The De Lima Demeanor

  By Wilfredo G. Villanueva She looked at me with prosecutorial but friendly eyes while I asked her about the elephant in the room: “For whom does your heart beat now?” “No one,” she said matter-of-factly without surprise or resentment. After all, it was the first time she had seen me and she didn’t know … Continue reading

Killing Jose Rizal once again

By Joe America Jose Rizal is best found in his writings, in his ideas, his resistance to oppression, his recognition of indolence and how poverty and disenfranchisement create it, and his belief in Filipino independence and self-determination. He was a genius, an artist, a lover, an inventor, and a hero by being what a lot … Continue reading

My Father and Duterte

By Wilfredo G. Villanueva Disturbing, Duterte as father of the nation. I speak only for myself and do not carry express authority, but like the boy in the movie who says, “I see dead people,” I also I have a special sense. I’ll call it simply as a magnet. A magnet for good things, especially … Continue reading

Honor. Are you up to it?

By Joe America As I watched a video of the Independence Day flag-raising ceremony in Marawi with planes flying over the battle zone in the background, the American “Star Spangled Banner” moved easily to my lips, “the perilous fight”, “the bombs bursting in air”, “the hope through the night that our flag was still there”. … Continue reading

Absurdistan: the Philippines under Duterte

By Joe America My thanks to contributor and blogging colleague Irineo B. R. Salazar (Filipino-German Learning Center) for the perfect characterization of the Philippines in 2017. Absurdistan It is absurd when killing is adopted as a state-enterprise, in the guise of fighting drugs . . . without the compassion that recognizes drugs are a symptom of the … Continue reading