Category Archives: Uncategorized

Stories that are UNCATEGORIZED are published in the OUR WORLD TODAY page.

About my WWII Japanese Imperial Army officer friend who knew my father was an American hiding from the enemy


I was seven going on eight years old when World War II broke out and the Japanese military occupied the Philippines. In 1941, while I was a student at the Cubao Elementary School in Quezon City, I met and was … Continue reading

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Imelda, Imee, and Bongbong: give it up, surrender plundered wealth, change your last name, and start a new life somewhere else


Three members of the Marcos family – Imelda Romualdez Marcos and her children Maria Imelda ‘Imee’ Marcos and Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. – refuse to admit that the name of their late husband and father, former dictator Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, … Continue reading

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The battle for the liberation of Manila: in 144 pictures taken by US army personnel during and after hostilities


The battle to liberate Manila lasted a month – between February 3 and March 3, 1945. The Japanese were the occupiers from whom the city and its surrounding areas were being liberated by American troops. My dad was an American-in-hiding … Continue reading

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The curious case of an outstanding school superintendent and a school district’s dysfunctional board of trustees


In the city of Hayward, California, there was a school superintendent that the community’s civic and business leaders – as well as parents and school teachers and administrators – admired and respected for his work in ameliorating the quality of … Continue reading

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Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte needs to improve his manners, and put an end to extrajudicial killings


The great majority of Filipinos continue to admire and show support for President Rodrigo Duterte in spite of the rising voice of discontent and dissatisfaction among the nation’s intelligentsia. The discontent and dissatisfaction are brought about by three – among … Continue reading

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The 2016 U. S. presidential race: how Trump and Clinton compare – their strengths, their weaknesses, and their odds of winning


The 2016 presidential primaries are history, and the 2016 Republican and Democratic conventions are over. These events have given the American people an insight into the two parties and their candidates. On November 8, Americans will decide who will lead … Continue reading

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Cronyism and the ‘padrino’ system: what they do to the Philippine’s political and business culture, and how to get rid of them


Cronyism and the ubiquitous padrino (patronage) system describe an economy in which certain business people and government officials maintain a close relationship, resulting in favoritism in the allocation of government contracts, permits, grants, benefits, etc. In its more despicable form, … Continue reading

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Why Filipinos would rather live in sin than seek to legally dissolve a nonworking marriage, or why the Philippines desperately needs a divorce law


Rep. Lagman’s HB 116 promises relief from “long-dead marriages” to multitudes of “hapless women” The Philippines is the only country in the world – outside of the Vatican, which has only about 30 women citizen/residents – that does not allow … Continue reading

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What makes Metropolitan Manila traffic so congested, and what can be done to fix it


You’re in Makati. It is 1:00 PM. You have a 3:00 PM appointment in Parañaque – a mere twenty kilometers from where you are. You get in your car and drive to your appointment. Because the traffic is so bad, … Continue reading

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As he lost his bid to be president, Jojo Binay will likely lose a lot of unexplained wealth – and serve jail time to boot


His son Junjun and wife Elenita – both similarly accused of plunder, graft, and corruption – may end up with a similar fate Immediately following his election as vice president on May 10, 2010, Jejomar “Jojo” Binay – who was … Continue reading

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