(Sharing to Pep Talk readers an analytical article written by Zamboangueño Armand Dean Nocum about the Philippines and Hong Kong in a state of “war of images.”)

Despite available livelihood, nutrition and health programs of the government, Filipinos do not participate much in them according to the 2008 National Nutrition Survey (NNS) conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST).

The Supreme Court (SC) has upheld the exercise of freedom of speech and of expression of the employees of the state pension fund agency Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) when, in 2005, they wore red shirts and appeared in a hearing against their union leader to manifest their support.

Very unfortunate, so dismaying was the Monday hostage drama in Metro Manila that ended in a blood bath. Consequently it has sparked harsh criticism, comments and reactions from the different sectors of our nation, most especially in the rich colony of Hongkong where the victims came from as tourists.

BIBLE TRIVIA, PART V: SEQUENCE OF CREATION: Let’s see now: what was the sequence that God followed in creation—what was created first and then followed by what? This is shown by the Bible in its Genesis 1:1 to 31.

Hi! Before I go on with this column, please allow me to correct some of the words that were misspelled in my last column, like drooping breast became droping breast and retroverted became extraverted. Im sorry for the mistaken, and musk too.

With all the technological advances we now have, we cannot deny the fact that we are always tempted to try them, spending precious time and exploring the plethora of possibilities with them. The urge to “carpe diem” gets ever stronger, often milking us dry of our creative juices, etc.

A former adviser of former President Joseph Estrada on Saturday urged Hong Kong not to blame the entire Filipino nation for the Monday’s hostage-taking incident at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) will decide this week on the type of ballot to be used in the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) polls on October 25.

President Benigno S. Aquino III called on all Filipinos to emulate the example set forth by our national heroes whose supreme sacrifice for the nation will guide us in our quest to rise above our present situation and lift the Philippines to greatness.

A bishop has reiterated his support for the revival of the death penalty.

A consultant on corporate matters believes government must legislate guidelines for setting salaries and benefits in government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs).

Philippine and Hong Kong authorities will be exchanging information and reports regarding the investigation on what happened inside the tourist bus commandeered by dismissed police senior inspector Rolando Mendoza, according to a Palace spokesman.

The government may have some “fiscal space” if it considers imposing a moratorium on the passage of revenue-eroding measures, according to a non-government organization (NGO) committed to advocating fiscal reforms.

The government plans to issue a zero-coupon bond partly to boost the country’s capital market.