Month: November 2017

A ‘revolutionary government’ led by the incumbent president is an insane idea

November 30, 2017 benign0 8 Comments

The trouble with Filipinos is they are shortsighted. They are focused on instant gratification and consistently fail to see the long view. This is evident today seeing all major political camps, the Yellowtards, the Dutertards, and the commies calling for measures that can only be implemented outside of the Constitution. The Yellowtards, of course, mount…

Culture, Government, Politics

On The Real Enemies and Traitors of the Fourth Estate

November 30, 2017November 30, 2017 P. Farol 4 Comments

(Disclaimer: While I am no longer part of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security or PTFoMS, I continue to support its mandate under President Duterte’s Administrative Order 1 which is to protect journalists from harassment, threats, and violence.) Friends from the larger circle of people I go around in tipped me off that a…

Government, Media

Yellow lives matter, but Duterte-styled Iron-Fisted Visionaries (IFVs) matter more

November 30, 2017 zaxx 41 Comments

The Yellows are struggling to survive these days, and the fact they need to face is the enormous capital flight that’s taking place in the form of lost market share. Much of the attention, clout and following they used to enjoy and thought to be their birthright have steadily dwindled away like the vital signs…

Culture, Government, Politics

Facts matter in the Philippines, but only the facts that favour its elite

November 29, 2017November 29, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

The irony in the clique of “social media influencers” who hosted an event dubbed a forum on “Truth, Trust, and Democracy in the Age of Selfies, Trolls and Bots” just flies over people’s pointed heads. The event was organised “by the Journalism for Nation Building Foundation (JNBF), Rappler, and other stakeholder groups”. This is not…

Media, Politics, Society

Filipinos can overcome ‘fake news’ by developing more CURIOSITY #FactsMatterPH

November 28, 2017 benign0 11 Comments

Indeed, Filipinos need to be reminded that “facts matter”. That’s because Filipinos were not raised at home nor trained in school to build factual bases for what they believe in. In most cases, Filipino kids are told what to think rather than taught how to think. It is challenging too considering that Philippine society is…

Culture, Media

Filipinos Are Freer Under Duterte

November 27, 2017 P. Farol 3 Comments

In the days after the declaration of Martial Law, merely criticizing former President Ferdinand Marcos could get one picked up and there are claims that many of those picked up simply disappeared. Fear of speaking against Marcos back then was such that a friend’s mother (a college professor at a state university) buried several books…

Government, Media

The ‘debate’ over a ‘revolutionary government’ is a complete waste of time

November 27, 2017November 27, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

Back in 1986 following the EDSA “people power revolution”, Cory Aquino, who was crowned leader of this “revolution” by the Imperial Manila “activists” of the time, was installed as president of the Yellowtards’ “revolutionary government”. Legitimisation of Aquino’s government was easy, thanks to the Philippines’ being a predominantly starstruck “God-fearing” Roman Catholic society. All the…

Government, Politics

Florin Hilbay’s descent from Bar top-notcher to national laughingstock

November 25, 2017 Ilda 11 Comments

University of the Philippines law professor and former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay has become the butt of jokes on social media. While I don’t follow him because, for one, I am not a fan and two, he has already blocked me on Twitter, some of his posts still find their way onto my timeline. I…

Education, Politics