Cariño: Last Night

IT IS Friday as I write of last night, when my brother Matt came home in an urn. A lovely one no doubt, its size a humbling reminder of what the mortal self is, the proverbial handful of ashes we are all reduced to when all is said and done. Tonight as last night and many more nights, we gather at sunset to offer prayers that Matty’s soul rest in peace. This is our Catholic self talking.

Bautista: I won

FINALLY I am victorious. Victorious I say is because for the last three years since the last elections I have been haunted and hounded; haunted because of the memory of my "past" political career.

Don't get me wrong here, all I wish to convey to every Juan was that ever since the 2010 elections, I have not felt any peace and quiet.  Allow me to explain.

Editorial: What tiger? Where?

TAIWANESE poachers threaten to ram Philippine Coast Guard and when the coast guard fires back, hitting one illegal fisherman in the process, the almost 100,000 overseas Filipino workers are mistreated in Taiwan, while Taiwan demands that the Philippine grovel for forgiveness for killing that one Taiwanese poacher.

Valle: Back to ‘normal’

THAT uneasy feeling of endless waits, anticipation, and restlessness can cause so much anxiety and even stress. One thing’s sure, and that is too much stress can kill. As to why we need to undergo these kinds of emotions is, well, as natural as we breathe in air into our lungs.

It is part and parcel of being alive and taking part in the whole activity of God’s creation. But then some things are just a waste of time and energy... engaging in politics is one such futile endeavor.

Maglana: Dear Mama

MOTHER’S Day, or at least the American-inspired version of it, occurred back to back with Election Day this year.

As you and I are wont to discuss current events over breakfast, let us review election highlights. And the first comment we would likely make would be that there were a few things starkly mother-related this election.

Alamon: Survey says

NOW that the elections are over and we have the official results for the city's mayoralty race, it would be timely to go back to the Xavier University survey released just several days before the elections.

Montalvan: Writings on the wall

THE story amazed me for its candor. An old acquaintance from an urban poor community in the city admitted that he voted for Oscar Moreno. What was unusual was that he was one of the community leaders for Vicente Emano in his neighborhood. He was buying votes in behalf of his master the mayor. It makes us more curios to ask - how many of Emano’s leaders did the same?

Sanchez: Eugenics

ONE would think the Philippines is secretly apartheid South Africa, or worse, under Adolf Hitler's Aryan populated Germany the way many Filipinos in social media treated Nancy Binay.

No, I skipped my vote for her. I refuse to be a party for the perpetuation of a Binay dynasty and for her being an "OJT for 20 years," her words.

Pacete:A walk away from the precinct

I CAST my vote at 7:30am. I was one of the early birds to arrive at Adela Elementary School. Some of my neighbors were ahead of me: a school teacher, a fish vendor, a carpenter, a government employee and hacienda workers. I also recognized purok leaders working for both political camps. They are all my friends because we dwell in a common stamping ground.

Editorial: High hopes for the new senators

SO much for the election results of the 2013 midterm polls. Since the start of the canvassing of votes late Monday evening, netizens have been plaguing social networking site, Facebook, and microblogging site, Twitter, with criticisms targeted at some underserving senatorial candidates who made it to the Magic 12 based on the partial and unofficial results.

Uyboco: The failure of grades (Part 1 of 2)

EVERY year, around March, many parents all over the Philippines get extremely anxious and nervous. What is this time of the year? It’s report card distribution day! Of course, there are a few who look forward to this day. They are mostly those who can’t wait to take photos of their children's report cards and post them on Facebook.

Limlingan: Because of PCOS

THE Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines were in the limelight again as the Philippine mid-term elections had just been held last Monday. They were said to be the solution to the problem of long and arduous manual counting, canvassing of votes and eventually the proclamation of the winning candidates.

Ironically, the yet-to-be transmitted results have been causing delay in the wrapping-up of the 2013 elections, slightly stalling the proclamation of some candidates who want to assure their victory despite their glaring wins.

Pangan: Welcome, the New Blood

POST-election analyses abound and political circles are abuzz with questions and conjectures regarding the recently-conducted electoral exercises.

In some areas though the results have not been completed, thanks to the defaulting technical gadgets which invariably conked out during the election day process, despite the assurances of their manufacturers that they (the machines) were in tip-top shape. Long live the machines. So much for automated elections. Anyway, to ensure the accuracy and credibility of the results, parallel manual count was put in place.

Llanes: Abra’s political turn around

JUST came back from Bangued in Abra Province after being deployed by our station PTV 4 to cover the electoral process for this year’s midterm elections and guess what, the expected bloody elections was nil.

Yes there were reports of indiscriminate firing, yes there were reports of firecracker throwing incidents, yes there was even an incident tire spiking wherein the Chief of Police of Bangued was victim, and yes there was a case of a male person found dead in Brangay Sagap but all were far not politically related.

Sungduan: Best Bocaps

THE search is over for the Ten Outstanding Punong Barangay in Baguio City. The Rotary Club of Metro Baguio (RCMB) OPB Awards Committee has finally chosen the best grassroots leaders worthy to be given recognition.

Exemplifying an extraordinary kind of leadership and selfless service to the community with admirable command filled with passion and dedication are Justina Andaya of Barangay Fairview, Teresita De Guzman of Pinget, Sotero Dulaycan of Pinsao Pilot Project, Thomas Dumalti of Irisan Barangay, and Miguel Kiswa of Sto Thomas Proper.

Editorial: "How would change play out?

RESULTS of the May 13 polls in Cebu offer some interesting possibilities that could be good or bad for local government units and their constituents. With the defeat of the so-called political giants that lorded it over Cebu politics for years, new leaders have emerged. Change is in the air and that could be exciting or worrisome.

Roperos: Prelude to 2016

WHAT we have gathered from the media may not seem meaningful now or deeply significant in the light of the current acts or utterances of the candidates who emerged winners or losers in the elections. We may say that it is still too early to predict what happens in the coming years. But let’s have an overview anyway.

First, don’t tell me that when re-elected Mayor Michael Rama announced a possible revamp at City Hall, he had in his mind only the plan of making his work easier in the coming months. He must also be thinking of the potential political tussle in 2016.

Wenceslao: Davide’s win

YOU can’t fight city hall” is a phrase that sums up people’s experience in battling a bureaucracy. Urbandictionary.com defines the phrase this way: “it is useless to clash with a politician or establishment, or it is foolish to fight a battle you can’t win.”

“You can’t fight city hall” came to mind when I viewed the result of the May 13 gubernatorial race in Cebu. I thought that performance would trump the power of bureaucracy and a demonizing campaign. But the reality is, you can’t fight city hall, or should I say, Malacañang.

Malilong: Empowered electorate

IN AN illustrious political career that spans almost half a century, Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo R. Gullas has lost only once: in the Interim Batasang Pambansa elections in 1978 when the entire Kilusang Bagong Lipunan slate was wiped out by the upstart Pusyon Bisaya. That shocker was repeated last Monday in a reversal that has left many keen political observers still shaking their heads in disbelief.

Nobody gave Johnny V. de los Reyes serious consideration as challenger to Eddiegul.

Seares: Eddiegul and Tomas: conceding elections

Rep. Eduardo Gullas, who ran for Talisay City mayor, conceded the election. Rep. Tomas Osmeña, who ran for Cebu City mayor, has refused to concede.

Both are veteran politicians, titans in their field. Eddiegul's 38-year winning streak was snapped only this year. Tomas, also previously undefeated, fell only after 19 years in public office.

Libre: Dirty politics

MAYOR Michael Rama wants to move some department heads.

Toe the line or head for the exit.

Legaspi: Automated 2013 election aftermath?

THE country has been so devastated with shame and humiliation as the election 2013 passed by. As a Filipino, I no longer have the pride to stand before other nationalities as what happened to our country last May 13, 2013. We have showed the world our stupidity in employing a system that we have not mastered and ignorance in information technology.

Pacete: Now that it is over

WE have just finished another democratic process, suffrage. Filipinos went to the polls to have their choice of candidates who will run the public office. We made our choice and the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines revealed the final options. Nowadays, we trust the machines. We believe they are more honest than humans. Perhaps.

Jimenez: Make sure you really serve

THIS column congratulates the newly elected officials of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental. Congratulations to Monico “Newks” Puentevella for grabbing the leadership of the City of Smiles for the next three years.

And also congratulations to our dear Governor Alfredo G. Marañon Jr. for remaining in the seat of provincial service to serve the Negrenses. The new lone district congressman is Bing Leonardia and kudos also to 4th district Congressman Jeffrey P. Ferrer for staying put in getting the confidence of his constituents.

Editorial: Change and maturity

IT'S tempting to say that Cebuano voters have matured by voting off political “giants” in the May 13 elections. The defeat of Tomas Osmeña in Cebu City and Eduardo Gullas in Talisay City and the paring down of the political influence of the Garcias in the province seem to signify that Cebuano voters finally want change.

Roperos: Election surprises

LET us just say that things do not always remain the same. Sometimes, they explode before our faces and force us to either interpret it as good luck or as bad luck. If the event favorably happens toward the sunny side of things, then we may say it was a lucky thing. If it is the opposite, then we may woe our bad luck.

Wenceslao: The Gullas debacle

HE ALWAYS runs scared. That was what Rep. Eduardo Gullas told reporters when asked whether his decision to reopen the tricycle drivers’ parking area in Barangay Tabunok in the middle of the campaign period for the May 13 polls was made because his rival in the Talisay City mayoral race, businessman Johnny V. de los Reyes (JVR), was gaining adherents.

Seares: Cussing, praising the PCOS

NOTHING was more cursed on election day and appreciated on election night than the Precinct Count Optical Scan (PCOS) machines.

Comelec expected a malfunction of 2 percent or 1,560 of 78,000 units all over the country. Chairman Sixto Brillantes said 200 or 300 conked out in last Monday's polls.

Espinoza: The silent majority has spoken

MANY of the results in the just concluded midterm elections could well land in Cebu’s history books as the upsets of the year. Some candidates, highly considered as unbeatable, lost to unknown or underdog candidates.

Rep. Tomas Osmeña, who ran again for city mayor to reclaim the rein of Cebu City Hall, lost to his former protégé, the re-electionist Mayor Mike Rama, by a small margin.

Geronimo: Another feather in JH Lhuillier's cap

IN THE afternoon of May 10, 2013, Jean Henri D. Lhuillier, president and CEO of PJLhuillier Group of Companies and Honorary Consul General to the Philippines of the Republic of San Marino, was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humanities Honoris Causa by the Board of Regents of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. Already famous for his unstinting support for sports, his inspirational management style, and his unqualified devotion to family and generosity with friends, the conferment of the exalted academic degree was but icing on the cake.