MikeLigalig.com

Aside from stealing our democracy, he stole the lives of at least 3,000 people, and the human rights of even more.  The extrajudicial killings we have been experiencing are in part attributable to the Marcosian use of violence to suppress the people and his opponents, which the military and police have mimicked.

He stole our future, as evidenced by the difference in per capita income between the Philippines and its neighbors. The Philippines used to have higher per capita incomes compared to other countries like Indonesia, Thailand, India, China, etc., in 1960.  By 1986, we were behind them.

That’s the way it goes.  The military authorities were told of the affair only at 5 p.m. on Thursday.  And the military spokesperson couldn’t even say when the public could visit the site, because, as he said, he had to hear from the Marcoses first. Even if, according to him, the public is allowed. Can you imagine? The military runs the Libingan, but it takes orders from the Marcoses.

But all this is part of a historical pattern that displays Marcos’ penchant for thievery.  He stole our democracyâ€"after having served as president for eight years; he decided to grab the reins of power for another 13 years. Not content with a total of 21 years, he attempted to steal the presidency from Cory Aquino, until the Filipino people took over, aided by the Armed Forces, and he was forcibly removed from office.

-underscoring mine

GET REAL

Marcos’ penchant for thievery

By: Solita Collas-Monsod
November 19, 2016

Like a thief in the night, the burial of the dictator Ferdinand Marcos took us all by surprise.  Even the people in Ilocos Norte, or at least the correspondent I heard on TV, said the first inkling that something may be happening was that a helicopter or helicopters had landed near or at Imee Marcos’ residence early Friday morning.

I am in Subic, and when I heard the news, a wave of helplessness swept over me. I had made a vow that he would be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani only over my dead body; I expected to be standing before the gates of the cemetery blocking the cortege bearing Marcos’ remains until it ran me over or until the cowardly military or police would shoot me or drag me away.  Instead, I was 130 kilometers away, with no chance to get back and take my stand in time.

from the looks of it, as of today, he has now become a half-hero.

mas maayo tingali nga di na lang niya kantahon. he did not get his nobel because of his singing, anyway. hagashas ra kaayo paminawon kun mokanta siya with that voice that's been described as a "barbed-wire tonsilitis".

The discovery of more than 2,000 planets has been confirmed so far and over 4,500 “planet candidates” are waiting to have their existence confirmed.

“The first exoplanet orbiting another star like our sun was discovered in 1995,” according to NASA. “Exoplanets, especially small Earth-size worlds, belonged within the realm of science fiction just 21 years ago. Today, and thousands of discoveries later, astronomers are on the cusp of finding something people have dreamt about for thousands of years.”

https://www.yahoo.com/

Hawking reportedly added that finding another planet was the only chance of survival.

“[We] have spread out into space, and to other stars, so a disaster on Earth would not mean the end of the human race,” he said. “However, we will not establish self-sustaining colonies in space for at least the next hundred years, so we have to be very careful in this period.”

Since 2009, NASA has been working to discover Earth-like planets that can support life.

“We must also continue to go into space for the future of humanity,” he said. “I don’t think we will survive another 1000 without escaping beyond our fragile planet.”

Earlier this year, the 74-year-old predicted that technology would lead Earth to a virtually inevitable global cataclysm.

“We face a number of threats to our survival from nuclear war, catastrophic global warming, and genetically engineered viruses,” he said in January. “The number is likely to increase in the future, with the development of new technologies, and new ways things can go wrong. Although the chance of a disaster to planet Earth in a given year may be quite low, it adds up over time.”

Stephen Hawking Puts An Expiry Date On Humanity

Suman Varandani
IBTimes
16 November 2016



Stephen Hawking believes that humanity has less than a thousand years on Earth before a mass extinction occurs, the leading theoretical physicist said during a speech Tuesday at Oxford University Union, U.K.

According to Hawking, the only way humans can avoid the possibility of extinction was to find another planet to inhabit. At the talk, Hawking gave a one-hour speech on man's understanding of the origin of the universe from primordial creation myths to the most cutting-edge predictions made by "M-theory," which presents an idea about the basic substance of the universe.

The literature prize and five other Nobel Prizes will be officially conferred upon winners in Stockholm next month on the anniversary of award founder Alfred Nobel’s death in 1896.

The Academy said it “respects Bon Dylan’s decision,” adding that not traveling to the Swedish capital to personally pick up the prestigious award was “unusual, but not exceptional.”

Literature laureates have skipped the ceremony before. In 2004, Austrian playwright and novelist Elfriede Jelinek stayed home, citing a social phobia.

“The award is still theirs, as it now belongs to Bob Dylan,” the Academy said. “We are looking forward to Bob Dylan’s Nobel lecture, which he must hold, according to the requirements, within six months” from Dec. 10.

http://entertainment.inquirer.net/

Academy: Dylan not coming to Stockholm to pick up his Nobel

Associated Press / 12:37 AM November 17, 2016

COPENHAGEN, Denmark â€" Bob Dylan won’t be coming to Stockholm to pick up his 2016 Nobel Prize for literature at the Dec. 10 prize ceremony, the Swedish Academy said Wednesday.

The Academy says Dylan told them that “he wishes he could receive the prize personally, but other commitments make it unfortunately impossible.”

The 75-year-old American singer-songwriter was awarded the prize on Oct. 13 “for having created new poetic expressions within the great American song tradition.”


In this Jan. 12, 2012, file photo, Bob Dylan performs in Los Angeles. Dylan, who was named the winner of the 2016 Nobel Prize in literature on Oct. 13, 2016, says he “absolutely” wants to attend the Nobel Prize Award Ceremony “if it’s at all possible” in December, finally breaking his silence about earning the prestigious honor. â€"CHRIS PIZZELLO/AP

unsa man nang katapusang kaligoanan ni bugsay? is there a missing picture or part of the picture? curious here, because all i can see is a dark jungle.

very interesting.

4) Keeping your savings in a bank account

Are you keeping a savings account? Do you believe that it’s the safest place for your money?

The BSP report found that many Filipino adults who save keep their money either at home or in a bank. And just like you, there are many othersâ€"80 percent of the respondentsâ€"who want to keep their savings in a formal financial institution such as a bank.

However, with the very low interest rate, a savings account might not be the best way to keep your money. What could be wiser is making your money grow with an investment.

You can explore a lot of opportunities: mutual funds, stocks, real estate, small business and more.

http://www.philstar.com/

3) Buying cheap

Going for less expensive items and services can save you money. Well, this might not always be true.

For one, a lot of cheap items have failing quality, causing you to buy replacements more frequently.

But there’s also a caveat for buying expensive. Just because it costs more does not mean it’s better than its less expensive counterparts. Believe it or not, some expensive brands don’t really live up to their high-quality promise, and ironically, more affordable commodities can have better quality and serve you well.

So, how can you really save money on this matter? One, find brands (expensive or not) that you can trust. Two, make comparisons. What makes Item A more expensive or cheaper than Item B? Look at the ingredients, size, quality, and the like. Then, decide which option is really worth your money.

2) Income â€" expenses = savings

When you were younger, did you have elders around you who tried teaching you to develop the habit of saving money by starting with a piggy bank? And didn’t you put in there your loose change and called that piggy bank your savings?

While that may be a good practice for a start, the idea of building your savings after expenses (or just whenever you have loose change) might not work anymore in a larger scale. If you want to reach your financial goals on time, you need to be more intentional.

Effective money-saving happens when you set a particular amount aside before spending for anything. In other words, you allocate for savings immediately the moment income hits your wallet.

1) Buying promos

Discount coupons, buy-1-take-1 items, zero-percent interest. They’re some of the most attractive offers you often fall for, right? You believe that you’re saving money by buying items and services that cost less than their original price. Well, think again.

Buying promos is not frugality anymore when you do it too frequently than you need to. For example, a coupon says it can slash the price of a prestigious buffet dinner to half. Looks like a great deal, isn’t it? But do you actually need it? Are you going to celebrate something soon or do you just feel like it’s an opportunity missed if you don’t purchase it now? Think carefully.

More often than not, you’ll find yourself spending moreâ€"and not saving when you let yourself get overwhelmed by discounts. Again, take a good look at your needs and finances before jumping into a purchase.

Frugal tips that don’t actually save you money

(philstar.com) | Updated November 16, 2016

MANILA, Philippines â€" Why do you save money?

According to a 2015 report by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), 97 percent of Filipino adults believe that saving money is important. And the top three purposes for saving money, as the results show, are emergencies, food and education.

While these are great goals, do you realize that how you save money can directly impact whether you’ll meet your financial goals? Unfortunately, there are some “money-saving” habits that are not actually helping you.

Let’s take a look at a few:

aw, naa bay nasikop sa DNA test?

pack you, china!

It’s the perfect time to nest. With the moon being in Taurus, the sign’s stability and security loving traits will be highlighted and you’ll want to do nothing more than stay at home and relax. Want to read that book you’ve been waiting to get to or catch up on your favorite show? Grab a warm cozy blanket, sit back, and unwind!

Break free of all the toxic people in your life. Any relationships that are hurting you, dragging you down, or holding you back need to be fully re-assessed. You need to distance yourself or cut the cord completely if you find that someone is not worth the time, effort, or stress that they bring to the table. Don’t allow someone to take advantage of your kindness, put an end to it and move on.

Overall, the shift in energy accompanying this November supermoon will be mainly positive. If you don’t fight it and go with the flow, then you can better connect with the energy it brings. In the end this can only lead to some really great things happening in your life, so welcome it with open arms!

Read more at http://www.sun-gazing.com/rare-giant-supermoon-taurus-prepare-huge-energy-shift-november-14-2016/#155dZUlz5j1mj391.99

There will be a noticeable change in many of us in the days leading up to November 14th and you’re likely going to feel much more emotional than usual. All full moons tend to bring out the crazy side of people, hence the term lunacy, but the extreme proximity of this supermoon will end up supercharging our feeling and emotions. By being aware of this you’ll be better prepared to stay grounded, as mentioned above, and the moon won’t end up wreaking havoc on your emotional sanity!

This is the perfect time to strengthen and heal any rifts with friends or family. The parent/child bond is especially highlighted here and the focus should be on respecting and honoring our close family relationships. If we are to grow and succeed in life, both mentally, spiritually, and emotionally, then we need our loved ones supporting us and on our side.

It’s an opportunity to re-evaluate your goals and how to best achieve them. Whatever it is that you may be striving towards will need to be tweaked and minor adjustments should be made in order to keep them within sight and reach. The practical and responsible side of Taurus will aid you in making the best possible choices so don’t put off your goal re-assessment because now is the time for it!

It’s a time to stay grounded- Don’t let a sense of self-importance or entitlement get the best of you and drag you down. Instead, stay conscious and present, be aware of your ego and don’t get caught up in it. If you stay grounded and stable then everything will go a lot smoother.

There are many other implications which are linked to this special lunar event beyond the scientific meanings, and perhaps the biggest one is the cosmic shift in energy that will accompany it. Astrologically speaking, the November supermoon will occur when the sun is in Scorpio and the moon is opposite that, in Taurus. This brings to the forefront a sort of tug of war between the powerful, determined, and intense Scorpio energy and the responsible, stability craving Taurus. The resulting clash will create a burst of energy which you can either embrace and grow with, or oppose and struggle against.

If you choose to welcome the shift with a positive attitude then equally positive effects can be gained from it. Below is a quick overview of all the best things this supermoon in Taurus features:

The rare November supermoon is certainly one for the record books, not since January 25, 1948 has a full moon come this close to Earth. If you’re wondering what it takes for the moon to attain supermoon status, it’s the right combination of the location, timing, and phase of the moon. First and foremost, the moon has to be in either its illuminated full moon phase or the dark and entirely invisible new moon phase. Then the moon’s orbit must bring it around to the one exact point where it comes closest to the Earth. Finally, there is the timing and these two factors must closely coincide with one another for the moon to be called a supermoon.

While all full supermoons appear super-sized and much larger and brighter than usual size, this November one is extra special because it’s happening when the moon is the closest to the Earth that it has been in the last seven decades. As such, it will likely be the biggest moon you’ve ever seen.

Rare Giant Supermoon During Taurus: Prepare For a Huge Energy Shift On November 14, 2016


via shutterstock.com

With all the crazy unexpected things that are happening in the world lately, the upcoming supermoon set to happen on November 14th will finally give us something that we can all look forward to seeing. The full moon that rises in the night sky next Monday will be a truly spectacular sight to behold, one that is actually worthy of our attention and appreciation. That’s because the moon will shine brighter and appear larger than it has in the last 68 years!

QuoteShelter Pig And Her Dog BFFs Are Inseparable, And Need A Home Together

"They're like a real family."

Arin Greenwood

Animal Welfare Editor, The Huffington Post
Posted: 11/19/2015 03:39 PM EST

Quote

Pet family kept together

BY NICOLE M. ROSCHELLA
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30TH 2015


By: Kristin Mazur

LEWISBERRY, Pa. -- During the holiday season, it's important to make time to be with the ones closest to you. But, for three unlikely family members, that almost didn't happen.

This story starts with two dogs and a pig. The three have been together for a long time, since the dogs were puppies. The animals needed to be kept together, but, as you can imagine, it's not the easiest finding someone who will adopt two dogs with a pig.

The Animal Rescue League of Berks County was on the brink of giving up. Faced with the heart-wrenching decision to separate these three family members, they decided to take one last shot by listing the adoption on social media. The post was shared hundreds of times through Facebook, Twitter, email, and text messages.

That's when the animal rescue received a gift 76 miles away in Lewisberry.

"There's no reason to separate them if you don't have to," Kristi Maher, owner of Blue Hound Farm on Pleasant Hill Road, says.

It's been the perfect home for these forever friends ever since.

"Those dogs, they can do anything with her," Maher says, noting the pig, who acts much like a dog, sitting and sleeping on the bed. Sometimes, the pig responds to the names Patti or Penny when called.

"You can tell she's been with them for a long time," Maher says, "The dogs can eat with her and for a pig to share its foodthat's pretty impressive."

For where else can you find a pig who thinks she's a dog?

It's a wonderful story of hope, but an even better story about love: the tale of a pig, two dogs, and their inseparable bond.

To visit these three amigos at Blue Hound Farm, head to www.bluehoundfarm.com.

http://local21news.com/

paita sa akong kinabuhi uy...

Tyson Caves via Service Dog Registration

Corporal Kiddy was on her way home after 12 years of service with the U.S. Marines. When the flight attendant made an announcement about her service, she hopped on a nearby lap to accept the applause.

http://www.littlethings.com/

Imgur / robtri

These working dogs may have incredibly important jobs, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t ready to cuddle at nap time.

Instagram / achilles_thegsd_

They also sometimes make great alarm clocks.

Facebook / Amazing Things in the World

The bond often remains long after the tour of duty is over. Handlers often adopt the dogs that stood by their side throughout their time in the military.

Facebook / Amazing Things in the World

Dogs rescued from various war zones have been known to become a part of the group that saved them, sometimes even becoming search and rescue dogs.

Facebook / Amazing Things in the World

Canine members of the military make many great sacrifices like humans do.

Instagram / dcharlton91

This spaniel even has honors.

Facebook / Amazing Things in the World

When this soldier’s shepherd got too tired to walk, she carried him on her shoulder. That’s how strong the bond is between a military dog and the handler.

Instagram / 511tactical

This little lab pup keeps a soldier company by hanging out in a backpack.

Instagram / babs_tiecky

Military dogs stand by their handlers and save their lives all the time. They are some of the most loyal members of the military.

Instagram / dogs.on.duty

These animals are truly amazing creatures. They do some of the hardest jobs in the country, and they do them with great enthusiasm.

Instagram / armylifestyle

Not only are military dogs crucial to certain missions, but they offer moments of happiness like this one among many much more somber moments.

U.S. Air Force via The Dog Files

Throughout Benjo’s career in the U.S. Air Force, he kept his fellow military men and women safe by locating all kinds of explosives. His work saved countless lives. Upon his retirement in 2009, one of the guards at his base adopted him, giving him the loving forever home he deserved.

Imgur / Robtri

These dogs even jump out of planes wearing harnesses that keep them safe and attached to their handler. A civilian dog would not be brave or well-behaved enough to handle this.

Instagram / vinz_snake

These heroic dogs are crucial to the complicated operations that out military pulls off every day.

Imgfave / Mar Tim

It’s impossible for us to truly understand the intensity of this particular bond.

Duterte had argued that allowing the burial of the late president at the Libingan ng mga Bayani will finally heal old wounds.

yet it looks like only the old wounds of the marcos family is going to heal, not the wounds of thousands of other filipinos. not the memory of a nightmare for the nation.

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, meanwhile, called for peace and forgiveness following the SC decision.

"'Wag na tayo mag-debate. Kung ano man ang ating galit, hinanakit sa inyong puso, let it go na po," Marcos' daughter said. (Let's not debate about this anymore. Whatever hate, resentment you have in your heart, let it go.)

"Magpatawad na tayo, magkaisa na tayo, mag move on na ang Pilipinas," she added. (Let us forgive, let us be united, let the Philippines move on.)

first, it was the marcos family who was not able to move on by not doing their share of the agreement with then president fidel ramos about the burial of marcos. the family did not really bury him, as agreed upon, but had rather preserved his remains in an airconditioned museum and wait it out for a future president who will favor them. the time has come. they didn't have to wait long.

as for moving on, wasn't the family unable to move on until they get their wish to have their patriarch honored as a hero?

forgiveness? forgive the family for not apologizing at the very least?

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, meanwhile, called for peace and forgiveness following the SC decision.

"'Wag na tayo mag-debate. Kung ano man ang ating galit, hinanakit sa inyong puso, let it go na po," Marcos' daughter said. (Let's not debate about this anymore. Whatever hate, resentment you have in your heart, let it go.)

"Magpatawad na tayo, magkaisa na tayo, mag move on na ang Pilipinas," she added. (Let us forgive, let us be united, let the Philippines move on.)

Mr. Marcos said he also hopes that the SC decision will "lead the nation towards healing as we endeavor to move the country forward to give every Filipino a better life."

The former senator would have been the country's vice-president had he not lost to Leni Robredo by a slim margin.

Duterte has not been shy about his support for the defeated vice-presidential candidate and his family.

http://news.abs-cbn.com/

 
"We also would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte as his unwavering commitment to this issue sustained us these past several months. Our family will forever be thankful for his kind gesture."

Duterte had argued that allowing the burial of the late president at the Libingan ng mga Bayani will finally heal old wounds.

He added that the issue of Marcos' burial had left Ilocanos alienated.

"What I must say now is we have alienated the entire, almost entire Ilocano people. We can not just do that because we are all Filipinos," he previously said.

During the presidential election campaign, Duterte promised to allow Marcos' burial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

BONGBONG THANKS SC, DUTERTE

The high court voted 9-5 in favor of the burial, which was opposed by forces who toppled the dictatorship in the historic 1986 EDSA Revolution.

Marcos' only son and namesake, former Senator Bongbong Marcos, thanked President Duterte for backing his father's burial at the heroes' cemetery and the high court as well for its decision.

"We are deeply grateful to the Supreme Court for its decision to allow the burial of my father, former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Once again, the Supreme Court has taken a magnanimous act to uphold the rule of law," Marcos said in a statement.

3. Marcos possessed qualifications to be buried at the LNMB

The Court found that under pertinent Armed Forces of the Philippines regulations, particularly Reg. G161-375, Marcos' remains could be interred at LNMB because Marcos possessed the qualifications and none of the disqualifications under the resolutions, pointing out that he was a former president, he was a former commander-in-chief, he was a former soldier, Medal of Valor awardee, former legislator, Secretary of National Defense. The Court also disagreed with the position articulated by some justices as well as petitioners that the former president had been dishonorably discharged, saying that that this specific disqualification pertains only to the military covered under the Articles of War and specifically those in the active service.

4. Marcos not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude

The Court disagreed that Marcos was disqualified because he had not been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude. The Court said that the cases cited by the petitioners, which were cases abroad, were all civil in nature, and therefore he has not been convicted by any final judgement involving moral turpitude.

Why the SC is allowing a 'Libingan' burial for Marcos

ABS-CBN News
Nov 08 2016

MANILA (UPDATE) - The Supreme Court (SC) has allowed the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB), ending a decades-long dispute over whether the late dictator deserves a burial at the heroes' cemetery.

Here are highlights of the majority decision:

1. No abuse of discretion

No grave abuse of discretion on the part of the President in ordering the burial of the remains of the former president at the Libingan Ng Mga Bayani because this was done in the exercise of his mandate under Article 7, Section 17 of the 1987 Constitution

2. No law barring Marcos' burial at the LNMB

The President has a power to reserve, under the Administrative Code, for public use and for specific public purposes any of the lands of the public domain, and that the reserved land shall remain subject to the specific public purpose indicated until otherwise provided by law or proclamation. The Court found that there is no law or executive issuance at present that specifically excludes the land on which the LNMB is located from the use it was originally intended by the previous presidents.

the composition is certainly impressive.

goodness me. here are hopes that unpredictable government policies that issue from his mouth will end soon.

i hope that's his last bout.

SOME COMMENTS

Darius Bondoc, GOTCHA, The Philippine Star, November 9, 2016:

Ruling 9-5, the Supreme Court is setting the burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani of plunderer-dictator Ferdinand Marcos’ wax replica. Not far away from where it will lie is the burial plot of a presidential security police dog. The symbolism is stark. This race has no concept of the noble or respect for its heroes. Its magistrates â€" Arturo Brion, Presbitero Velasco, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, Teresita de Castro, Jose Mendoza, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe â€" infer that traitors, bandits, and murderers, so long as former soldiers and Presidents, may be honored there too. Woe to this lost nation.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman:

“This decision will never lead to a healing. It will just exacerbate the wounded feelings as well as the gross injustice suffered by the victims of human rights atrocities."

Martial law victim Carmencita Florentino:

“It’s really infuriating. Saddening …. It hurts me so much. It’s like I want to shout, release all my tears I felt at the torture I experienced during martial law, the torture my family felt.  It was as if the rights of the Filipino had been “trampled on. What will happen to our history? It will appear that Marcos is a hero. Is that a hero? Is he like (Jose) Rizal? He is not a hero. He is a dictator, a killer, an oppressor.”

Mendoza expressed sympathy for the Martial Law victims, saying that the stigma left by the martial law regime "will never be forgotten by the Filipino people and the burial of President Marcos (at) the LNMB [Libingan ng mga Bayani] will not rewrite history."

He said the "Court is not passing judgment on whether President Marcos truly deserves to be buried in the [national shrine]" but is merely "exercising judicial restraint as the issues at hand are truly political in nature and, therefore, are best left to the discretion of the President."

Mendoza also said the High Court should not have a hand in resolving issues pertaining to what he described as a "truly political controversy". â€" Rappler.com

He also said that Marcos' burial is a political question that "had been decided by the President, and not without support from the Filipino electorate."

Perez, meanwhile, said that the "substantial Marcos vote" during the last elections shows that there is no longer national damnation of President Ferdinand Marcos." He also said that a "Marcos vote came out of the elections, substantial enough to be a legitimate consideration in the executive policy formulation."

Despite opposition by the petitioners to Duterte's campaign promise of a Libingan burial for Marcos, Duterte was still elected president, Perez pointed out.

Concurring opinions

Three magistrates â€" Arturo Brion, Jose Portugal Perez, and Jose Mendoza â€" issued separate, concurring opinions to the majority ruling. All 3 said the issue is political and the Court must not take part in resolving it.

Judicial review, according to Brion, does not empower the Supreme Court to review allegations involving violations of statutes. "The faithful execution clause cannot be made basis for questioning the manner by which the Executive implements the law," said Brion who reasoned that there is no specific "treaty obligation" barring the burial.

While he acknowledged that the Constitution was founded on the "ashes of the Marcos administration", "it should not be interpreted as to prevent reconciliation and moving forward in the name of national unity."

The decision also said that Marcos was "honorably discharged from the military service with the Philippine Veteran Affairs Office expressly recognizing him as a retired veteran."

Te said the ruling effectively lifts the status quo ante order on the planned interment originally set for September. The Court did not explicitly say if the decision is immediately executory.

There is also no specific law barring the interment. Duterte is not bound by the Marcos family's agreement with former president Fidel Ramos in 1992, which allowed the return of their patriarch's remains on condition that Marcos would be buried directly in Batac, Ilocos Norte.

The High Tribunal said that as incumbent president, Duterte is "free to amend, revoke, or rescind political agreements entered into by his predecessors, and to determine policies which he considers, based on informed judgment and presumed wisdom, will be most effective in carrying out his mandate."

The Court also disagreed with the petitioners' claim that the late dictator was "dishonorably discharged" through the 1986 EDSA People Power Revolution since this provision applies only to military men under the Articles of War, more specifically to those in "active service".

There were 5 dissenters to the majority decision: Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, Senior Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Marvic Leonen, Francis Jardeleza, and Alfredo Caguioa.

Technicality

Court spokesperson Theodore Te said that most of the justices conceded that Duterte did not exercise grave abuse of discretion in ordering a hero's burial for Marcos.

According to the decision, the President has the discretion to identify how public lands â€" such as the intended burial site for Marcos â€" will be used, under the Administrative Code.

The High Court said that Marcos has the right to be acknowledged for his service as former president, defense secretary, soldier, war veteran, and a Medal of Valor awardee â€" among the qualifications for state interment under the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

It also refuted claims by the petitioners who said that Marcos was guilty of moral turpitude, given the human rights complaints against him.

"The various cases cited by petitioners, which were decided with finality by courts here and abroad, have no bearing in this case since they were merely civil in nature [and] do not establish moral turpitude," said the majority decision.

Justice Diosdado Peralta wrote the decision, which was concurred in by Justices Presbitero Velasco Jr, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Arturo Brion, Lucas Bersamin, Mariano del Castillo, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, and Estela Perlas-Bernabe.

The justices ruled on the issue, saying they viewed and judged Marcos "in his totality as a person."

"While he was not all good, he was not pure evil either. Certainly, just a human who erred like us," the Court said.

Supreme Court: Marcos was not pure evil

The justices ruled on the petitions opposing a hero's burial for Marcos by 'viewing and judging his totality' as a person, the SC decision says

Patty Pasion
November 08, 2016
   
MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) â€" Nearly 3 decades after he died, former president Ferdinand Marcos will finally be laid to rest â€" not just in any grave â€" but at the revered Heroes' Cemetery.

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday, November 8, decided to allow the burial of Marcos' remains at the national shrine for heroes located in Taguig City.

Nine of the 14 magistrates who voted, opted to junk the petitions that opposed the interment and which argued that the late dictator was no hero because of the human rights violations under his regime. Justice Jose Reyes, President Rodrigo Duterte's law fraternity brother, who also swore him into office, inhibited from the voting.

The rehabilitation of the Marcoses. We do not know what President Duterte thinks he owes the Marcos family, but we know he has flirted with the idea of Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as his vice president and successor.

I wish to be clear. His running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who abhors Bongbong, topped the vice presidential contest in Region XI; we should give due credit to Mr. Duterte, who clearly campaigned for Cayetano despite a vigorous, Nograles-clan-supported Duterte-Marcos alliance in Davao City. The Marcoses, however, enjoy the President’s confidence enough for him to wager his political capital on a Supreme Court decision.

We still do not know, as of this writing, whether the Court will allow the dictator’s remains to be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. But it should be clear to all that, if it rules in the President’s favor and allows the burial on narrowly legalistic grounds â€" by essentially holding that the political question doctrine holds despite the post-Marcos Constitution’s innovation,  the Court’s power to call out abuse of discretion  â€" it will play a pivotal role in the rehabilitation of the dictator’s family. Instead of affirming the perennial primacy of country and Constitution, it will only confirm the prerogatives of a mere and temporary president.

http://opinion.inquirer.net/

The pivot to China. Administration spokespersons speak of an independent foreign policy, but the series of actions the President took to welcome China as an ally in lieu of the United States preceded any invocation of the constitutional principle. This is something the President truly wants â€" but during the campaign he did not breathe a word of it to anyone.

A cogent geopolitical strategy can be argued as driving the pivot â€" except that it is against the country’s interests to create unnecessary enemies. And the President’s own security cluster had no inkling before the first announcement.

The killing spree. Unlike any other presidential candidate in Philippine history, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte campaigned on a promise to kill fellow Filipinos â€" as many as 100,000 criminals, he said, whose corpses will clog Manila Bay. Was he indulging himself in hyperbole, or merely joking, or in earnest? Some 4,000 kills later, the answer should be clear. He was dead serious.

Many of the dead were innocent; most could not have been beyond rehabilitation (or, in theological terms, redemption). Hardly anyone was given the benefit of due process.

The notion that rival drug gangs are killing each other’s members is an elaborate fiction; has there been any gang war anywhere in the world where the rate of kills is steady, night after deadly, dystopian night? The execution of Mayor Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte, was carried out by policemen who have vigorously defended their actions; supporters were quick to describe the killing as gang-related. Leftist organizations supporting Mr. Duterte say the Espinosa killing, at 4 a.m. in his jail cell, was a setback for the war on drugs. Isn’t the more logical explanation simpler â€" that Espinosa’s death, publicly ordered by the President, is exactly how the war on drugs is waged?

But if there is a difference, an improvement, in these matters, it is a difference in degree. And as far as the anticorruption campaign goes, the new administration may be said to retrogress. (See third concern below.)

On three concerns, however, it is clear that the Duterte administration is fundamentally different from other post-Marcos administrations. Change has come, in three deeply unsettling ways:

NEWSSTAND

Duterte’s three changes are here

By: John Nery
@jnery_newsstand
Philippine Daily Inquirer
November 08, 2016

Despite what its various spokesmen say, the new order is not markedly different from previous administrations in the fight against corruption, or the drive to fill the infrastructure deficit, or even the pursuit of peace. I write this knowing that excellent people are in charge of certain key departments, including Ernie Pernia at Neda, Liling Briones in Education, Judy Taguiwalo at DSWD. I realize that Vice President Leni Robredo has been given the room she needs to make an impact in housing. I know that peace stalwarts like Jess Dureza and Irene Santiago are hard at work to build on what has been done before.

If you decide to set off on your own journey, you’ll find yourself alone for a thousand kilometers.

https://brightside.me/

The deepest rivers flow in silence.

The earth always hardens after the rain.

A bad craftsman never made a perfect vase.

Ask a question and you feel shame for a moment. Not asking and not knowing means you will feel shame for your whole life.

Cold tea and cold rice are tolerable; what is intolerable is a cold gaze and harsh words.

homo sapiens seem luckier, indeed.

and we're in top 10 for the most expensive in the whole of asia (including the middle east and central asia)...

1.   Myanmar          186.67 $
2.   Iran                   88.99 $
3.   UAEmirates        87.58 $
4.   Qatar                 70.68 $
5.   Oman                60.27 $
6.   Lebanon            59.29 $
7.   Philippines       43.97 $
8.   Bangladesh        43.44 $
9.   Iraq                   43.21 $
10.   Jordan             41.69 $

11.   Saudi Arabia    39.67 $
12.   Kuwait             39.41 $
13.   Japan              39.23 $
14.   Syria               38.45 $
15.   Malaysia          38.15 $
16.   Palestine         36.40 $
17.   Cyprus            35.68 $
18.   Bahrain           34.34 $
19.   Cambodia        33.03 $
20.   Pakistan          30.30 $

21.   Singapore        30.19 $
22.   Nepal              29.24 $
23.   Hong Kong      27.44 $
24.   Indonesia        25.89 $
25.   Taiwan            25.16 $
26.   Macao             24.33 $
27.   South Korea    23.42 $
28.   Israel              21.23 $
29.   India               18.40 $
30.   Sri Lanka         17.99 $

31.   Thailand          17.79 $
32.   Turkey            17.71 $
33.   China              15.62 $
34.   Armenia          15.60 $
35.   Azerbaijan       12.74 $
36.   Kazakhstan     12.39 $
37.   Vietnam          11.55 $
38.   Georgia           11.12 $

https://www.numbeo.com/

we're in the league of pakistan and afghanistan.

He who endures for just half an hour longer than his opponent can achieve victory.

Fortune will always come in to a house with laughter.

Excessive honesty often borders on stupidity.

Do everything that you can and leave the rest to fate.

Check seven times before ever doubting someone.

If you want to paint a branch, you have to hear the breath of the wind.

No one has ever stumbled whilst lying in bed.

When one is in love, even the scars left by smallpox are as beautiful as dimples on a person’s cheeks.

Grief, like a torn dress, should always be left at home.

Even if a sword is only required once in a lifetime, it should be worn all the time.

He who drinks does not know the dangers of wine; he who doesn’t drink does not know its benefits.

A long journey always begins with a short one.