Tonight, Galing Pook executive director Dok Eddie Dorotan invited Gerry Bulatao and myself to a great dinner treat. I was slightly late, and apologized to our three dinner guests - Mayor Jessie Robredo of Naga City, Governor Grace Padaca of Isabela, and Governor Among Ed Panlilio of Pampanga.
The food was excellent; the company and conversation [...]
Two years ago, I served as one of the judges in Panibagong Paraan, the World Bank-sponsored “market” for development innovations. Browsing through the hand outs, I was intrigued by the tag line of the World Bank’s CAS - country assistance strategy - for the Philippines: Supporting Islands of Good Governance.
That could very well be a [...]
A week ago on June 3, I took the 7 am Victory bus to Botolan Zambales. Letty Gomez, president of PBAZ - Paaralang Bayan ng Ayta sa Zambales, had invited me to join their delegation for their dialogue and negotiations with Mayor Roger Yap of Botolan.
It was a long five-hour trip, with stops in Lubao, [...]
Just got back from a too-short visit to Sorsogon. Oyen Dorotan invited me to speak at a strategic planning workshop of VCI - the Veritas College of Irosin; we were joined at the airport by a young lawyer who was with the team that had done “due diligence” - legal, financial, and operational.
When our plane [...]
The text invitation yesterday was for the book launch of Luid Ka! - the story of the crusade for good governance that led to the victory of Among Ed, Fr. Eddie Panlilio, as governor of Pampanga.
I decided to go because I wanted to meet the two guest speakers - Bishop Ambo David, the younger [...]
One of the life lessons that nine years in prison have taught me is “patient impatience.”
The noun is impatience, and like the crowds who will gather at Makati this afternoon, I wish for the soonest possible changes for the better.
But the impatience has to be tempered by patience, both emotionally and intellectually. Keshav of Action [...]
Yesterday morning I landed in the new airport in Silay City, Negros Occidental. Its signage is Silay-Bacolod in deference to the former airport. The clean modern lines impressed me, even if I was only half-awake, having left home at 3:00 am.
The first kilometers out of the airport cut through vast sugar cane fields. If only [...]
My jet lag from the Brazil trip is not yet over, but I have to wake up at 3:30 tomorrow before dawn. Am off to Negros Occidental to attend the first board meeting of Quidam Katilingban Development Institute (QKDI), and it is a good symbol of really coming home from Brazil.
The GCE World Assembly gave [...]
The waves were quite high between Calapan and Batangas, and the Supercat ride was a bit rough, but I hardly noticed. I had just come from the forum of the Saint Augustine Seminary “Alumni-in-Public Service,” and my mind was still stimulated by the encounter.
I didn’t realize that of the 14 towns and one city of [...]
Seen from the upper deck of the Starlite Ro-Ro, the port of Calapan City is a slender strip of concrete against a lush green landscape. This is heightened by the two small equally green islands framing our boat’s approach.
I travelled with my sister and mother to Mindoro today, so I can spend some time with them in [...]
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