OVER?
“I’m not saying its over. I’m just saying that we’ve seen the worst. After nung rally nila tapos na iyun. Even if humarap pa si Neri walang effect dahil ano pa ba ang masasabi niya?… Towards the yearend iba na yung framework ng pag-iisip ng mga destabilizers because by then they would have 2010 […]

MERGER OR TAKEOVER?
Her entrance said it all.
President Arroyo may have attended countless LAKAS CMD events in the past…but it can’t be denied that her arrival in today’s national directorate assembly at the Manila Hotel looked and felt a lot like a VICTORY RUN than anything else.
A victorious president (and party chair) joining what is left […]

At the Rizal Hall…the president sang along with her women guests.
Just below, inside the Heroes Hall…the next generation offered the vice president a dance number.
For the first time since anyone can remember… a sitting president and her vice president led separate events inside the palace on the same day and on the same hour… at […]

And we all thought we were going back to Manila with no big story to file for the day. Only the president’s visit to Cavite where she attended the Pamayanang Maliksi groundbreaking event, the CEDAW women’s month event and the fact that there were lots of people who trooped to the venue with stubs they […]

Most of the guests, mostly legislators were already seated inside the Rizal Hall, waiting for the start of the signing ceremonies of the Civil Aviation Authority Act.
Cabinet officials were chit chatting with each other and the media in the reception area, they were there because it’s a Tuesday, a cabinet meeting day, and the meeting […]

THE RAIN’S NOISE
Sure there are many ways to interpret the president’s camera friendly decision to cross the path from the main palace to the premiere guest house despite the heavy rains.
Some, especially her loyal officials, can always say that that single act shows everyone how determined Mrs. Arroyo is as a leader and as a […]

THE COVERAGE
The early evening newscasts just wrapped up and I returned from our live set up just outside the NEB to our room inside the building when I heard some of my co-reporters (once again, the media room of the palace was still active and busy even if it’s way past 6pm already, ganyan […]

After seeing the RTVM video, I told myself, the President may be wearing a parka to protect her from the rain during her visit to Davao… but the hood of her gear failed to cover the fact that the she was all smiles and was in a good mood today.
This came as her officials were […]

THE LUCKY BITCH, AGAIN?
(pardon the usage of the now famous Salceda “presidential term of endearment” for my blog entry’s title, linawin ko lang na, hiniram ko lang iyan, di iyan sa akin galing ha?)
+++
Our early evening newscast (Big News, 6:45-7:00pm M-F) just wrapped up when we received word that the CBCP released its statement […]

NO POLITICS DAY
Palace officials gave out different reasons why the president was a no show at the EDSA rites this morning. They all tried to “rescue” PGMA from the repercussions (?) of her non attendance in the 22nd anniversary of the first EDSA people power.
But it turns out the president wasn’t planning on hiding […]

They started the day quite civilly.
Observers in fact thought, President Arroyo and former president Ramos were warmer to each other this morning at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, than they were during their appearance at the PNP anniversary weeks ago…just right after the ouster of JDV as speaker of the house.
Who would have thought that […]

What timing!
Malacanang seems to be courting more trouble with their statements these days.
The administration that is perpetually in danger of getting toppled by a new people power movement, belittles a supposed revolt (in the offing? Simmering?)… at a time that the nation is preparing to remember the 22nd anniversary of the first EDSA revolution.
Executive […]

UNITY WALK, THE SEQUEL
We didn’t see the people behind the original UNITY WALK in the sidelines this morning, but whoever orchestrated the second UNITY WALK might as well have used the classic song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” as a soundtrack of the whole shebang.
Corny? Aba, anything that will bring home the point that the President’s […]

THE DEVIL WEARS RED?
Trivialities first.
Was she really in red?
I had to ask a fellow reporter twice about the President’s choice of color for her clothing today.
When I checked the video, she was indeed wearing a “fiery red” number while inaugurating a bridge and attending the groundbreaking ceremony of a school building in Bulacan this […]

“We are all aware of our duties and responsibilities during news coverage, especially during conflict situations. Thus, we see the Department of Justice advisory as unnecessary.
We will continue to perform our job as we see fit and uphold the people’s right to be informed.”
Signed:
Paolo Romero (MPC President)
Noted by:
Marie Pena Ruiz (VP Radio)
Rocky Ignacio Tobias (VP […]

(note: This entry is for my family, friends and colleagues who are asking for the shortcut to my photo site where all the pictures taken during recent parties are posted. To all those who partied with us, just click the links! Thanks!)
MALACANANG RECEPTION FOR TV NETWORKS
December 18, 2007

MALACANANG RECEPTION FOR MPC
December 14, 2007

MALACANANG PRESS CORPS […]

UPDATE
The very first ASIAN IDOL is… HADY MIRZA!!! Congratulations, SINGAPORE!
Great job, host country INDONESIA.
I’m a new fan of Jaclyn Victor and Mike Mohede just as I am a proud fan of Mau Marcelo.
Mau, you were great in Asian Idol, thank you very much for representing the Philippines! Mabuhay ka!!!
(I hope there will be a […]

(from YouTube)
It will actually happen.
There will be an ASIAN IDOL and our very own, first ever PHILIPPINE IDOL, Mau Marcelo will represent the country and compete with the best of the region.
Talks resumed between our network and FREEMANTLE and as a result, ASIAN IDOL will be shown on ABC 5.
So to all the followers […]

He ain’t the OMBUDSMAN, but if it were up to the top legal adviser of the President…he’d investigate Rep. Amelita Villarosa after she revealed that the cash gifts given to some solons are from KAMPI.
Chief presidential legal adviser Sergio Apostol questioned Villarosa’s decision to keep her silence for almost a month. He also belatedly advised […]

After being tight lipped the whole day about the supplemental impeachment complaint filed against her in congress today…President Arroyo asked the opposition to think of national development instead of endless politicking that hinders the country’s growth.
PGMA: “Welcome! This meeting comes at a time when the nation is moving and the people are more concerned […]