Maniolas

MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Franklin Drilon said Tuesday he would rather wait for the Supreme Court to determine if the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement is a treaty that needs the Senate’s ratification or not, before doing anything about it. Drilon made the statement after Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago said she would ask her colleagues to sign a resolution expressing the sense that there was a need for the Senate’s concurrence on the deal. “My position is this: let us wait for the decision of the Supreme Court. If the Supreme Court says Edca is a treaty that needs to be ratified by the Senate, the President will abide by it and send the treaty to the Senate. That is when we will ratify it,” Drilon said in an interview over dzRH. Senate President Franklin Drilon. FILE PHOTO If the court says there is no need for the chamber’s concurrence, the Senate would also abide by it, he added. He noted that at this point, nobody could direct Malacañang to send the Edca to the Senate, especially since the Palace’s position on the matter was that it needs no legislative ratification. The Supreme Court is tackling petitions against the Edca, a security deal that would allow more US soldiers to come to the Philippines over a ten-year period and use its military facilities. Supporters of the deal had hailed it as something that would deter China’s from its forceful posturing, while critics said it was an uneven agreement that would allow the Read More …

MANILA, Philippines–Actress Boots Anson-Roa Rodrigo got a call one Sunday in September from Fr. Jun Sescon, who is part of the papal visit committee, informing her about the role the Rodrigo family would be playing in the meeting of families during the much-anticipated visit of the Holy Father. “I was initially speechless upon receiving that call. I think I said, ‘Wow, we’re so blessed,’” she said. She was told that the Rodrigos were chosen upon the recommendation of Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, another close friend of the family. Boots said what makes the privilege of meeting the Pope a real blessing was the fact that they neither expected nor asked for it. “I think that’s the most gratifying thing. It was offered to us, we did not lobby for it. We are very grateful for this wonderful blessing,” she said. In her 100 years, Remedios Enriquez Rodrigo, mother of Boots’ husband Francisco “King” Jr., has personally met two Roman Catholic saints: John Paul II and Padre Pio. She also had up-close encounters with Blessed Mother Teresa during the few times the latter was in the country for her works of charity. And yet the widow of the distinguished late Sen. Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo Sr. still feels “unworthy” to present a garland to Pope Francis when he visits the Philippines this January. “Maybe I’m not worthy. Why me?” Rodrigo was quoted as saying by her daughter-in-law Boots, when she learned about the special role Read More …

“Felons and not families should be deported,” this is the clear message of President Obama last week during his speech on his executive actions relating to immigration. While the immigration policies coming from the President is expected to benefit an estimated five million undocumented immigrants, there is doubt on whether majority will indeed come out of the shadows to take advantage of the proposed benefits. One of the many undocumented Filipinos who will apparently benefit is Jane. She arrived in the United States in 2003 on a visitor visa and has been overstaying since then. Jane met Dan, who was her coworker at a care home facility. After a few months of courtship, Dan married Jane. Unknown to Jane, Dan also has immigration issues because of a prior deportation order rendered against him 10 years ago. The marriage of the couple was entered into in good faith and it did not matter whether Jane remains undocumented. Jane gave birth to two beautiful daughters, now ages 7 and 5. When Jane heard about President Obama’s policies, she got excited and was hoping to file for employment authorization document so she can obtain temporary legal status. However, she raised valid concerns. What will happen to her status after three years and will she eventually be deported if President Obama is no longer in office?   Executive actions The new immigration policies are very temporary in nature. Obama signed the memorandum to prevent certain undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to apply Read More …

President Barack Obama speaks during a nationally televised address from the White House in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 20, 2014. Spurning furious Republicans, President Barack Obama unveiled expansive executive actions on immigration Thursday night to spare nearly 5 million people in the U.S. illegally from deportation and refocus enforcement efforts on “felons, not families.” AP LOS ANGELES—President Barack Obama drew mixed reactions among Filipino-American immigration advocates on Thursday after he outlined his plan to shield up to 5 million immigrants—including tens of thousands of Filipinos—from deportation. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (Naffaa) threw its full support behind Obama’s sweeping immigration reform, saying “his bold decision is a step forward” in fixing a broken immigration system and dealing with the plight of undocumented Filipinos. The Los Angeles-based Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) called it a “partial victory” for Fil-Am immigration advocates who have been pushing for a path to citizenship for undocumented Filipinos. “It’s the biggest relief granted since 1986, but it’s not a complete victory,” said PWC director Aquilina Soriano-Versoza, who watched Obama’s televised speech at a gathering of Fil-Am community members at the nonprofit’s LA headquarters. One of the undocumented Filipinos who attended the event said he was “very disappointed” that he and the majority of undocumented Filipinos “have been left out.” “I haven’t seen my family in the Philippines for 11 years,” said the 50-year-old health-care worker who requested anonymity. But many other undocumented Filipinos—up to tens of thousands—will benefit from the long-awaited reform, said immigration lawyer Arnedo Read More …