President Benigno Aquino 3rd on Monday exposed some of the alleged anomalies committed during the administration of former President Gloria Arroyo, such as depletion of the 2010 budget and the calamity fund and, excessive perks given to water officials.

The stunning victory of Noynoy Aquino speaks volumes of the intrinsic values of the Filipino people. 
The Filipinos wanted a leader who inspires honesty, integrity and respect. Voters came in droves, waited for hours, protected their votes.  Senator Manny Villar conceded and offered his congratulations and support within a few days.

THIS presidential campaign is turning out to be the most expensive yet in Philippine political history, but it is also a story of two extremes-profligacy and penny-pinching on political advertisements by the candidates.

MANILA, Philippines - Bagumbayan presidential candidate Sen. Richard Gordon describes himself as being "comfortable with stress," getting by with only four hours of sleep.

I used to think that corruption and criminality in the Philippines were caused by poverty. But recent events tell  me this isn't true. It is one thing to see people turn into drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves and murderers because of hunger and poverty, but what excuse do these rich, educated people have that could possibly explain their bizarre behavior? And to think I was always so relieved when petty snatchers got caught and locked away in jail because I never fully realized that the big time thieves were out there, making the laws and running our country. Can it get any worse than this?

Victory has a thousand fathers ....- Count Caleazzo Ciano (1903-1944)

It was an innocent, thoughtful act last December 12, the way senior Philippines government officials in Canada had arranged and intended it.  It nevertheless raised a storm from certain sectors in the community that saw it from a different light.  Even a disbarred lawyer found occasion to weigh in with his purloined .02 worth.

The official candidacies are in, so now we know that 99 Filipinos—at least nine of them serious contenders—are dreaming of becoming their country’s next president. The serious ones—in their intentions if not in their machinery—include Sen. Noynoy Aquino, former Defense chief Gibo Teodoro, Sen. Manny Villar, former President Erap Estrada, Sen. Dick Gordon, Sen. Jamby Madrigal, environmentalist Nicky Perlas, Bro. Eddie Villanueva and young reformer JC de los Reyes.

Honoring the nation's heroes, as they filed their certificates of candidacy for President and Vice-President under the Bagumbayan-Voluntee rs for a New Philippines Party, Senator Richard Gordon and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority chairman Bayani Fernando, respectively on Tuesday visited the Bagumbayan (Rizal Park)in Manila.

If there’s one thing the ferocious flood brought by typhoon Ondoy proved is we’re not ready. Our national government wasn’t ready. The local government units in the affected areas were overwhelmed. And we were caught flatfooted.

Last night, I had dinner with a German friend to talk about her planned trip to the Philippines . She had just completed an internship program in one of the law firms here in Malaysia and wanted to take a short holiday in a nearby country before heading off to Australia to finish her studies.

Mayor Jejomar Binay of Makati City will be the running mate of former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, who will run for president again in the 2010 elections. Estrada’s son, Sen. Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada, on Tuesday disclosed that the Estrada-Binay team-up under the Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) ticket was worked out several weeks ago.

A fortnight ago in her ninth State of the Nation Address, President Gloria Arroyo fired sharp, staccato broadsides at her critics, and in a tone bold and boastful declared: “I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit.”

Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Philippine National Red Cross, does not believe that an all-out war against the Abu Sayyaf will eliminate kidnapping and lawlessness in Mindanao.

To people in search of better governance and a leader, the launching of a Bagumbayan, a national movement composed of more than 30,000 volunteers was a clear sign that a political party has been formed and the candidacy of Richard Gordon sealed.