Is there really a rice shortage? What really went wrong with our food supply?

It’s been weeks already since the government announced that there is a ‘looming rice crisis’ and there is a need for us to import more rice stocks from other countries like Vietnam. Agriculture chief Arthur Yap blamed massive land conversion as one of the causes of the shortage of food supply. And who’s fault is that? Isn’t it the fault of the government?

It’s the government that allowed the conversion of thousands of hectares of agricultural lands into plantations, golf courses and for other industrial use. Just last year, the government has inked an agreement with China, which opened the country’s agricultural land for biofuel plantations.

Read Ibon report here.

Investments may not be bad as long as it would not sacrifice the basic needs of the people. Like in the case of biofuels, it’s also a threat food security. Opening of more biofuel plantations could lead to hunger as many agricultural lands and forests are being cleared to pave way for the biofuel plantations.

Is the government really sincere in resolving the food security problem of our country? Personally, I believe there would have been no ‘rice shortages’ had the government poured more support to the agriculture sector.

On Friday, Jose De Venecia III, the first to blow the whistle on ZTE-NBN deal, spoke before students at the Assumption College of Davao.  De Venecia visited several school and attended forums on the scandal. He also called for the resignation of President Arroyo.

But many are still asking, what if he got the right price or he was able to join the ‘greedy group?” Will he still blow the whistle? Continue Reading »

What if Ms Arroyo indeed entered into an agreement that allowed the Chinese government to the exploit the natural resources in  Spratly Islands? Will she be impeached? Aside from the NBN-ZTE scandal that she is facing, here comes a bigger issue that the Filipinos should know.

It seems that there is a never ending story of controversies in this administration. While there is an ongoing investigation on ZTE scandal , here comes another one. Now the question is, what’ll be the next one?

Nothing happened to the following: Hello Garci, Fertilizer Scam, NorthRail Project, among others.  Check the alleged scandals here involving the First Family. Also, another list of alleged corruption issues in Arroyo administration.

The recent pronouncement of the local government of Mati that it cannot stop the entry of mining in Davao Oriental is nothing but a lame excuse and could be playing blind on the track record of the BHP Billiton.

If the local government is looking for a clean track record of any mining company that will operate in their area, then they are wrong in allowing the BHP Billiton to operate in the Hamiguitan mountain range, which is a declared protected area. Continue Reading »

The Office of the Ombudsman today will conduct its initial public hearing on the ZTE broadband deal scandal. Aside from former Comelec chair Banjamin Abalos, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo was also invited to the hearing. These two guys are believed to be behind the controversy.

But it seems that Mr Arroyo is making another lame excuse as his lawyer made a last minute announcement that his client could not make it to the hearing today due to health reasons.

What an alibi again? If he’s really ‘ill,’ why he can make some foreign trips? Which, I think,  more stressful than sitting in an air conditioned room and tell a lie?

Another alibi, is the denial of the PNP that the security camera that was setup in front of La Salle, Greenhills is not a surveillance camera. So why in the world that the camera was just setup when Senate star witness Rodolfo “Jun” Lozada and his family has temporarily sought refuge from the religious group.

Police said it was installed to monitor traffic. Well, thanks to Lozada, traffic is now being monitored in the vicinity after he moved in La Salle.

I’m not surprised why AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Esperon linked anew the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the alleged assassination plot against President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Reason: They’ve got nothing to blame but the MILF whom the US and this corrupt government have been dying to declare them (MILF) as a terrorist organization. Continue Reading »

On Monday, I was able to witness and record one of the most important events in the Catholic church especially in the Diocese of Kidapawan: the meeting of Fr. Peter Geremia and his would be assassin Norberto Manero, aka Kumander Bukay.

Click here to view more photos.

The event drew mixed reaction — some are still skeptic about the motive of Manero in meeting with the people in the diocese of Kidapawan.  While some believed that it’s for the  good  of everybody.
It’s pretty hard to remove or ignore the label on  Manero as a “priest killer.” He was believed to member of the dreaded Ilaga, a fanatical group terrorizing the Muslims in Mindanao during the Martial Law era.

But then the meeting was more on Manero’s renewal of commitment before the church. I really admire how his principal target, Fr. Geremia, was able to process everything inside him and he was able to gave a tight embrace to his would-be assassin 23 years ago who visited the diocese for the first time.

As we were driving back to Davao City, I recalled my late friends George and Macel Vigo. I just hoped they were able to witness that very important event.

At any rate, Manero still deserves even a single page in our history.