Year: 2014

If only Manila had a cold climate all year round, Pinoys wouldn’t be so lazy!

January 13, 2014January 13, 2014 Kate Natividad 44 Comments

Sarap the weather in Manila nowadays! I always appreciate how cold weather works wonders for the psyche — it makes you feel more energetic, gives you a more pleasant disposition, and you not only feel more productive, you actually are more productive. If only the Philippines had a climate like this all year round. Siguro…

Culture, Development, Lifestyle

Emergency powers for President Noynoy Aquino: Like giving a blowtorch to a child

January 12, 2014 benign0 55 Comments

Members of Congress are reportedly proposing the granting of emergency powers to Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III to “give him more control over power generation in the country.” To that, Eastern Samar Rep. Ben Evardone also added the country’s commuter woes as further justification saying that development of solutions to these problems “can…

Development, Economy, Government, Lifestyle, Politics

Is the solution to a socio-cultural problem a political one?

January 10, 2014January 11, 2014 FallenAngel 51 Comments

The socio-cultural problem, Filipinos need to be reminded, is comprised of the dysfunctions in Filipino culture that have kept them chained to a perpetual state of impoverishment. The political solution, Filipinos would like to think, is to merely focus on changing our leaders into those “different” from the corrupt bunch that currently infest government. Is…

Civics, Culture, Politics, Society

Setting New Standards in Abject Failure: PNP Hires a Security Firm to Protect its Headquarters

January 10, 2014 BenK 43 Comments

In a stunning move that even the Administration-friendly Inquirer couldn’t help itself from calling an “irony of ironies”, the Philippine National Police announced it had earmarked P21 million to contract a private security firm (still unnamed) to provide security services at Camp Crame, the PNP’s national headquarters. PNP Director Alan Purisima explained the move as…

Crime, Society

Pork ‘realignment’: Ph Senators will continue to kiss Malacanang’s ass to get their pork

January 10, 2014 benign0 40 Comments

Members of Philippine Congress are proving yet again that they will not be divested of billions of pesos in “discretionary” funds without putting up a fight. The most recent sleight of hand is coming in the form of “realignments” of some senators’ Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allocations. According to Neal Cruz in his Inquirer.net…

Crime, Government, Politics

Is ‘love of country’ a concept that is still relevant in the Philippines?

January 9, 2014January 10, 2014 benign0 53 Comments

It’s a common mistake to liken the way one feels for or regards a country to the way we feel for or regard an actual person. So when we say we “love” our country, poets will wax lyric about how this “love” is like the love we feel, say, for a parent. In reality, that’s…

Civics, Government, Society

E-Payments in the Philippines: Paving the Way for Convenient Government Transactions

January 9, 2014 MDJesus 10 Comments

The Philippines is known for a lot of things. There’s the much-lauded level of hospitality. There’s also the distinct Filipino sense of humor, even in the face of sheer adversity. It is, after all, more fun in the Philippines, if the PR campaign is to be believed. What the Philippines isn’t known for, at least…

Money Talks, Technology

President Noynoy Aquino cannot ignore his critics

January 9, 2014 Ilda 17 Comments

Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino is setting himself up for failure with his New Year’s resolution for 2014, which is to “ignore his critics”. The fact that he had to make this his New Year’s resolution already means that he is having a hard time ignoring his critics in the first place. Not to…

Government, Media, Politics