The focus on the recently-proclaimed National Artists, who are now members of the Order of National Artists, detracts from the National Scientists who deserve equal recognition and obscures a necessary -and still-unawarded- reform, the creation of the Order of Social Scientists.The debate of course between the Arts and the Sciences id endless….  There has been much discussion as to whether history should not henceforth be treated as a branch of science rather than of literature.… As regards part of the discussion, the minds of the contestants have not met, the propositions advanced by the two sides being neither mutually incompatible nor mutually relevant….  The debate is pointless since no one can quite grasp what a National Artist is and what the title represents.As it is at present, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts seek out, weigh and evaluate, nominations for National Artist; they go through a pretty professional process, and then submit their recommendations to the President, under whose authority they work in making the short list.

Drilon: Firstly, it was during the last one year when there was so much political turmoil in the Philippines that indeed it was a very difficult time for us in the Senate because of the constant attack to undermine us, because of the constant barrage of propaganda….  During the committee hearings in the Senate, I personally asked NEDA and DILG to submit to us a set of criteria which will assure us that these funds will be used not for political patronage but really judiciously….  If the LGU would be able to increase its revenue collection of local taxes, let us put counterpart funds in order to encourage them to lower their dependence on the internal revenue allotment, build up the capacity by encouraging them to collect local taxes and we will put in counterpart funds from the Kilos Asenso funds.

If you read the Kartilya of the Katipunan, Mabini’s True Decalogue, the Code of Citizenship and Ethics of the Commonwealth -all part of a continuing tradition, now lost- you will see an obsession to foster a civic sense as an antidote to tyranny and a means to building a functioning, independent nation.  The process began with Rizal; and his most haunting words continue to be those expressing his belief that independence would be meaningless without a civic-minded citizenry….  Guerrero, one of Rizal’s greatest exponents in his time.Someone, addressing Confucius, said: Why, Sir, do you take no part in the government?—The Master replied: What does the Book of History say about filial piety?—Do your duty as a son and as a brother, and these qualities will make themselves felt in the government.

Congress has approved the abolition of the death penalty.In other news, there will be no official representative for the Poe family at the ceremony formally proclaiming the country’s new National Artists.Education remains a burning topic in the puditocracy: the Inquirer editorial focuses on the regional nature of the crisis, as well as the need to encourage local initiatives.  Incidentally, this commentary in the New Straits Times, a Malaysian points to debates quite similar to arguments taking place in educational circles here.Taking stock of the crisis a year after it began: Amando Doronila (lately regaining his old fire) and Ellen Tordesillas (who has never lost her passion) weigh in. And this meaty letter to the editor.Ambeth Ocampo has a delightful essay on clashes in culinary attitudes.

Why Most Filipinos Don’t Care That Leftists Are Being Killed Manuel L. Quezon III   Communists are being killed in the Philippines: That’s nothing new. The state has been killing them for nearly sixty years. What’s new is that the Communists being killed aren’t necessarily those waging revolutionary war in the hills; they are those [...]

Yesterday, one of the President’s efforts to mold a more favorable political landscape, the so-called People’s Initiative, did a kind of about-face and dangled the prospect of a French-style system, one closer to the heart of the professional politicians, such as the Speaker of the House, and the public at large: retaining a popularly-elected president.Today the President added her voice to the latest twist and turn in her government’s efforts to remain in the saddle….  Her allies continue to be hounded by the opposition; the bureaucracy continues to find itself bedeviled by the consequences of obeying orders; the national purse is once more doling out funds to protect the Palace from an assault in the legislature.(photo from Wikipedia)As Winston Churchill said in his eulogy on the death of Neville Chamberlain:It is not given to human beings, happily for them for otherwise life would be intolerable, to foresee or to predict to any large extent the unfolding course of events….  History with its flickering lamp stumbles along the trail of the past, trying to reconstruct its scenes, to revive its echoes, and kindle with pale gleams the passion of former days.It’s been a year since Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye called a press conference and presented two CD’s, one of which, he said, had an authentic conversation featuring the President and the other, a doctored version of the conversation.

The Long View : Suffer the little children By Manuel L. Quezon III Inquirer ON REGULAR CLASS DAYS, ALONG NUEVE DE Febrero Street, you can see swarms of small children making their way home from school. They skip and laugh, and chase each other and trundle along, heavily laden with book bags. You get to [...]

Since my latest discovery are the Analects of Confucius, I’ve decided to tie the coming blog series -”What we’ve learned”- with extracts from them.For today, however, the resumption of classes in the public schools has led to an orgy of reportage and commentary on the crisis of education in the country.Circular logic: by trotting out their own (and not even commissioned) survey, the tireless folks at Sigaw ng Bayan can then justify commentary along the lines of Rita Jimeno’s, who says she’s surprised intellectuals and the wealthy oppose their version of constitutional change.  Seduction is attempted -don’t you know under our system you can do better, because we will eliminate the competition?- a kind of appeal to class solidarity….  The biggest proof to my mind that they do not deserve support is that they will not even grant to their opponents the sincerity of their convictions (intellectual or otherwise).

The country hasn’t had a permanent Education Secretary for something like 10 months.Palace denies its planning martial law.Mike Tan on how midwives are the front line in providing public health -and how they’re not planning to leave the country en masse.Unlawyer on the minimum wage.Philippine Commentary on educationExpectorants dissects some -isms.  Speaking of one of them (populism), Slate covers the Peruvian presidential election.baratillo@cubao meditates on book burning.Out of my mind has some interesting observations on popular TV shows and how the networks are handling -or mishandling- them….  Slate explains the difference.New Economist on the humming German economy and the revving-up growth rate of India.BBC’s list of American presidentiables.

Fidel V. Ramos throws in the towel: the man’s licked, and knows it.Amado Macasaet of Malaya writes that American pressure’s headed off attempts to push plans for martial law.The Inquirer and the Business Mirror both editorialize on the President’s statistical fudging: expect greater scrutiny of official facts and figures from now on. Slate has an apropos article: When Presidents Fib: Little lies matter, too.  All presidents fudge, but even fudging should have its limits.Great head for an opinion piece on Thaksin: New clouds gather as lame duck insists it can fly:If Thaksin’s ability to fix the economic woes confronting the Kingdom in his “only I know best” style has suddenly become obsolete, his political credibility has been thrown even more in doubt….  The Manila Times in its editorial says focusing on political killings ignores an equally troubling reality: summary killings in Cebu.Speaking of Communists killing their own, Ma Jian alleges cannibalism was a feature of the Cultural Revolution.Gail Ilagan suggests too much is being crammed into little brains, and that children are being denied the socialization that’s necessary in early childhood education.Carlos Celdran’s outrage over the demolition of a Manila theater makes the news.