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments and Revision of Codes, I have been asked for my views on the proposed amendments to the 1987 Constitution.
I am answering all the questions posed by the committee in this column.
Best justice system that money can buy
There are very few times that I agree with President Duterte’s spokesman Harry Roque, and fewer times with Solicitor General Jose Calida, but stranger things happen. Where do we agree?
107 million Filipinos in 2018
The National Statistics Authority estimates that this year, our headcount will be 107 million Filipinos. This is based on all known statistical indicators about our population dynamics.
‘Opportunists promising quick fixes’
Viewed from the perspective of the average citizen, however, the recent progress made in the economy and governance offers no immediate relief from the grind of daily living.
New Year food for thought
Some food for thought for the new year greet me. In the past year I had hoped to comment on some of the topics but had found no occasion to deal with them.
A new, even malignant, normal?
Remember the TV series “Madam Secretary” that featured the Secretary of State socking the Philippine president who tried to cop a feel? That was last year (2016), and it got all sorts of enraged comments from Filipinos and merited a protest from official circles.
