By Robert Viñas (Presidential Communications Operations Office, Office of the President)

Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. It involves the advocacy of an interest that is affected, actually or potentially, by the decisions of government leaders.

The 2010 U.S. midterm elections were held, and the results were as expected: The Republicans took the House but did not take the Senate.

Photo by The Philippine Star (www.philstar.com)

The looming food crisis, is it just a media blitz? An alarmist point of view or it is for real? There is food crisis if supply of food is in adequate and we see people falling in line to buy food and, in extreme cases, there is a breakout of food riots.

On the campaign trail that eventually led him to the presidency, then-Sen. Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III rode on the wave of change – promising sweeping and drastic reforms in government.

The “Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program” or the 4Ps under the administration of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was developed as a way to uplift a worsened economic condition and it was supposed to be a stimulus package for the poor.