In 1959, while Antonio Araneta, Jr ( my husband) was polishing his undergrad thesis ( “Elites and Economic Development in Underdeveloped Countries”) at the Notre Dame University, a be-medalled sergeant of the Philippine Army, survivor of World War II was applying for a job at an Araneta-owned company. Mr. Aguinaldo Cabe described himself as a … Read more
The phrase “red tagging,” which sends a chill up my spine, did not exist when Antonio S. Araneta (my husband) was writing his undergrad thesis in 1959, titled “Elites and Economic Development in Underdeveloped Countries.” Way back then, he called red-tagging a “weapon” or an “accusation” by “certain American groups that protected their vested interests … Read more
“Elites and Economic Development in Underdeveloped Countries” was the complete title of Antonio S. Araneta, Jr’s (my husband) thesis for a Bachelor of Arts degree at the Notre Dame University (Indiana, USA) in 1959. Since then, terminologies have changed even as most concepts have remained ineluctable. Tonypet (his nickname) could have used “developing countries”, even … Read more
Historians, chroniclers, social scientists, political analysts and the general public continue debating about The Revolution. Whether finished or unfinished, the mere mention of the R word provokes staggering controversies, especially during heightened moments of constitutional chaos. Recently, I joined (virtually) the annual conference of the Philippine Historical Association, now headed by Ma. Luisa Camagay, PhD, … Read more
Two eminent lawyers, Saul and Daniel Hofileña, father and son, authored an elucidating monograph,” Turmoil at the South China Sea” which to me is a veritable dictionary of basic yet misapplied terms. Let us review a few: Archipelago. A group of islands inter-connected by waters and other natural features, so closely interrelated that such islands, … Read more
If you want to get a handle on how the Philippines won its case against People’s China, consult a recently published monograph that explains everything in 148 questions and answers. The authors (a father-son lawyers’ tandem ) untangle the intricacies of the UNCLOS ( United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and its … Read more
Does the Republic of the Philippines have any State secrets? If we do have classified, restricted, confidential and top secret files, where are they kept? Are these in a vault of the Department of National Defense, under lock and key in the President’s study in Malacañan, or ensconced in the national Library and Archives? I … Read more
Let us standardize the adobo, said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). What an impossible task, chimed my Rizal lady cousins last Monday, 29 August, as we celebrated National Heroes’ Day at the chalet of Gen. Paciano Rizal. We reminisced about a couple of adobo recipes inherited from respective grandmothers that certainly defy standardization. … Read more
Most Filipinos like me believe that the United States of America is the unbreachable, gleaming bastion of democracy. Despite the rise of China and Russia, the USA remains to be the most powerful, mightiest and wealthiest country on Planet Earth. Many of my contemporaries migrated to the USA soon after graduation, in pursuit of “the … Read more
I came across this declaration: “We have created our myth. This myth is a faith, a passion. It is not necessary for it to be a reality…Our myth is the nation, our myth is the greatness of the nation! And to this myth, this greatness, which we want to translate into a total reality, we … Read more