Vox Populi ksantiago@theguidon.com The familiar smell of Punjabi cuisine that clouded the air of New Delhi was what greeted me upon my arrival. Although I psyched myself up to rid my mind of stereotypes, I couldn’t help but prove this particular one. India, indeed, reeked of masala and a number of different spices, curry included. [...]
Cross-clarity agarciat@theguidon.com Everyone knows who Pacman is. He is considered the greatest professional boxer in his generation. Often dubbed as the Pambansang Kamao (National Fist), he epitomizes Filipino achievement across the globe. During his highly publicized matches, crime rates drop and the streets become empty, as millions tune in to watch Pacman defeat one top-ranking [...]
Verisimilitude cpecson@theguidon.com How does one respect the value of human rights when what is at stake in the blurring of lines is a public interest? It is probably right to simply say, “a human right is a human right—everyone is entitled to it.” But for our former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, this does not seem to [...]
Positive Space dfajardo@theguidon.com Year after year, I personally root for Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers to come out on top of the NBA and be crowned champions. This year was supposed to be a very important one, given that the Lakers had a bad campaign last year, ending in an early second-round exit [...]
From the discovery of the critical state of Greece’s public finances and the rapid contagion to most of the European sovereign debt market in 2010, the European Union (EU) now finds itself in a precarious situation: a Greek default has been narrowly avoided, but the reforms necessary to comprehensively address the European Debt Crisis still need to be put in place.
Post-Nothing jjurado@theguidon.com I have spent a large percentage of my life online, and it has left me exposed to different individuals over the years. I would find myself reading brilliant articles on football strategies by total unknowns, news reports from local media websites, and updates on news feeds on social networks. Sometimes, I would find [...]
La Vie En Rose pguballa@theguidon.com If I am to believe my Facebook feed, people are more saddened by the passing of Steve Jobs than by the effects of the typhoons that have just passed, which have left a lot of people killed or homeless. It is a weird world we live in, where we have [...]
Logique du Coeur mgarcia@theguidon.com Several weeks ago, after the coronation of Miss Universe 2011 aired live on television sets and websites, people across different social networks transformed from their respective professions into beauty queen experts in an instant. Forums were abuzz with varying opinions regarding the performance of the Philippines’ representative, Shamcey Supsup. I was [...]
Allons-y! ctantengco@theguidon.com The luxury industry is a strange animal. Perhaps this is my middle-class background talking, but I’m always shocked at their prices: a Louis Vuitton jacket can cost P140,000, while a Hermès bag can cost P800,000. This discomfort with the luxury industry, I believe, comes from the recognition that the cost of such items [...]
Point Blank laquino@theguidon.com In New York, thousands of people continue to occupy Zuccotti Park, setting up home base there in order to sustain—and even reinforce—their daily marches across the heart of global capitalism. The demonstrators, composed of a ragtag crowd of unemployed middle-aged men and women, seasoned hippie protesters, frustrated young adults mired in college [...]
Kevin V. Mizon: The second part of the agenda in the peace process is the Comprehensive Agreement on Socioeconomic Reforms (CASER). What are the exact, specific socioeconomic reforms that Communist Party of the Philippines–New People’s Army–National Democratic Front of the Philippines (CPP–NPA–NDFP) is heavily pushing for? Jose Maria Sison: The socio-economic reforms include mainly upholding [...]
On September 6, the results of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings for 2011 were released. For the second year running, no Philippine university made it to the Top 300. With the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University placing 332nd and 360th respectively, the cream of our country’s intellectual crop have plummeted down a steep decline—as far as QS is concerned, that is.
Vox Populi ksantiago@theguidon.com BY THE END of September, the country’s flag carrier, Philippine Airlines, will terminate 2,600 ground staff and catering employees under the approval of the Office of the President. Despite the progress shown by the company, which reportedly earns an average of P5 billion annually, this move is definitely one that is misguided [...]
The Other Side jigual@theguidon.com History can be cruel to an avid sports fan. Sometimes it takes us all by surprise, such as when one expects that you win a game when you are up by 10, with two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Or when you are up three goals and dominating by [...]
Positive Space dfajardo@theguidon.com We all know what happened to Mideo Cruz’ unfortunate art exhibit at the CCP. We all saw how he dared display something no one else before him already has, drawing the ire of a lot of people in the process. We learned how these people, supposedly devout Catholics bent on protecting the [...]
Nothing Fancy kfrancisco@theguidon.com When I told my parents I’d be going to Vigan to do data-gathering for my thesis, they were hardly fazed. “Take your vitamins, and don’t forget to wear Off lotion” were their parting words. I had long ago stopped being surprised by the fact that they had taken my comings and goings [...]
Cross-clarity agarcia@theguidon.com Language makes the world go round, as it is the very essence of different perceptions and the norms of interaction. In the local level, whether you look at language as a fundamental tool of communication or as a component of national identity, the intersecting functions of English and Filipino remain to be a [...]
Second Look msanchez@theguidon.com Building up the local economy through sustainable initiatives is a key issue many Asian countries deal with, and rightfully so because of the opportunities in tourism and other fields brought about by the diverse culture characteristic to the region. The Philippines is no exception to this, and our own initiatives are encapsulated [...]
Point Blank laquino@theguidon.com The “rally for good governance” held outside the Ateneo last August 12 was an unusual point of conversation in the community for a short while. It was a rare spectacle, after all. When was the last time the Ateneo stood up as a community against a corporate firm? Had fists been clenched [...]