2008 JANUARY

AGRARIAN REFORM Alvarez, Ramiro C. Clashing interests. {The Higa-onon farmers are right, but the new owner of the land they are trying to recover will not easily give up the property.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 24

ARROYO, GLORIA M. Quezon, Manuel L., III. I will survive. {Filipinos may not love President Arroyo but they tolerate her. That is why she will finish her term.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 10

BUDGET; PUBLIC WORKS Realigned with the trough. {The House moves public works funds to create more pork. If things don’t go right, there won’t be a new budget.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 14

CONSTITUTION; MINDANAO New tune, same dance. {Malacanang tries to revive the campaign for the revision of the constitution. This time the reason is peace in Mindanao.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 8

ELECTIONS (PRESIDENTIAL) Torre, Ricky S. Staying alive. {To survive, the ruling coalition needs a strong candidate.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 19 6

EDUCATION; ENGLISH Alvarez, Ramiro C. Der are worser problems. {To solb da Inglis problem, President Arroyo orders training. But da teachers say build many classrooms pirst. En pay us gooder.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 17

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Torre, Ricky S. Preparing for action. {Two years ahead of the next elections, Joseph Estrada stirs up the campaign season with his plan – or is it a threat?–to run for president again.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 6

GLORIETTA Torre, Ricky S. Crime or negligence? {The police concludes its investigation into the Glorietta blast, missing more questions.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 15

JALOSJOS, ROMEO Doing the math. {After a yuletide caper, Romeo Jalosjos is back to doing time-for a little while longer, going by the Justice Department’s computation.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 16

NATIONAL ID Papers, we insist! {All of a sudden, the military revives a proposal for the adoption of a national identification card.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 19 10

OIL PRICES Token response. {The government must take bolder steps to ease the impact of rising oil prices on the Philippine economy.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 19 12

OIL TARIFF It’s not enough. {Legislators say cutting the oil tariff won’t go far in bringing down fuel prices. But the Palace rejects more drastic measures.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 22

PALPARAN, JOVITO A face and a name. {The Court of Appeals finds that Jovito Palparan had knowledge of forced disappearances.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 22

PANLILIO, EDDIE This is not your turf, father. {The politicians of Pampanga are working for the recall of the priestly governor of the province.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 14

PIRACY De Jesus, J. Burning desires. {The vast terrain of the World Wide Web is one big free for all-pirates included- but like real life is governed by evolutionary principles: share or be zapped.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 19 26

PIRACY De Jesus, J. Understanding hook. {Originals cost so much more because consumers are made to pay an entire assembly line of cast and crew that; share the love.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 26

POPULATION Too many people. {The Philippines’ population will top 100 million in six years. That means a social and economic disaster, unless the government acts now.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 12 18

PRESS FREEDOM Torre, Ricky S. The state against the press. (A new directive by Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales sheds light on the government’s understanding of press freedom.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 6

SANTO NINO DE TONDO Viva, Santo Nino: feast day of Santo Nino de Tondo. Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 28

SENATORIAL ELECTION Look, ma, no ballots! {The senate electoral tribunal finds 198 empty ballot boxes. Is Aquilino Pimentel III the real 12th winner of last year’s senatorial election?} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 12

TAN, LUCIO The Kapitan. {people who really know him speak about the real Lucio Tan.} Philippines Free Press 2008 January 26 24

2007

ABALOS, BENJAMIN The expendables. {Benjamin Abalos now faces the possibility of impeachment. How will that develop on the watch of his accuser’s father? Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 8

ABALOS, BENJAMIN Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Pulled down by scandal. {Rather than facing impeachment, the election chief resigns.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 4

AGRARIAN REFORM Alvarez, Ramiro C. There’s till land to give. {The land reform program is likely to be extended.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 31 26

AGRARIAN REFORM Mable, Jing A. Distributive justice. {Land reform improves lives on the farms, reason enough to allow the program to continue for another 10 years.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 23 14

AKLAN AND ANTHONY ACEVEDO Arevalo, Ramon Roces. Beyong the beach and the carnival. {Anthony Acevedo draws up a blueprint for Aklan’s transition from an impoverished rich province to a developed and progressive spot in Asia.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 24 16

ALAGAD; PARTY LIST The rule of law. {It must prevail over anything – ALAGAD.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 5 14

ANG ATONG AND ESTRADA Ratting on the boss. {Charlie Ang admits bribing Estrada. Why, is he accused of doing that?} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 10 10

ANGARA, EDGARDO Barcelon, Rica. Angara fights for Senior Citizen’s Rights. Philippines Free Press 2007 April 21 16

ARROYO; DE VENECIAS Mommy’s getting mad. {President Arroyo continues to endure trouble from the De Venecias. How long before her patience snaps?} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 10 8

ARROYO TAPES Another face-off. {The Arroyo-tapes inquiry may be in need of legal help from the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 22 10

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. The grunge 2. {Vidal Doble resurfaces from obscurity, summoning the ghost of the Arroyo tapes.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 1 12

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Those tapes again. {It’s the Senate turn to handle the unresolved Arroyo tape scandal.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 8 4

ASEAN Torre, Ricky S. A weekend at the talking club. {In this latest gathering, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations attempts to make a more conspicuous presence on the world stage.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 27 4

ASEAN Torre, Ricky S. Far-reaching gathering. {The ASEAN’s foreign ministers meet to discuss a range of issues besides trade and security – including the sensitive issue of human rights.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 11 4

BARANGAY ELECTION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Angry little voices. {Barangay election: the villages can force change.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 20 10

BINAY, JEJOMAR Torre, Ricky S. How to lose an election. {An attempt to suspend Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay backfires. For this, he thanks his campaign manager, President Arroyo.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 19 4

BIOFUELS Alvarez, Ramiro C. Take two for Biofuels. {Congress passes, but the president still has to sign, the biofuel bill. Why?} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 22

BIRD FLU Alvarez, Ramiro C. Preparing for the worst. {The Philippines takes precautions against bird flu. Can it keep the virus out?} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 17 22

BIRD FLU Alvarez, Ramiro C. We will not be spared. {The government protects poultry from bird flu, but not its people from a human influenza pandemic.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 22
BLACK NAZARENE Quiapo celebrates feast of the Black Nazarene. Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 15

BLACK NAZARE Torre, Ricky S. Where lie their hopes? {In this era of cupidity and poverty, the annual Feast of the Black Nazarene is no longer a simple demonstration of faith by an exhausted people.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 20 4

BOMBING Molano, Rodolfo. Another peek into the Moro mindset (part one). {The arrest of the House bombers will not reduce the level and stratagem of violence currently being employed by both the dissidents and the armed forces.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 6

BOMBING Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. The smoke lingers. {Who masterminded the bombing at the House? Was Wahab Akbar the target? These questions are nowhere near to getting answers.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 4

BOMBING Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Under attack. {The bombing at the House was an assault on Congress, no matter who the target was.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 24 4


BROADBAND NETWORK Another white elephant. {Does the government have the competence to run a broadband network?} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 18 16

BROADBAND NETWORK Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. A broad deal. {The scandal involving a broadband projects rocks the government. Somebody expendable may have to be brought down.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 15 4

BUDGET Social payback. {With a trillon-peso budget, the government will repay the taxpayers in kind.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 7 14

BULACAN The Builder. {Bulacan’s 4th District goes under water whenever it rains hard. A civil engineer is coming to the rescue.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 12 14

BURGOS, JONAS Against simple denial. {The supreme court approves the Philippine version of the writ of amparo.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 14

BURGOS, JONAS Frustrating justice. {The military denies an abduction, and is getting away with it.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 11 12

CAGAYAN Fabros Dann. One good fight. {In Cagayan’s 3rd District, Manuel Mamba and Krusada team up against jueteng.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 14 14

CALAMITIES; DRY SPELL; FLOOD Alvarez, Ramiro C. Unsolvable problems. {Here’s why we always suffer from dry spells and floods.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 1 8

CHILD-FRIENDLY WORLD Mable, Jing A. World Vision: a journey toward a child-friendly Philippines. Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 27

CITYHOOD The battle for premiere city plume rages. Philippines Free Press 2007 April 28 17

CLIMATE CHANGE Alvarez, Ramiro C. Without continuity. {Short-lived programs do more harm than good to the environment.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 18

COMELEC AND KAMPI A company union. {Would the Comelec really accredit Kampi as dominant minority party.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 10 12

COMMISSION ON APPOINTMENTS Boys behave. {President Arroyo reappoints her officials amid a scandal involving extortion in the Commission of Appointments.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 14 6

CONGRESS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Minority quandary. {Is the opposition in Congress in danger of extinction?} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 14 4

CONGRESS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Pricey job market. {Congress fills up its choice committees, according to the usual compromises.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 18 4

CONGRESS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Turbulent times. {The 14th Congress has the same old leaders, but they are keeping their posts at great cost to their political survival.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 4 16

CONGRESS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Whole lotta shaking going on. {Rep. Herminio Teves confirms an open secret in Congress citing an extortion attempt on his son.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 7 6

CONSTITUTION Constitutional solution. {Assaulted by one scandal after another, President Arroyo revives the tired old case for revising the constitution.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 10

CONSTITUTION Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. ‘The second wave’. {Can you repeat it again for the second time once more? Yes, the constitution is still under attack--- courtesy of President Arroyo.} Phiilippines Free Press 2007 January 6 4

CORRUPTION Alvarez, Ramiro C. What a shame. {The Philippines’ latest rating: most corrupt economy in Asia.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 14 12

CYBER EDUCATION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Teaching via satellite. {Does teaching by television trump actual classroom instruction?} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 10 18

CYBER EDUCATION Too much too early. {The government is going ahead with the controversial cyber-education program.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 18

DE VENECIA, JOSE Fast losing clout. {Does Jose de Venecia still have the numbers to stay as speaker of the House?} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 24 10

DE VENECIA, JOSE; ZTE CONTRACT Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. The volcano. {The speaker’s past is once again being raked. How long will he put up with this government?} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 15 10

DISASTERS AND POLITICS Torre, Ricky S. Disasters and debacles. {2006 was a year of terrible weather. It was also a time of gross human error and bad political judgment.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 8

DISPUTE RESOLUTION Mother mediator. {Lawyer Rowena Daroy Morales talks about the real need for alternative methods of dispute resolution.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 21 22

DRUG INDUSTRY Vigilia, Wendell. You don’t know your way out? {drug industry lobbyists spoil a special session of Congress.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 12

DRY SPELL Alvarez, Ramiro C. Craving for rain. {Luzon frizzles in a seemingly interminable dry spell.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 11 14

ECONOMY Alvarez, Ramiro C. Come down to earth. {Great economic gains? Talk about that in the slums.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 31 14

ECONOMY It’s not the economy, stupid. {Filipinos are going hungry, but that is not why they are going to the polls in May.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 3 4

ECONOMY Mable, Jing A. Beating the odds. {President Arroyo’s economic program is working.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 19 12

ECONOMY Mable, Jing A. Something to crow about. {Whether you believe it or not, the economy is improving.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 28 14

EDUCATION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Failed mind molders. (Wrong parenting and teaching are responsible for wayward children.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 2 26

EDUCATION Fabros, Dann. Fixing the system. {Jesli Lapus tackles – and begins to tame – the educational critics.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 8 14

EL NINO; DRY SPELL; WATER Praying for water. {Days of rains bring relief from the dry spell, but the threat of a drought remains until a full month of rain comes.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 18 8

ELECTIONS Divided as usual. {What can spoil an opposition clean sweep of the polls but a third force?} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 3 8

ELECTIONS; CATHOLIC CHURCH Torre, Ricky S. The bishops’ move. {The Catholic Church takes on the exasperated (and exasperating) Commission on Elections.}
Philippines Free Press 2007 July 21 4

ELECTIONS Time to rock and roll. {The election season begins with the opposition having the upper hand and the administration the back of the hand.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 27 10

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky S. Grudge match. {Can the midterm elections be regarded as a referendum on the Arroyo administration? That depends on whether the President’s critic can put up a united front.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 17 4

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky S. A messy reckoning. {The balloting is over and the tension-filled count of the votes has begun. Can the true will of the electorate be determined amid the rampant election violence, the irregularities and the government’s machinery.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 26 4

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Stop and go. {Which factor will win the voters’ sympathy-the administration’s arsenal or the opposition’s handicap?} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 10 8

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. The dark side of the farce. {The senatorial race gets murkier with all that talk about “unity”, “reconciliation’ and the “third force”.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 10 4

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Running on empty. {With the coming midterm elections, the Arroyo administration promises to field strong candidates. But except for Virgilio Garcillano, the rest hardly qualify as a piece of work. Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 12

ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Shifting fortunes. {The opposition still leads, but the administration shows signs of catching up. It’s still anything goes in this anarchic election season.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 31 10

ELECTIONS Vigilia, Wendell. Mind-boggling rush. {Initiative plebiscite set next month. How is that possible?} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 20 8
Vigilia, Wendell.

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Vigilia, Wendell. Against all odds. {Without automation, the Catholic Church takes the lead to ensure clean elections.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 10 8

ELECTIONS; MAGUINDANAO Last stand. {Who between Pimentel and Zubiri will be proclaimed winner? The answer depends on the controversial votes in Maguindanao.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 7 9
ELECTIONS; MAGUINDANAO The race continues. {Pimentel’s lead vanishes but he’s found ammo to blast the Maguindanao Express.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 14 10

ELECTIONS; MAGUINDANAO Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Is Mercury rising? {The controversial results from Maguindanao have promted election watchdogs to look out for the rest of Mindanao.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 2 8

ENGLISH Taking English to court. {Is English instruction in schools injurious to Filipino culture and heritage?} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 12 10

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Going home soon. {Negotiations are going on for a presidential pardon for Joseph Estrada.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 12

ESTRADA, JOSEPH It’s up to them. {Joseph Estrada tries to stop the seizure of his properties. Can his pardon be recalled?} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 14

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Retirement blues. {after winning the presidency, a conviction and a pardon, what else is left for Joseph Estrada to do?} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 8

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Still a tough customer. {Joseph Estrada is open to pardon-on his own terms.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 29 10
ESTRADA, JOSEPH Torre, Ricky S. Decision and aftermath. {Joseph Estrada’s fate will be known soon. But no matter what it is, this case will linger on the political scene.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 30 4

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Torre, Ricky S. Divide and rule. {Joseph Estrada may be a free man, but his pardon is better suited to president Arroyo’s objectives.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 10

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Torre, Ricky S. Down but not out. {Although Joseph Estrada has been convicted of plunder, he is hardly finished as a political force.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 22 4

EXPORTS Curse of the peso. {The peso gets stronger, bringing down the growth of Philippine exports.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 16

EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS De Guzman, Guiller. Stopping the killers. {The Supreme Court leads the search for an end to extrajudicial killings.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 28 4

FIRST WORLD ECONOMY Thinking big. {Four super projects could usher the Philippines into the First World.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 2 14

FISCAL CRISIS De Guzman, Guiller. Back in the ICU. {The government’s fiscal situation is very serious.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 14 16

GARCIALLANO AND ARROYO TAPES Vigilia, Wendell. What did you expect? {The man on the Arroyo tapes is cleared of perjury charges. His troubles are far from over.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 6 8

GLOBAL WARMING Alvarez, Ramiro C. The heat goes on. {But the Philippines’ mitigation plan seems to be slowing down.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 21 14

GLOBAL WARMING Needed: global action. {The Philippines and the world take first few steps to deal with global warming.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 18

GLOBAL WARMING The greenhouse effect. {The Philippines will join an international effort to ease global warming.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 17 12

GLORIETTA Look again. {Ayala land disputes the police theory that the Glorietta 2 explosion was accidental.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 10

GSIS Fabros, Dann. Turning to diversification. {Already raking in profits, the GSIS is looking for more opportunities.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 2 16

HUMAN RIGHTS A long way to go. {The writ of amparo may not be enough to end extralegal killings and disappearances.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 10

HUMAN RIGHTS Carrot and stick. {The US Senate links military aid to Philippine action on extralegal killings and disappearances.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 12

HUMAN RIGHTS Keep the public in the dark. {President Arroyo wants a law that would prohibit disclosure of military secrets.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 20 4

HUNGER Alvarez, Ramiro C. Give nets, not fish. {Inept food programs fail to ease hunger in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 5 12

HUNGER One-day relief. {Hungry Filipinos do not need charity. They need to be helped out of poverty.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 7 12

IMPEACHMENT Vigilia, Wendell. Come, see the farce. {An impeachment against President Arroyo goes up in the House of chaos.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 20 8

JPEPA Meeting the college boys. {Trade officials fail to sell a deal with Japan to the Senate.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 29 14

JPEPA Saving the deal. {A side deal is in the works to save a proposed trade treaty with Japan from Senate rejection.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 17


JPEPA Sorry, try again. {The senate will recommend renegotiation of an economic agreement with Japan.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 20 12

JPEPA Unacceptable deal. {The Senates threatens to reject an economic agreement with Japan.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 13

KAMPI; LAKAS Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Friends in need. {President Arroyo and House Speaker de Venecia Jr. have patched up their differences. Oh really? Let’s see.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 4

KOREANS De Jesus, J. They’re here. {Pockets of urban centers in the Philippines have become Korean enclaves. What’s going on?} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 4 24

LABOR Equal opportunity and equality at work. Philippines Free Press 2007 August 4 22

LAND REFORM Mable, Jing A. Harvest time. {The economy begins to feel the impact of agrarian reform.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 7 16

LEADERHSIP CRISIS AND CHURCH Alvarez, Ramiro C. Righting a wrong. {The Catholic church steps in to help end the leadership crisis.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 24 10

LIM, ALFREDO Serrano, Butch. Dirty Harry part 2. {Criminals get out of Manila. Alfredo Lim is coming back.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 31 16

LIM, ALFREDO Torre, Ricky S. Hizzoner returns. {Alfredo Lim is once again mayor of Manila, and he has exciting plans for the grand old city.} Philippine Free Press 2007 October 20 14

MAKATI Torre, Ricky S. The executive. {Jejomar Binay of Makati wins a huge mandate to serve third final term. Anything can happen after that – including landing a job much higher than the mayoralty.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 16 14

MAKATI AND BINAY Torre, Ricky S. The activist. {Lawyer-and plain citizen-Mar-Len Abigail Binay takes her participation in national issues a step further by throwing her hat in the congressional ring.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 10 16

MANILA PEN; TRILLANES De Guzman, Guiller. Why it failed. {Filipinos put a military mutineer in the Senate to serve, not to topple President Arroyo from power.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 15 7

MANILA PEN; TRILLANES Torre, Ricky S. The aftermath. {Antonio Trillanes IV is back behind bars and saddled with a new case. But the government continues to worr about this renegade senator.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 15 4
MANILA Transition. Philippines Free Press 2007 June 30 18

MEAT INSPECTION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Is that meat safe? {A weak law is blamed for the proliferation of unsafe pork.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 18

MELO COMMISSION AND HUMAN RIGHTS Don’t stop there. {The Melo Commission’s findings prove unsatisfactory. The President orders a wider investigation.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 10 12

MIGRATION AND HEALTH SERVICE Alvarez, Ramiro C. Medical express. {The exodus of doctors and nurses hobbles the Philippine health service.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 3 12

MIGRATION AND LABOR Don’t call them heroes. {Migrants care nothing about the economy. They just want to survive.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 16

MILITARY KILLERS. {A UN investigator refines his report and now blames the killings and disappearances in the Philippines on the armed forces.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 15 12
MINDANAO A social problem. {Military action is not the solution to the conflict in the South.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 15 12

MINDANAO Torre, Ricky S. War games. {In response to the July 10 ambush of Marines encroaching into an MILF-controlled area, the military is now going after the Abu Sayyaf. That’s the official line.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 1 4

NATIONAL DEFENSE Fabros, Dann. Defense for development. {This government and the military team up to bring peace and progress to the countryside.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 9 14

NURSES All’s not lost yet. {Two persistent groups will try to get the US visa hold on June 2006 nurse lifted.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 10 6

NURSES Broken American dreams. {The United States shuts out Filipino nurses in compromised board exam.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 14

OFWS (JAPAN) De Jesus, J. The lady Nurmini and the standing men. {OFW stories out of Japan show how the Filipino family morphs to keep in step with these challenging times.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 29 22

OIL PRICE Late action, as usual. {The government scrambles to avert a crisis as world oil prices pierce the roof.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 14

OIL PRICE Pump control. {Would the threat of an antitrust investigation make the oil companies temper price increases?} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 16

OPPOSITION Local failure. {The opposition fails to build local strength and misses out on increased House power.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 26 10
PALAWAN Serrano, Butch. The last frontier. {Gov. Joel Reyes sees Palawan as the next big thing in the Philippines’ economic development.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 17 14

PANLILIO, EDDIE Glory be to God. {A Catholic priest is elected governor of President Arroyo’s home province.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 2 4

PANLILIO, EDDIE Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Buying loyalty. {A strategy to keep President Arroyo out trouble explodes into a new scandal for Malacanang.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 4

PANLILIO, EDDIE Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Turning the tables. {Governor Panlilio is charged in the Palace payouts scandal. The case for the president’s impeachment is closed. Ain’t life grand?}. Philippines Free Press 2007 November 24 8

PARTY-LIST GROUPS This is not a party. {An attempt to misuse the party-list system to save President Arroyo appears to be failing.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 26 12
PASIG CITY No substitute for performance. {Pasig Councilor Robert Eusebio has learned well from his father. Now his sights are fixed on City hall.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 6 14

PEACE (MINDANAO) Rosauro, Ryan. Giving peace a chance. {Investigators and mediators work furiously to avert war.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 11 6

PEREZ, HERNANDO Is the charge right? {The opposition says Hernando Perez should not take the fall for others.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 20 12

PEREZ, HERNANDO This thing could hit the fan. {The Perez extortion case threatens to blow into a wider scandal.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 27 14

POLITICAL KILLINGS Court of last resort. {The Supreme Court will use its new power to stop the political killings.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 7 12

POLITICAL KILLINGS Disaster area. {Demands to end political killings hiund President Arroyo in the South Pacific.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 9 10

POLITICAL KILLINGS Seeing red. {A US inquiry may not stop but inspire more political killings in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 31 4

POLITICAL KILLINGS She’s in a bind. {President Arroyo can stop the political killings-if she wants to.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 10 4

POLITICAL KILLINGS Standing up to the world. {What would it take to stop rthe political killings in the Philippines?} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 14 6

POLITICAL KILLINGS Still unmoved. {An international people’s tribunal finds the Arroyo administration responsible for political killings in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 7 4

POLITICAL KILLINGS; UN Pretending to be blind. {A UN investigator blames the political killings in the Philippines on the military.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 17

POLITICAL KILLINGS; UN; EU Look beyond the cover-up. {The UN, EU investigations into the political killings in the Philippines begin.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 24 14

POPULATION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Close to bursting. {Rising population foils the Philippines’ efforts to reduce poverty.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 16

POPULATION Right to choose. {Women’s group are suing Lito Atienza for banning contraceptives in Manila.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 14

QUEZON CITY AND HERBERT BAUTISTA Arevalo, Ramon Roces. The presiding officer. {Quezon City Vice Mayor Herbert Bautista matures as a legislator at the helm of the city council.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 27 16

RAMON MAGSAYSAY AWARDS Magnificent seven. {Their moral courage and impassioned insistence on making the societies they serve better, kinder and more equitable offer inspiring examples of faith, persistence and success for all.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 1 16

RELIGION De Guzman, Guiller. The lost tomb. {Another swipe at the Resurrection fails to inspire a scholarly debate.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 14 28

RIVER POLLUTION Industrial irresponsibility. {Two centuries of river pollution lands Bulacan an undesirable world record.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 16

ROCO, SONIA Torre, Ricky S. Fighting spirit. {Sonia Roco enters the senatorial race, carrying her husband’s legacy of reforms.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 4

SENATE Torre, Ricky S. A hostage crisis. {Senate President Manuel Villar find his survival imperiled by tricky little problem of deciding who among his diverse allies should head the blue – ribbon committee.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 11 10

SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN That’s entertainment. {This early in the campaign, the administration outdistances the opposition in financial and star power.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 3 9

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky S. The promise. {Does the justice secretary’s offer to his local allies serve as a policy statement on vote buying?} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 12 4

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Clearing up the picture. {By deciding to go separate ways, the Senate Wednesday Group has helped to shape the senatorial race into a two-sided contest.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 24 4

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Internecine strife. {The opposition can forget the local races. Those are where Mrs. Arroyo’s two parties, Kampi and Lakas, are wielding their power- even against each other.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 7 8

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Let us pay. {For all that lofty urging for prayer and vigilance by the church, it’s money that may yet determine the outcome of the midterm elections.} Philippines Free Press 2007 May 5 4


SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Local wars. {President Arroyo goes on the offensive amid the rivalry between Lakas and Kampi in the provinces.} Philippines Free Press 2007 April 14 4

SENATORIAL ELECTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Money for nothing. {Despite financial woes, opposition candidates are outdistancing their big-spending rivals in the senatorial race.} Philippines Free Press 2007 March 17 6

SMITH AND SUPREME COURT And up it goes. {The dispute over Daniel Smith’s custody reaches the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 20 14

SMITH AND US EMBASSY ‘Like thieves in the night’. {The government returns Daniel Smith to US custody, kicking up a legal, and possibly political, storm.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 13 4

SMITH AND VFA The Pressure begins. {Philippine officials are rattled as the United States cancels war games.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 6 9

SONA The nation is strong. {I stand in the way of no one’s ambition. I only ask that no one stand in the way of the people’s well-being and the nation’s progress.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 4 10

SONA Torre, Ricky S. Last quarter. {President Arroyo’s state of the nation address begins with leaving the legacy of progressive Philippines and ends controversially on a political note.} Philippines Free Press 2007 August 4 4

SPEAKERSHIP Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. More than just the spoils. (Jose de Venecia’s challenger becomes an increasingly potent force in the speakership contest. Which of the two can better serve to maintain President Arroyo’s limited power at this point? Philippines Free Press 2007 June 23 4

SPEAKERSHIP Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. The phantom challenge. {There is more than meets the eye to the challenge to Jose de Venecia from his friends in the ruling coalition.} Philippines Free Press 2007 June 9 4

SUICIDE Suffering in silence. {The suicide of a 12 year-old girl shocks the nation and pours public anger on the government.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 24 12

SUMILAO FARMERS; LAND REFORM Torre, Ricky S. March for land. {An exhausting protest action by displaced farmers fails to elicit a prompt response from the government.) Philippines Free Press 2007 December 22 6
SUPREME COURT AND REYNATO PUNO (CHIEF JUSTICE) Torre, Ricky S. The new sentinel. {New Chief Justice Reynato Puno takes the watch at a time of murky legal controversies.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 3 14

TAX REVENUES De Guzman, Guiller. Missing the mark. {Falling tax revenues threaten the government’s lofty goals.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 7 4

TEACHING Coscolluela, Celeste F. Why I quit teaching at the Chinese School for Girls. {In the middle of Saturday’s mock test, Wendy Sy stood up from her chair on the second row and said she needed to use the bathroom. She would never set foot in the classroom again. I’m quite certain she never went to to the bathroom either. That afternoon Manong Elvis, the groundskeeper, found her body lying in the bottom of the school pool.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 33

TERRORISM BILL Not so terrifying anymore. {The Senate passes the terrorism bill minus the provisions that the state could abuse.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 24 12

TERRORISM LAW Torre, Ricky S. and Wendel Vigilia. Acts of insecurity. {The terrorism law is now in effect. What happens next? Of all Mrs. Arroyo’s critics, the Left is keen to know.} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 21 8

TEXTBOOKS Azurin, Arnold M. Teaching beyond textbooks. {Overhauling a pervasive mindset that characterizes Philippine textbooks all depends on the political will of school administrators and the force of rational reflection.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 20

TEXTBOOKS Torre, Ricky S. Borat textbooks. {Educator get angrie with phallic aD hitting bad textbook writtens by pompous PhDs. What the devils are that? That’s Philippine education for you-high five, sexytime!} Philippines Free Press 2007 July 28 10

TREASURERS AND ASSESSORS Growth for all. {Local treasurers and assessors take up the challenges of economic development.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 10 14

TREASURY BONDS Targeted for long-term bondage. {The Finance Department plans retail treasury bonds for migrants.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 17 16
VIOLENCE in the workplace. Philippines Free Press 2007 May 19 28

WAGE INCREASE Vigilia, Wendell. ‘Political stunt’. {The House approves a diluted wage increase. Can it buy votes?} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 6 12

WAGE INCREASE Vigilia, Wendell. ‘Trojan Horse’. {Employers reject a proposed P125 increase in the minimum wage.} Philippines Free Press 2007 January 20 18
WAGE INCREASE Were they just kidding?. {Beaten at its own game, the house retreats as the Senate approves the wage bill.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 3 10

WAR Zialcita, Hilario L. Nine days of fear. {We felt the earth shake as a monster of a US Sherman tank approached. The tank crashed through the building’s wall and pointed its gun at us, then fired a round over our heads.} Philippines Free Press 2007 February 17 16
WORLD BANK LOANS latest shame. {After the ZTE and bribery scandals comes the World Bank’s unflattering report card.} Philippines Free Press 2007 December 1 12

YUCHENGCO Serrano, Butch. The sky is the limit. {The pinnacle of success proves not high enough for the Yuchengco Group of companies. It looks far beyond.} Philippines Free Press 2007 November 24 14

ZTE CONTRACT; DE VENECIA, JOSE III. Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. The whistleblower. {Jose de Venecia III’s disclosures force officials to talk about the government’s controversial broadband project.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 29 4

ZTE CONTRACT Executive privilege. {What is so confidential about the ZTE deal that it trumps the public’s right to know?} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 27 12

ZTE CONTRACT He can’t talk much. {Benjamin Abalos has fallen. Who’s next? Nobody, if one would take the cue of Romulo Neri and other suddenly silent officials.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 13 8

ZTE CONTRACT Really getting messy. {The Supreme Court stops the broadband contract. Manila and Beijing agree to clean up.} Philippines Free Press 2007 September 22 12

ZTE CONTRACT Torre, Ricky S. Fighting for survival. {Contradicted by two witnesses, election chief Benjamin Abalos gets roasted in the Senate for his role in the broadband mess.} Philippines Free Press 2007 October 6 4

2006

AGRARIAN REFORM Mable, Jing A. Five years more. {With new lands to acquire and distribute, the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program looks beyond 2008.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 17 14

ANTIPOLO AND ANGELITO GATLABAYAN Mable, Jing A. Local power. {On Mayor Angelito Gatlabayan’s watch, Antipolo shows other municipal governments how to handle local problems.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 22 14

ARAGONCILLO, LEANDRO AND SPIONAGE Torre, Ricky S. The spy who put his friends out in the cold. {As Leandro Aragoncillo pleads guilty to spying, the people to whom he leaked classified information face the specter of official harassment.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 20 2

ARROYO AND CONSTITUTION Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Apocalypse now. {In its desire to change the constitution, the Arroyo administration is brewing a war with its enemies. Will the Philippines survive this conflict?} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 16 2

ARROYO AND CONSTITUTION Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Stopping a runaway train. {Civic and Catholic lay organizations join forces with the political opposition in the campaign against President Arroyo’s attempt to force the amendment of the constitution.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 13 8

ARROYO AND ELECTORAL FRAUD Vigilia, Wendell. Switcheroo. {Just as the Palace thinks the Arroyo tapes scandal is over, new evidence turn up to bolster the charge of electoral fraud against the President.}
Philippines Free Press 2006 March 25 8

ARROYO AND THAKSIN Vigilia, Wendell. It can’t happen to her? {President Arroyo knows something Thaksin Shinawatra does not know: how to control the military.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 6

ARROYO’S ADMINISTRATION AND MARINE CORPS Torre, Ricky S. Day of reckoning. {The military brass cannot repress its restive officers long enough in President Arroyo’s favor, warns Sen. Rodolfo Biazon.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 2

ARROYO TAPES Vigilia, Wendell. Obstruction and failure. {The report on the House inquiry into the Arroyo tapes.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 14

ARROYO’S TAPES AND MUTINEERS Vigilia, Wendell. What is their crime? {The ‘plotters’ wanted to withdraw support for Mrs. Arroyo. The government says that’s a coup.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 22 6



BICOL AND JOEY SARTE SALCEDA My people are paramount. Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 17

BILLBOARDS AND DPWH Torre, Ricky S. Tearing them down. {Public works secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. launches a campaign against killer billboards.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 14

BILLBOARDS AND DISASTERS Outdoor hazards. {Those giant billboards are good for business, but they kill.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 14 6

BINAY, JEJOMAR AND MAKATI Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. I never ran from a fight. {Malacanang tries to remove Mayor Jejomar Binat from Makati. Rambotito fights back.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 28 2

BUDGET AND JOEY SALCEDA Defender of the faith. {For Rep. Joey Salceda, approving the budget is fulfilling a contract with the people.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 14

BUDGET AND NATIONAL SPENDING BILL Vigilia, Wendell. Deadlock on the budget. {Congress ends its business without passing the national spending bill for 2006.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 17 6

BUDGET AND PORK BARREL Why not just slaughter the pig? {A budget controversy leads to fresh suggestions to abolish the pork barrel.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 12

BUDGET AND RATIONALIZATION PLAN Alvarez, Ramiro C. No layoffs, please. {To save their jobs, state employees are resisting a so-called rationalization plan.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 26

BUDGET (SUPPLEMENTAL) Vitamin for the locals. {The Palace goes for a P46-billion supplemental budget. Will this one pass?} Philippines Free Press 2006 August 12 12

BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION AND TERRORISM Serrano, Butch. The border guard. {The Bureau of Immigration cleans up and expands its role in the war against terrorism.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 30 14

CHARTER CHANGE Still fighting for freedom. {More than a century after freeing themselves from foreign rule, the Filipinos remain in the grip of unwanted leaders.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 2





CHARTER CHANGE AND CHARACTER CHANGE Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Still in character. {In the wake of a prayer rally led by the Catholic Church calling for character change, President Arroyo revives her plans to overhaul the constitution.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 30 4

CHARTER CHANGE AND EDGARDO J. ANGARA Two steps forward. {Cha-cha need not be full of twists and turns. All it takes are two steps.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 17 10

CIVIL SERVICE AND CORRUPTION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Tough hides. {The Philippines slips in the fight against corruption. Most poorly paid civil servants couldn’t care less.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 22

COMELEC; CONSTITUTION; PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. They just won’t stop. {A government initiative is going to the Supreme Court after a setback in the Comelec.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 9 2

COMELEC REFORMS Vigilia, Wendell. What are they counting on? {The administration is cocksure it will prevail. A glimpse into the unfair situation.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 6

COMMUNIST INSURGENCY Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Blast from the past. {President Arroyo risks her political survival by making a sudden policy shift toward all-out war against the communist insurgency--- the menace that has proved to be in history’s favor.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 1 2

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY Torre, Ricky. The final push. {With President Arroyo’s go-ahead, the House majority prepares for a constituent assembly- and to drag the Senate into a showdown in the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 4

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Constitutional holes. {The House majority begins to stir up a storm with its legal skirting to force a constituent assembly.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 16 10

CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY; CONSTITUTION AND PEOPLE POWER Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. People Power lives. {Led by religious groups, the Filipinos stop the House do-it-yourself constituent assembly. But its perpetrators refuse to give up.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 23 4

CONSTITUTION Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Spoiling the party. {The campaign to force the revision of the Constitution may be aborted, thanks to its own instigators.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 4

CONSTITUTION Vigilia, Wendell. There’s still time. The House believes the Constitution can be revised before the end of the year.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 2 10

CONSTITUTION (1987) Abueva, Jose V. Toward constitutional and governance reforms. Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 24

CONSTITUTION AND ADVOCACY; CHARTER CHANGE Mable, Jing A. Advocates of change. {The advocacy commission takes the proposal to amend the Constitution on to the people.} Philippines Free Press 2006 14

CONSTITUTION AND CHARTER CHANGE Mable, Jing A. Gift of change. {A new constitution may be ready by Christmas.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 20

CONSTITUTION AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. Breaking up is hard to do. {Can the house revise the constitution without the Senate?} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 8

CONSTITUTION AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. A slow kind of rush. {What do you mean by that? Finding out is a waste of time, so don’t try, period.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 10 8

CONSTITUTION AND LABAN Mable, Jing A. Change or perish. {Sen. Egardo Angara and his party, Laban, join the Arroyo administration in the drive for constitutional reforms.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 10 14

CONSTITUTION AND PARLIAMENTARY Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Setting the stage. {President Arroyo and her allies want the Supreme Court to change its mind and allow the revision of the Constitution. They also have other options to force a shift to a parliamentary government.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 2


CONSTITUTION AND PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE Vigilia, Wendell. Grand deception. {The Supreme Court rejects the revision of the Constitution by people’s initiatives.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 2

CONSTITUTION AND PEOPLE’S INITIATIVE Vigilia, Wendell. This can’t be the people’s voice. {The Supreme Court receives evidence of fraud in the supposed people’s initiative, which turn out to be financed by the government.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 6

CONSTITUTION AND SENATE Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Democracy in action. {The Senate is now willing to discuss constitutional amendments, or so President Arroyo and her allies have been led to believe. That’s all folks.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 3 2

CONSTITUTION AND SIGAW Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Never say die. (The political offensive to change the Constitution suffers another setback. But its instigators refuse to give up.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 2 4

CONSTITUTION AND WOMEN Mable, Jing A. Women for change. {An advocacy Commission led by women presses for the proposed amendments to the Constitution.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 25 12

CONSTITUTION; CHARTER CHANGE Torre, Ricky S. and Wendel Vigilia. Charter express. {President Arroyo shows her hand in the campaign to force the amendment of the Constitution. But what is she really after?} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 15 2

CULTURAL LITERACY; FILIPINOS AND CANADA Nuguid, Nati. Of spoons and pigs. {The ill treatment of a Filipino boy in a Canadian school blows up into a cultural controversy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 27 16

DEATH PENALTY Vigilia, Wendell. Death penalty: no quarrel here. {The opposition backs President Arroyo’s proposal to abolish capital punishment.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 14

DEATH PENALTY AND JUDICIAL ERROR Hitting back. {Crime watchdogs want the Supremes out for judicial error.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 8 12

DEATH PENALTY AND LEO ECHEGARAY How much is human life? {Not a few thousand pesos but nobody should profit from somebody’s death.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 1 16

DEATH PENALTY AND LEO ECHEGARAY ‘Judicial error’. {The chief justice reiterates an old opinion, setting off a fresh controversy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 10

DEATH PENALY AND SENTENCES Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. An easter offensive. {President Arroyo commutes all death sentences-and kicks up a political controversy with the Catholic Church.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 29 2

DEFENSE AND AVELINO CRUZ Farewell, civilian. {Defense secretary Avelino Cruz resigns, causing a tremor in the shaky cabinet and making way for the possible appointment of a successor from the military.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 8

DENGUE CONTROL Alvraez, Ramiro C. Biting criticisms. {The program for dengue control and prevention is a failure. Officials offer a lot of excuses.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 14

DEPED Another politician. {Rep. Jesli Lapus is the new education secretary.) Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 10

DEPED AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP Jesli A. Lapus: entrepreneurship in the secondary level. Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 28

DISASTERS Alvarez, Ramiro C. Quakes, volcanoes and killer waves. {The Philippine government has no plan for immediate rebuilding after a great disaster.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 1 14

DPWH Enhancing Philippines’ natural super regions through road development. Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 17

DRUGS AND THE PHILIPPINE DRUG ENFORCEMENT AGENCY Alvarez, Ramiro C. Scoundrels and scalawags. {A flaw in the law has led to shame for the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 12

ECONOMY Mable, Jing A. Beating the odds. Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 16

ECONOMY Mable, Jing A. Total Change. {Bucking her enemies, President Arroyo forges ahead with her great plans for the economy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 12

EDUCATION Torre, Ricky S. Just coping. {It’s that time of the year when the government tackles education, using a formula that only compounds its gritty realities.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 17 2

EDUCATION AND CHILDREN Alvarez, Ramiro C. These are bad times for kids. {Children suffer from neglect, abuse, poor education and the worst in their environment.} Philippines Free Press 2006 28

EDUCATION AND MALNUTRITION; SCHOOL FEEDING Feed the school children. {Rep. Hermino Teves finds a way to solve malnutrition and keep children in school.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 18


ELECTION (2004) AND CHEATING Serrano, Butch. Sure, there was cheating. {Senate investigators hear new testimony about the rigging of the 2004 election.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 15 10

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Automating the vote. {Congress rushes a law that would partially automate next year’s midterm elections.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 6

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Hard insurance. {The administration supports proposals for use of flawed vote-counting machines.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 8

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION If there’s a will, there’s a way. {After another defeat in the Supreme Court, Malacanang is considering the use of flawed vote-counting machines by legislation. Philippines Free Press 2006 September 9 6

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Megadisaster. {The ombudsman finds against a Comelec official in an irregular automation deal.}. Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 6

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Serrano, Butch. Untrustworthy watchdog. {Senator Gordon wants electoral reforms before the revision of the constitution.} Philippines Free Press 2006 12

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Torre, Ricky S. A match for the supremes? {Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez makes a finding that could bring her into a direct collision with the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 2

ELECTIONS AND AUTOMATION Vigilia, Wendell. The Ombudsman’s ‘earthquake’. {The ombudsman “reverses’ the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Comelec’s deal with Mega Pacific.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 14 8

ELECTIONS AND CONSTITUTION Vigilia, Wendell. Now you see it, now you don’t. {The House’s draft has no final version but it has a better, rival proposal. Which one will prevail in the fight for the members’ support?} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 23 8

ELECTIONS AND LAKAS Vigilia, Wendell. It’s getting late. {The midterms are fast approaching, but Lakas remains stuck with a dead dream.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 6

ELECTORAL FRAUD Vigilia, Wendell. Connecting the dots. {How can a fake passport prove electoral fraud?} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 6

ELECTRICITY; ENERGY Abuse of market power. {A government trader is found guilty of manipulating prices on the electricity spot market.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 16

ELECTRICITY; ENERGY Vigilia, Wendell. Short-circuiting the market. {Investigators look into price manipulation on the electricity spot market. Philippines Free Press 2006 October 28 18

ENERGY; MASINLOC POWERPLANT Mable, Jing A. Who’s the culprit?. {The sale of a profitable power plant goes sour. Blame it on a flawed energy law.} Philippines Free Press 2006 August 12 16


EO 464; EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE Quezon, Manuel L., III. Limits of power. {The Supreme Court dishes out something for everyone. But will everyone always be happy?} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 10

EO 464; EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE Nuguid, Nati. This can’t be happening. {Malacañang will appeal the Supreme Court rulings that clip President Arroyo’s powers.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 20 10

EO 464; EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE Torre, Ricky S., Butch Serrano and Wendell Vigilia. Bitter defeat. {Malacanang loses the battle over EO 464 in the Supreme Court, but it continues to be guided by that highly contentions directive.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 2

EO 464; EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE (DECISION) Full disclosure. {With EO 464’s defeat, the military cannot keep the findings of its electoral fraud probe secret.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 29 8

EO 464 ; EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE; PROTEST ACTIONS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. ‘Darkness that shrouds freedom’. {In another setback for President Arroyo, the Supreme Court invalidates her “calibrated preemptive response” to protest rallies. So, is the parliament of the streets now free? Let’s see.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 8

ESTRADA, JOSEPH Nuguid, Nati. Turning the tables. {Testifying in court, Joseph Estrada accuses his accuser of lying and corruption.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 10

FARM SUBSIDIES Alvarez, Ramiro C. No new beginning. {Arthur Yap returns as agriculture chief and abolishes farm subsidies.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 24

FERTILIZER SCAM Serrano, Butch. Could it be true? {President Arroyo remains silent on the charges that she benefited the most from the fertilizer scam.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 16

FERTILIZER SCAM Serrano, Butch. How will they get out of this mess? {The administration operators behind the fertilizer scam are in deep trouble} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 8

FERTILIZER SCAM AND JOCELYN BOLANTE They will fall one by one. {It’s confirmed: the fertilizer scam is the reason for Bolante’s arrest in the United States. Mrs. Arroyo’s House allies should not go there.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 23 14

FERTILIZER SCAM AND JOCELYN BOLANTE Vigilia, Wendell. What’s going on? {Jocelyn Bolante turns up in the United States and lands in jail.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 6

FERTILIZER SCAM AND MARCOS WEALTH Serrano, Butch. How they did it. {The COA confirms use of recovered Marcos wealth in the fertilizer scam.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 8

FLAG Respect the flag. {The author of the flag law laments the wrong handling of the tricolor. Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 6

FREE TRADE; PHILIPPINES AND UNITED STATES Alvarez, Ramiro C. A train to catch. {A free-trade deal with the United States is still possible for the Philippines, offering some hope for a hungry nation.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 2 12

GAMBLING AND CHARLIE ANG An insignificant witness. {Charlie Ang is back. Should anybody be worried?} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 8

GAMBLING AND CHARLIE ANG The Gambler loses. {Joseph Estrada’s gambling consultant is coming home---in chains.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 30 10

GUIMARAS ISLAND; DISASTER Paradise oiled. {A leaking vessel and the errors by its skipper bring an environmental and economic nightmare to beautiful Guimaras island.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 9 8

GUIMARAS OIL SPILL Island in the black stream. {The struggle of Guimaras to recover from a major oil spill could take up to 25 years.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 16 10

GUIMARAS RESTORATION Alvarez, Ramiro C. Can we restore Guimaras? {The Philippines does not have the expertise for a job that can take up to 100 years.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 22

HONASAN, GREGORIO The old runner stumbles. {Fugitive Gregorio Honasan makes a mistake and gets captured.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 4

HONASAN, GEGORIO Protesters or plotters? {An old coupmaker and military activists are called to account for their adventures.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 2 8

HOUSE AND MANNY VILLAR Vigilia, Wendell. They may be wrong. {The House and the Palace see improved relations with Villar’s senate.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 1 12

HUMAN RIGHTS AND JOVITO PALPARAN Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. He won’t fade away. {Amid the growing international concern over the political killings in the Philippines, the Arroyo administration tries to find a new job to suit the “talents’ of its favorite, now retired general. Jovito Palparan Jr.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 23 2

HUMAN RIGHTS AND POLITICAL KILLINGS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Blaming the accusers. {Is the stage being set for pinning the spate of political killings on the embattled left? Foreign organizations pressuring the Arroyo government to solve the murders will soon find out.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 30 2

ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH; MARCOSES New tale of hidden wealth. {A US banker says he has discovered $950 billion in Marcos Swiss bank accounts.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 14

ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH; MARCOSES Nuguid, Nati. Let’s just fight in court. {Just as negotiations for a settlement appears set to go forward, Imelda Marcos balks.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 3 6

ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH; MARCOSES Nuguid, Nati. Let’s make a deal. {The government is now willing to open compromise talks with Imelda Marcos.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 12

ILL-GOTTEN WEALTH; MARCOSES Nuguid, Nati. No, you can’t make a deal. {The PCGG’s settlement talks with Imelda Marcos draw objections.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 13 18

IMMIGRATION LAWS AND UNITED STATES Alvarez, Ramiro C. Losing the promised land. {A revision of US immigration laws threatens to lead to the expulsion of millions of illegal migrants, including 1.5 million Filipinos.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 27 18

IMPEACHMENT Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Setting the date. {The slew of complaints that President Arroyo’s enemies have brought against her may yet be foiled by one technicality--- the period covering the ban on impeachment, to be determined by the House majority.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 2

IMPEACHMENT Vigilia, Wendell. It’s impeachment time again. {More than 300 complaints are bringing a new, stronger case against President Arroyo. Will it pass?} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 1 8

IMPEACHMENT Vigilia, Wendell. Waiting for July. {The House minority is warming up for the next impeachment tussle.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 20 12

IMPEACHMENT AND ARTISTS Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Not the usual suspects. {Artists, professionals and other non-political types flock to Congress to file a slew of impeachment complaints against President Arroyo.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 8 2

IMPEACHMENT AND BISHOPS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Black Sabbath, {The opposition may be working hard to impeach President Arroyo, but witness whose efforts are being recognized by malacañang---the bishops.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 8

IMPEACHMENT AND BISHOPS Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. How to seek out the truth. {The Catholic bishops stop short of supporting President Arroyo’s impeachment, in accordance with a papal encyclical that offers better ideas about dealing with politics.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 22 2

IMPEACHMENT AND COMPLAINTS Vigilia, Wendell. Short work. {Eight impeachment complaints against President Arroyo: seven down, the last goes in a few days.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 6

IMPEACHMENT AND COUP PLOTTING Torre, Ricky S. Suspicious sectors. {Big businessmen and even some church leaders are part of a concerned effort to overthrow President Arroyo---or so her officials strenuously claim.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 2

IMPEACHMENT AND FILIPINO-AMERICANS Vigilia, Wendell. They can’t get away. {President Arroyo’s allies may become targets in the international drive against corruption.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 2 6
IMPEACHMENT AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. Ignoring the people. {More than half of the population want President Arroyo to be impeached, but the majority in the House couldn’t care less. Philippines Free Press 2006 August 12 6

IMPEACHMENT AND JOSEPH E. ESTRADA Convicted in the streets. {After nearly six years since his arrest, Joseph Estrada finally faces his accusers in court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 18

IMPEACHMENT AND PROCLAMATION 1017 Nuguid, Nati. The people’s voice. After proclamation 1017, more Filipinos want President Arroyo out of power. But who will take her place?} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 8

IMPEACHMENT AND SENATORS Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. The Senators’ initiative. {A group of senators launches a timely road tour to force President Arroyo’s resignation, as other influential sectors begin to speak out against her rule.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 2

IMPEACHMENT; CHURCH AND STATE Torre, Ricky S. Holy smoke. Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez’s impeachment complaint against President Arroyo stirs up the usual controversy over the constitutional principle of separation of church and state.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 4

IMPEACHMENT; COUNSELS FOR THE DEFENSE OF LIBERTIES (CODAL); UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION Vigilia, Wendell. Against our rights. {With the cards stacked against the opposition here, civil libertarians take the Arroyo administration to the United Nations, a move that the palace has dismissed as ‘absurd’ and ‘propaganda’.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 10

JUETENG AND OSCAR CRUZ Target. {A crusading prelate who has pricked the corrupt in the government is marked for arrest.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 12

LA NINA Alvarez, Ramiro. A soaking summer. {Weather experts say La Nina will bring heavy rains only to some parts of the country. But how disastrous will that be?} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 22

LABAN NG DEMOKRATIKONG PILIPINO Mable, Jing A. LABAN takes up a new fight. Philippines Free Press 2006 June 10 17

LANAO DEL SUR AND REPRESENTATIVE FAYSAH RPM DUMARPA; ISLAM; MUSLIMS Tubianosa, Diony. ‘We are not terrorists’ {Not all Muslims are terrorists and Islam is not a religion of terror. Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah RPM Dumarpa wants the world to understand that.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 20 14

LEFTIST LEGISLATORS AND REBELLION Vigilia, Wendell. Out for justice. {Free again, five leftist legislators are going after the justice secretary’s scalp.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 20 6

LIBERAL PARTY Serrano, Butch. Divide and rule. {Malacanang’s hand shows in the leadership dispute in the Liberal party.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 14

LIBERAL PARTY Torre, Ricky S. Testing the Liberals. {This long-standing party has found new relevance in modern Philippine politics, but is disrupted once again by division.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 12

LITO LAPID Serrano, Butch. Going to the movies. {President Arroyo wants Lito Lapid to be her mayor in Makati.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 13 16

MAKATI AND JEJOMAR BINAY Serrano, Butch. The last hard man. {A former movie action-hero wants to take Makati for the Arroyo administration. Can he get past the city’s tough mayor, Jejomar Binay?} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 3 12

MAKATI AND JEJOMAR BINAY (SUSPENSION) More ahead for hizzoner. {Makati’s Jejomar Binay, whose suspension has suddenly made him a presidential possibility, expects additional publicity from his enemies.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 8

MANILA AND DANILO LACUNA Torre, Ricky S. Mr. Manila. {Vice Mayor Danilo Lacuna has observed a critical collaboration with the city’s present administration. Now he believes he is ready for the top post.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 14

MANILA AND LITO ATIENZA Ika-435 Araw ng Maynila. Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 15

MARIKINA AND FERNANDOS Fabros, Dann. Pursuit of excellence. {whether for Marikina or Metro Manila, Bayani and Marides Fernando aim high.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 2 14

MELO COMMISSION The assassins ride again. {The political killings resume. Foreign businesses warn the Arroyo administration.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 10

MIGRANTS’ FUND; OWWA FUNDS Policy of concealment. {Malacañang resists a Senate inquiry into the migrants’fund, raising the possibility of another confrontation in the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 August 19 2

MIGRANTS—LEBANON; OWWA FUNDS Torre, Ricky S. Slow trip out of hell. Philippines Free Press 2006 August 12 2

MILENYO AND WEATHER OFFICIALS Alvarez, Ramiro C. Don’t blame the weatherman. {Officials knew Milenyo was coming. But they didn’t do anything.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 14

MILENYO (TYPHOON) Torre, Ricky S. Heart of darkness. {Typhoon milenyo wreaks unprecedented havoc on Luzon island, shutting down Metro Manila and hampering the economy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 14 2

MILITARY Dissent and discipline. {The soldiers have problems, but these cannot be solved with arms.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 25 6

MILITARY AND COUP PLOTTING Problems in the military. {Unless President Arroyo deals with the soldiers’ complaints, they will not stop plotting against her.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 8


NUEVA ECIJA AND GOVERNOR TOMAS JOSON III Mable, Jing A. Flexing local muscle. {Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III shows what local autonomy can do for the countryside.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 2 14

NURSING AND PRC Bad turn for the regulator. {Now it’s the Professional Regulation Commission that is under investigation.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 4 10

NURSING EDUCATION Conflict of interest. {Professionals have warned about the dangers of the commercialization of the nursing education. The leakage in the licensure exam shows they are right.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 2 12

NURSING EXAM Cleaning up the mess. {A court ruling on the controversy over a compromised nursing board exam leads to more problems.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 28 10

NURSING EXAM No vacancy. {Unless they pass a new exam, this year’s nursing graduates face a bleak future--- here, the country they plan to abandon.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 9 12

NURSING EXAM Retake it or leave it. {Despite complications, the government will surely order a new nursing board exam.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 14 12

NURSING REVIEW Nursing a scandal. {Cheating in the licensure exam worsens the nursing mess.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 29 10

NURSING SCHOOLS Incredible. {For trying to maintain high standards of training, established nursing schools are threatened with evaluation and closure.} Philippines Free Press 2006 August 12 14

NURSING SCHOOLS The nursing mess. {The proliferation of nursing schools impairs the quality of training, resulting in thousands of graduates who are unqualified to become nurses.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 22 12

OCCIDENTAL MINDORO AND MA. AMELITA CALIMBAS-VILLAROSA I will not fail my people. {Occidental Mindoro has a woman running its business in the House.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 15 14

PANGASINAN AND REPRESENTATIVE GENEROSO TULAGAN Amurao. George T. From father to son. {Rep. Generoso Tulagan is not building a political dynasty. He just wants his son to continue his work for the Third District of Pangasinan.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 14

PARANAQUE CITY AND FLORENCIO BERNABE Mable, Jing A. Out of the PIT. {Mayor Florencio Bernabe helps Paranaque back to its feet and leads the city on its return to development.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 8 14

PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. Interim parliament. {Speaker Jose de Venecia sees this happening by July but the House minority says he’s hallucinating.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 15 6

PASAY CITY AND GARBAGE CONTRACTS Mayor Peewee Trinidad gets canned for illegal garbage contracts. Philippines Free Press 2006 September 16 6

PCGG Power to investigate. {The Supreme Court rules: PCGG officials have no immunity from congressional investigation.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 28 6

PCGG AND SENATE Immunity Test. {The clash of wills between the Ssenate and the PCGG leads to a face-off in the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 30 6

PCGG, SENATE AND SABIO Coming to a head. {The standoff between the senate and the PCGG leads to a confrontation in the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 23 12

PCSO AND STL Torre, Ricky S. Diversifying the game. {The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office continues to innovate to make its product meet the loftier objective of expanding public service.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 16 12

PEACE DEVELOPMENT AND MINDANAO Mable, Jing A. The pursuit of peace. {Despite distractions, the Arroyo administration presses its search for peace in Mindanao.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 9 14

PEACE DEVELOPMENT AND SULU The partners. {Sulu Rep. Munir M. Arbison and his father, Luuk Mayor Abdurahman K. Arbison, ame the pursuit of peace and development a joint venture. Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 14

PEOPLE’S INITIATIVES AND CONSTITUTION Torre, Ricky S., Butch Serrano and Wendell Vigilia. Government initiative. {Defying a Supreme Court ruling, the administrative sets into motion the people’s initiative provision to force the amendment of the Cosntitution.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 2

PEOPLE’S INITIATIVES AND OPPOSITION Vigilia, Wendell. Brawl in the courts. {The opposition may be forced to challenged the legality of the government-backed people’s initiatives.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 29 6

PEOPLE’S INITIATIVES AND SUPREME COURT Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. The aftermath: recriminations, scapegoats. {The Supreme Court’s decision on the people’s initiative campaign stirs up a storm among the president’s men.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 4

POLITICAL KILLINGS Torre, Ricky S. Ultimate responsibility. {President Arroyo forms a commission to investigate the spate of political killings. Her critics belittle that move, saying the problem is her government.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 2 2

POLITICAL KILLINGS Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Return of the executioners. {Torture assassination, infringement on press freedom-the sins of the discredited past are once again here, in President Arroyo’s era.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 10 2

POLITICAL KILLINGS AND HUMAN RIGHTS Passing the blame. {President Arroyo pins the linking of the military to political killings on her enemies.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 16 8

POLITICAL KILLINGS AND JOURNALISTS Alvarez, Ramiro C. A shiner for the Filipinos. {The US Senate investigates the unsolved journalist killings in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 3 8

POLITICAL KILLINGS AND LEFTISTS Torre, Ricky S. Blood on the ground. {Another throwback to the Marcos years-leftists being killed in President Arroyo’s era.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 27 2

POLITICAL KILLINGS; LEFTISTS; JOURNALISTS In the pressure cooker. {Suddenly President Arroyo orders the solution of the killings of leftists and journalists.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 10

POPULATION GROWTH Nuguid, Nati. Intellectual dishonesty. {Suddenly the Philippine population growth rate falls to 1.95 percent. Is this possible?} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 27 8

POVERTY Economy of dependence. {The poverty of most Filipinos is not only the government’s fault but also their own.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 16

POVERTY; HUNGER Hunger stalks the land. {Nearly three million Filipino families suffer from extreme hunger.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 16

PRISON Alvarez, Ramiro C. Mission: free the jailbirds. {A religious group is helping the government to decongest the country’s overcrowded jails.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 23

PROCLAMATION 1017 AND SUPREME COURT Legal decree, illegal acts. {The Supreme Court rules: Proclamation 1017 is constitutional, but not the suppression of dissent and the intimidation of the press.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 13 12

PROCLAMATION 1017; EMERGENCY POWERS Torre, Ricky S. The last resort. {Critics of the proclamation declaring a state of national emergency take their case to the final arena, the Supreme Court.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 6

PROCLAMATION 1017; EMERGENCY POWERS Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. 1017 What did she achieve? {President Arroyo lifts the state of National emergency, saying order has been restored. Or has she established a new order?} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 18 2

PROCLAMATION 1017; EMERGENCY POWERS Torre, Ricky S., Butch Serrano and Wendell Vigilia. Checking the queen. {The senate investigates government acts under Proclamation No.1017 and finds those actions not allowed even under martial law.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 25 2

PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND OVERPOPULATION Alvarez, Ramiro C. The root of the problem. {Overpopulation causes the shortages in public schools, but the government refuses to deal with it.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 12

QUEZON CITY AND FELICIANO BELMONTE Serrano, Butch. Investing in the future. {“I am working to make hope happen,” Quzon City Mayor Feliciano Belmonte says, “I want the ensuing reality to endure for many years.”} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 14 16

REBELLION AND JAMBY MADRIGAL One-woman mission. {Sen. Jamby Madrigal tries her hand at mediation and draws flak for it.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 22 10

REBELLION AND NPA Can you kill an insurgency. {President Arroyo wants to crush the NPA in two years. She doesn’t know the real enemy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 8 8

REBELLION AND REBELS Vigilia, Wendell. Now for their prosecution. {The government files rebellion charges against the enemies of President Arroyo, including military and communist rebels.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 12

REMING Alvarez, Ramiro C. After Reming. {It’s time to ponder the increasing harshness of nature.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 16 4

REVIEW CENTERS Medication time. {Review center owners face charges for the nursing exam leakage. Is that all?} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 21 8

REVIEW CENTERS Should all be punished? {Independent review centers protest regulations that would kill them.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 25 12

REVIEW CENTERS AND PRC Time for accounting. {The Professional Regulation Commission is in trouble, review centers face abolition.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 10

SCOUTING Coeducational scouting. {Girls as boy scouts? The girl scouts won’t even consider the idea.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 12

SENATE Vigilia, Wendell. Doomsday is near. {Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago predicts the demise of the Senate by July.} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 27 12

SENATE PRESIDENCY Vigilia, Wendell. Changing of the guard. {The Senate is getting a new leader. Does this mean easier time for the administration? Philippines Free Press 2006 June 24 8

SENATORIAL RACE Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Angry pulse of the nation. {The senatorial race is widely understood to be a virtual referendum on the Arroyo administration-whose candidates would lose miserably if the elections were held today.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 8

SEX EDUCATION Beyond the birds and the bees. {The church makes a big fuss about the introduction of sex education in high school.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 15 10

SMALL-TOWN LOTTERY; STL; GAMBLING; LOTTERY; JUETENG Nuguid, Nati. Shall we play STL? {Here’s another government attempt to stamp out the illegal lottery jueteng.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 15 12

SMITH’S CUSTODY Winter of our disagreement. {A dispute over custody of a convict could lead to a chill in US-Philippine relations.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 30 12

SNAP ELECTION Nuguid, Nati. What if they call a snap election? {The people can take the initiative and amend the Constitution for a new presidential election. But the opposition should not be too confident. Who’s their candidate? Who will finance balloting?} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 6 16

SUBIC RAPE; NICOLE’S CASE AND VFA The end won’t matter much. {Nicole’s case is not only about rape but also about the Visiting Forces Agreement.} Philippines Free Press 2006 October 7 12

SUBIC RAPE CASE AND FOREIGN RELATIONS Not quite finished. {Justice is served, but the Subic rape case is not yet really over.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 16 16

SUPER REGIONS ; FARMERS; FERTILIZERS; ELECTIONS Vigilia, Wendell. Country Insurance. {The administration will woo provincial voters with billions of pesos worth of projects and loans.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 23 10

SUPREME COURT AND MIRIAM DEFENSOR SANTIAGO Madam chief justice? {Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago gets nominated for the highest judicial office in the land.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 10

TEACHER ABUSE Nuguid, Nati. Intolerance cruelty. {Cases of teacher abuse prompt call for review of screening system.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 28

TERRORISM AND SAMSON MACARIOLA The specialist. {An airport security review turns into a he says, she says.} Philippines Free Press 2006 September 30 12

TERRORISM BILL Setting the record straight. {Lanao del Sur Rep. Faysah RPM Dumarpa rejects a terrorism bill that does not guarantee the protection of innocent citizens.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 3 10

TERORRISM BILL Vigilia, Wendell. Terrifying bill. {The House passes the terrorism bill, “sowing a state of danger” among the critics of President Arroyo.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 22 10

ULTRA STAMPEDE Nuguid, Nati. Must the show go on? {The Ultra stampede: 17 found liable, but the show that caused the tragedy is back.} Philippines Free Press 2006 March 25 10

VETERANS Mable, Jing A. The veterans’ legacy. {The Filipino veterans of World War II are still fighting. Their enemy: distortions in the history of that war.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 8 12

VFA What’s this deal? {The Philippines and the United States have a new defense agreement.} Philippines Free Press 2006 June 10 6

WAGE INCREASE Give us our due. {Metro Manila workers are unhappy with the P25 wage increase.} Philippines Free Press 2006 July 8 10

WAGE INCREASE Vigilia, Wendell. Give us better lives. {Filipino workers cry for a living wage. But who hears them?} Philippines Free Press 2006 May 13 2

WASTE AND SENATE; JAPAN AND PHILIPPINES Unacceptable deal. {The Senate looks into a controversial trade accord between Japan and the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 18 14

WASTE (JAPAN) This deal could poison us. {An all-trade agreement with Japan might include hazardous waste.} Philippines Free Press 2006 November 11 12

WATER Alvarez, Ramiro C. Promise of a big dry. {Metro Manila goes dry. And El Nino is not yet here.} Philippines Free Press 2006 December 9 18

WOMEN Alvarez, Ramiro C. The privileged sex. {Filipino women, the freest of their sex in Asia, contribute little to their country’s economy.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 24

YUCHENGCO, ALFONSO Torre, Ricky S. The venturer. {In an era of crisis, Alfonso Yuchengco and his enterprise continue to render service to the country he calls home.} Philippines Free Press 2006 April 1 12

2005

AETAS; ANCESTRAL LAND; LAND REFORM; MOUNT PINATUBO Mable, Jing A. Return to Pinatubo. {The Aetas are back on their ancestral land and the Department of Land Reform works to make sure they will stay.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 12

AGRICULTURE AND ECONOMY Alvarez, Ramiro C. Battered by politics. {The economic managers paint a rosy picture, but agriculture does not agree with them.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 12

ARROYO ADMINISTRATION Torre, Ricky S. Standard assurance. {President Arroyo sounds a note of optimism in the wake of a very difficult year.} Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 2

ARROYO AND CHURCH Sorry, wrong number. {The church explains its misinterpreted statement on President Arroyo’s crisis.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 14

ARROYO AND CHURCH Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Defining their positions. {The Catholic church advises restraint as President Arroyo’s most trusted allies turn against her.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 23 2

ARROYO AND CONGRESS Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Breaking the break. {President Arroyo calls Congress to a special session. The legislators come and argue about what to do.} Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 8

ARROYO AND DE CASTRO Out with you too. {The Veep plays it safe and gets thrown together with President Arroyo as target for people’s action.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 17 8

ARROYO AND ECONOMY Nuguid, nati. In the deepest valley. {Filipinos give President Arroyo the poorest grade for her tough economic decisions.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 18 10

ARROYO AND HOUSE OF CONGRESS Vigilia, Wendell. For the next fight. {the House minority discovers Mrs. Arroyo war chest for next year.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 10

ARROYO AND OPPOSITION Numbers game. {The opposition is finding it hard to force President Arroyo from power in the streets and in Congress.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 8

ARROYO AND OPPOSITION Torre, Ricky S. Hobbling along. {Despite her increasing unpopularity, President Arroyo is likely to stay in power—thanks to the shortcomings of her own enemies.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 3

ARROYO AND PLOTTERS Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Plotters? Who, we? {Drilon and Mrs. Aquino are accused of planning to kill Mrs. Arroyo. Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 4

ARROYO AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Alvarez, Ramiro C. Hard to sell. {President Arroyo has a pR problem, but she’s getting no help from the amateurs and infighters on the Palace communication staff.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 28

ARROYO AND RALLIES Cruising dissent. {President Arroyo’s mailed-fist policy on protests against her rule erupts into violence in a place sacred to fighters for democracy bringing back images of the Filipinos’ struggle against a dictatorship. Philippines Free Press 2005 October 29 2

ARROYO AND RALLIES Serrano, Butch, Ricky Torre and Wendell Vigilia. So the people will not know. {Besides a mailed-fist policy against the protest movement, President Arroyo has issued a gag order on her officials. Is the Philippines really headed toward a new order?} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 2

ARROYO AND RALLIES Torre, Ricky S. Hobbling along. {despite her increasing unpopularity, President Arroyo is likely to stay in power-thanks to the shortcomings of her own enemies.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 3

ARROYO AND RAMOS Nuguid, Nati. Why can’t he retired? {Fidel Ramos saves President Arroyo by trotting out his constitutional amendment project again, distracting Filipinos from their effort at removing her from office and worsening divisions in a country that wonders why he refuses to fade away.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 10

ARROYO AND SENATE Bullying the Senate. {President Arroyo wants the senators to accept that she’s the boss.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 29 6

ARROYO; ESTRADA; OPPOSITION Nuguid, Nati. Failure at first deal. {The administration tries reconciliation, but the opposition drives a hard bargain.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 6

ARROYO TAPES I’m that general. {A military official spills all at a Senate inquiry into the Arroyo tapes.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 6

ARROYO TAPES Nuguid, Nati and Wendell Vigilia. The Arroyo tapes. {A Palace official’s mistake blows up in the face of the administration sweeping the President into a corner from where there may be no getting out.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 25 2

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Convergence of forces. {The scandal of the Arroyo tapes brings the Philippines back to the last days of the Estrada presidency. How will it end this time for President Macapagal-Arroyo?} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 2

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Down memory lane. {Old songs are being revived in the scandal over the Arroyo tapes, including digital manipulation and destabilization. Philippines Free Press 2005 August 27 4

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Probing the Arroyo tapes. {The scandal worsens, but presidential silence and congressional filibustering have so far tempered its impact.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 2

ARROYO TAPES Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Sorry is not enough. {President Arroyo admits a lapse in judgment, fanning instead of easing public anger over an alleged electoral ripoff.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 2

ARROYO TAPES AND CONGRESSMEN Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Outstanding congressmen. {The chairmen of five congressional committees wrestle with cover-up artists, liars, double dealers and bunglers to discover the truth about the Arroyo tapes.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 2

ARROYO TAPES AND OPPOSITION Vigilia, Wendell. Preemption. {The Palace discloses the bugging of the President’s telephone and blames it on the opposition, only to get embroiled in another controversy.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 18 8

BIRD FLU AND AGRICULTURE Alvarez, Ramiro C. Bird flu scare. {Three ducks in Bulacan get sick, sending jitters across the poultry industry. But there’s no danger yet to public health. Philippines Free Press 2005 August 6 28

BIRD FLU PANDEMIC Nuguid, Nati. Now it’s drug grab. {What do you think of breaking the law to fight a bird flu pandemic?} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 29 8

CAGAYAN DE ORO AND CONSTANTINO G. JARAULA Consistency and tenacity in constitutional amendment. Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 16

CHARTER CHANGE Vigilia, Wendell. The big rush. {De Venecia wants a vote on the constitutional-amendments proposal next week.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 14

CHURCH AND STATE What separation? {The church’s hand shows in the crises pushing President Arroyo to the brink.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 10

CHURCH AND STATE Nuguid, Nati. Wanted: fighting shepherd. {Who will replace Cardinal Sin as leader of the church in battles against the state?} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 10


COCO LEVY FUND Alvarez, Ramiro C. Coconut juice. {The disclosure of coco levy fund misuse leads to investigations and official exits.} Philippines Free Press 2005 May 28 8

CONSTITUTION AND FOREIGN RELATIONS Amurao, George T. For Filipinos only. {Amending the Constitution is a strictly domestic affair. Filipinos should never allow foreign intervention.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 12

CONSTITUTION AND UNITED STATES Serrano, Butch. Changes made in the USA. {The government hires a US consultant for amending the Constitution. Wow!} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 10

DE CASTRO, NOLI AND PRESIDENCY Nuguid, Nati. Can he govern. {The vice president says he is ready to become president. Many Filipinos doubt it.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 23 6

DENGUE EPIDEMIC Alvarez, Ramiro C. Deadly wait. {The Health Department waits for 16,000 people to fall ill before it alerts the nation to a dengue epidemic.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 10

DENGUE OTBREAK Nuguid, Nati. It’s working. {President Arroyo’s ratings are improving, though still in the negative.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 8

DISASTERS How nature changes history. {If the past is any guide, the response to the December 26 shock will loom larger in history than the wave itself. Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 22

CONGRESS AND JOSE DE VENECIA Vigilia, Wendell. Called to account. {Unhappy congressmen have an issue against Speaker de venecia: money.} Philippines Free Press 2005 November 26 10

ENERGY; OIL Nuguid, Nati. The coming oil crunch. {Soaring oil prices are threatening the Philippine economy, but all that Filipinos can think of is politics.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 27 2

ENERGY; OIL Oil’s not well. {A threatening energy crunch brings out good and bad ideas for survival.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 4

ENERGY; OIL Satre, Gary L. The crisis hidden in plain view. {The world is not running out of oil. The age of cheap oil, however, is ending.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 2

ENVIRONMENT Alvarez, Ramiro C. Natural disharmony. {The dispute at environment shows the trouble with overstretching in the centralized system.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 30

ENVIRONMENT Alvarez, Ramiro C. Your job first. {The environment’s protector must choose between politics and his job.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 30

FAMILY PLANNING; POPULATION You don’t speak for us. {A group launches a campaign to educate President Arroyo in family planning and development.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 17 16

FAMILY PLANNING; POPULATION; POVERTY Rosario, Rico R. Too many people, too much poverty. {Not waiting for the government to stop listening to the church, a legislator goes to the slums and teaches the poor about the link between poverty and overpopulation.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 14


FERTILIZER SCAM Alvarez, Ramiro C. Never so bad. {The Agriculture Department’s fertilizer program hardly benefits small farmers. And now here’s this scam.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 10

FERTILIZER SCAM Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Explosive fertilizer. {The fertilizer scam investigation is getting dangerous, especially to the lead investigator.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 8

FERTILIZER SCAM Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Really myserious. {The program for which P728 million in fertilizer fund was released is nonexistent.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 17 10

GAMBLING AND EMPLOYMENT Alvarez, Ramiro C. A way out. {If the government is serious about eradicating jueteng, it must give jobs to the workers in the illegal lottery. But it only has programs.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 14

GARCIALLANO, GARCI Nuguid, nati. Hello, Garci. {Where are you? A lot of people want to talk to you-even on the phone.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 8

GARCILLIANO, VIRGILIO Torre, Ricky S. and Wendell Vigilia. Well, hello, Garci. {Virgilio Garcillano is back. Would he tell the truth about last year’s presidential election? Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 2

GARCILLIANO, VIRGILIO Torre, Ricky, Butch Serrano and Wendell Vigilia. The man of the tapes. {Virgilio Garcialliano finally talks to congressional investigators, but tells them nothing.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 17 2

GIRL SCOUTS OF THE PHILIPPINES Ruaya, Pat. 65 years of serving God and country: Girl Scouts of the Philippines. Philippines Free Press 2005 May 28 28

GLOBAL WARMING Alvarez, Ramiro C. Killer gases. {Unresolved issues continu to bog down world efforts to stop global warming.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 24

GONZALES, RAUL Nuguid, Nati. Shut up. {The Justice secretary takes a beating for saying the wrong things.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 16

GSIS Mable, Jign A. Doing it right. {Fresh from its success in a boardroom fight, the Government Service Insurance System proceeds to build up its strength.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 14

HACIENDA LUSITA Nuguid, Nati Bitter harvest. {Is politics behind the government decision to dissolve the stock option at Hacienda Luisita.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 15 8

HOUSING Satre, Gary L. Building homes, building lives. {By assisting those who need help getting decent and affordable housing, NHA may actually be reducing the potential for terrorism.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 29 10

ILIGAN CITY Vergara, Ricky B. Getting up. {With a new leader, Iligan regains its spirit and rises to restore itself to being the industrial city of the South.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 18 14

IMPEACHMENT Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Accounting time. {Suspicion over both sides of the House in the wake of the vote that saved President Arroyo from impeachment.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 2

IMPEACHMENT Vigilia, Wendell. Taking no chances. {Presidential phone calls and releases of funds to congressmen invite suspicions that Mrs. Arroyo is not fighting fairly.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 8

IMPEACHMENT AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendel. Anything for survival. (The House allows the impeachment complaint to go up, but don’t expect a fair fight.) Philippines Free Press 2005 August 6 8

IMPEACHMENT AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. Dangerous game. {The House majority gets warned against making a mockery of the impeachment process.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 8

IMPEACHMENT AND HOUSE Vigilia, Wendell. Striking anew. {Choosing to fight weak charges, President Arroyo asks the House to dismiss the opposition’s impeachment complaint.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 6

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES Serious business: the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 22

SIN, JAIME Imperfect liberator: Cardinal Jaime Sin, 1928-2005. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 18


JOURNALISTS Nuguid, Nati. Lamentation of the home chief. {Angelo Reyes draws fire for bewailing journalists’ cry for justice.} Philippines Free Press 2005 May 28 12

JUETENG AND MICHELANGELO ZUCE Serrano, Butch. Big man, BIG TROUBLE. {A new witness comes forward with damaging testimony against President Arroyo.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 6

JUETENG Torre, Ricky S. and Butch Serrano. The perils of jueteng. {Congressional investigations threaten to expose officials who accept payoffs from operators of the illegal game.} Philippines Free Press 2005 May 28 2

JUETENG AND SENATE Torre, Ricky S. and Butch Serrano. First draw. {The opening hearing of a Senate inquiry into jueteng rattles the President’s family, the police and Congress.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 11 2

JUETENG CORRUPTION Serrano, Butch. Put out the fire: {With witnesses coming out to link President Arroyo to jueteng corruption, her allies in the Senate come to her rescue by pushing for the termination of the investigation. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 6

JUETENG INVESTIGATION Serrano, Butch. Operation: witnesses. {The jueteng investigation loses steam as witnesses withdraw under government pressure.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 8

JUETENG SCANDAL Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Crackdown. {President Arroyo declares war against jueteng. Her justice chief threatens legal action against charges without evidence.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 2

JUETENG SCANDAL Serrano, Butch and Wendell Vigilia. Worse disclosures: the jueteng scandal becomes more explosive, but the Senate inquiry suddenly goes on recess. Philippines Free Press 2005 June 25 6

JUETENG SCANDAL Torre, Ricky S. and Butch Serrano. Witness prevention program. {The turnaround of two key witnesses in the jueteng scandal is a blow on the opposition’s case. But this episode is not yet over for the Arroyo administration.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 2

JUETENG SCANDAL Torre, Ricky S., Butch Serrano and Wendell Vigilia. We have seen this before. {The administration insists on blaming the opposition for the jueteng scandal, refusing to see the real hand that drives it.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 18 2

LAND REFORM Alvarez, Ramiro C. Still fighting for land. {After 17 years of agararian reform, farmers are still fighting even for land that has already been given to them.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 2 24

LAND REFORM Mable, Jign A. Consolidating forces and resources: Department of Land Reform after 17 years. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 16

LEADERSHIP CRISIS Descent into apathy. {Religious groups lament the Filipinos’ seeming lack of interest to resolve the leadership crisis. Philippines Free Press 2005 November 26 8

LEADERSHIP CRISIS AND CHURCH Nuguid, Nati. This is about morality. {Church leaders tell President Arroyo’s defenders the real issue in the leadership crisis.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 6

LEADERSHIP CRISIS AND RALLIES Torre, Ricky S. Winners and losers. {Which ones are they really in the long-playing leadership crisis in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2005 November 26 2



MAKATI CITY AND JEJOMAR BINAY Showing them. {For Mayor Jejomar Binay, there is no better place for him to demonstrate good government than the Republic of Makati.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 12

MANILA CITY AND LITO ATINEZA Champion of local autonomy. {Manila Mayor Lito Atienza has a road map to progress. Care for a ride?} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 25 12

MARTIAL LAW AND ARROYO Alvarez, Ramiro C. Will she call out the military? {No martial law, says Mrs. Arroyo, but Filipinos have begun to feel repression.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 10

MARTIAL LAW AND ARROYO Torre, Ricky and Wendell Vigilia. Moving toward martial law. {President Arroyo throws out maximum tolerance in favor of a policy that her critics say is designed to repress democratic rights.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 2

MILITARY CORRUPTION AND CARLOS F. GARCIA Nuguid, Nati. Guilty. {A court-martial sends a former military official to prison for undeclared wealth.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 17 14

MINING Death on the mountain. {Despite regulation, mining remains a highly dangerous business in the Philippines.} Philippines Free Press 2005 November 26 16

MNLF CANDIDATES Breach of alliance. {The government dumps MNLF candidates, endangering the peace agreement with the former separatists rebels.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 10

NLRC AND ROY SENERES Nuguid, Nati. The last holdover. {Roy Seneres storms out of the Arroyo’s government. Is he really a plotter or just a target of intrigue?} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 11 12

PCSO Mable, Jing A. Good gaming. {The Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office shows the good side of gambling.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 23 12

PEACE PROGRAMS Mable, Jign A. Making peace. {The National Peace Program looks beyond negotiations and plans for development and social transformation.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 14


POVERTY Nuguid, nati. It’s incredible. {The United Nations, too, doubts the Arroyo government’s rosy report of decreasing poverty.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 10

PUP Mable, Jing A. Power game. {Can a bungled job solve PUP’s leadership problem?} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 28

QUEZON AND RAFAEL P. NANTES Blueprint for progress. {Liberal Party Rep. Rafael P. Nantes approaches the economic development of Quezon province with the mind of a builder and an entrepreneur.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 6 14

REVOLUTION; NUEVA CACERES Obias, Jose Fernando. The liberation of Nueva Caceres. Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 14

ROCO, RAUL S. Torre, Ricky S. The angry reformer: Raul Roco, 1941-2005. Philippines Free Press 2005 August 20 12

SENATE AND FRANKLIN DRILON Serrano, Butch. Breakaway. {Franklin Drilon’s withdrawal could cost President Arroyo the Senate.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 23 10

SENATE AND FRANKLIN DRILON Serrano, Butch. It’s cold up there. {Franklin Drilon keeps the Senate presidency, but not for long.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 6 12

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM Vergara, Ricky B. Is social security in danger? {Yes, four years ago. Today, with its resources and investments better managed, reforms under way, and plans drawn for more strength, the fund is on its way to real longevity.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 16

SONA 2005 Torre, Ricky S. A nation in turmoil. {President Arroyo delivers her state of the nation address without touching on the crisis of leadership that, for many, defines the true state of the nation. Philippines Free Press 2005 August 6 2

SUBIC RAPE CASE; VFA Serrano, Butch. Plugging the holes. {Disturbing developments in the Subic rape case spur a senator to take the first steps toward a review of the VFA.} Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 16

SURVEYS Abcede, Rick M. Reading surveys with a raised eyebrow. Philippines Free Press 2005 December 3 22

TSUNAMI Race against time. {The world moves to save as many as 5 million people left homeless and destitute by one of the history’s worst calamities.} Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 18

TSUNAMI Unheeded signs. {At obscure scientific conferences and expert conclaves over the last decade, researchers had urged government officials to establish warning systems. But among the many problems that plague South Asia-poverty, disease, civil wars-rare but deadly waves seemed a low priority. They were, until the 9.0 quake hit.} Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 16

TSUNAMI AND INDONESIA Asian tragedy. {From the heart of the region’s tsunami disaster; a cry for help rises. The world hears and responds.} Philippines Free Press 2005 January 15 12

TUITION FEES The curse of tuition. {School fee increase impoverish parents, force bankcruptcies, and drive students to drop out.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 32

URBAN POOR There ought to be a law: the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 24

URBAN POOR Rosario, Rico R. & Ed Galvez. Urban poor’s true alagad: Rep. Rodante D. Marcoleta. Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 18

VAT Going for the VAT. {The new finance chief must save the value-added tax or else.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 30 18

VAT Nuguid, Nati. A coming vattery. {Value-added tax begins to push power rates up. Things will get worse next year.} Philippines Free Press 2005 November 26 12

VAT Nuguid, Nati. The vattle begins. { The opposition takes the VAT to court. The government fights back.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 16 12

VAT BILL Vigilia, Wendell. Third chamber. {Did the conferees violate the Constitution in approving the VAT bill?} Philippines Free Press 2005 May 28 16

VAT; FOOD; PRICES Alvarez, Ramiro C. Taming prices. {The VAT is here, but the price stabilization program is hardly off the planning board.} Philippines Free Press 2005 July 9 30

VENABLE CONTRACT AND NORBERTO GONZALES Serrano, Butch. Crisis in the making. {The stonewalling on the Venable contract could lead to a confrontation between the Palace and the Senate.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 8 8

VIRGIN COCONUT OIL Alvarez, Ramiro C. Healing oil. {Virgin coconut oil can heal not only illnesses but also the coconut industry.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 11 24

WAGE INCREASE Minimal wage. {As expected, the wage boards issue orders for pitiful raises in the minimum wage.} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 11 16

WAGE INCREASE Amurao, George T. For a living wage. {Rep. Roseller Barinaga refuses to give up the fight for a legislated increase for workers.} Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 14

WAGE INCREASE Vigilia, Wendell. Alms for the poor. {Workers will get a wage increase, but not what they are asking for?} Philippines Free Press 2005 June 4 8

YORAC, HAYDEE Model of honesty: Haydee Yorac, 1941-2005. Philippines Free Press 2005 September 24 12

YUCHENGCO, ALFONSO Torre, Ricky S. His country’s son. {Alfonso Yuchengco-businessman, diplomat, philanthropist and political activist-regards himself as a Filipino before anything else. He has demonstrated this pride in his wide field.} Philippines Free Press 2005 September 3 12

ZAMBOANGA CITY AND CELSO LOBREGAT Southern change. {Having left a successful career in the national political arena, Zamboanga City Mayor Celso Lobregat now helps direct a hard-working city that defies its inaccurate image.} Philippines Free Press 2005 October 29 14

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE AND ROSELLER L. BARINAGA In the interest of the workingman. Philippines Free Press 2005 August 13 17