Month: November 2017

The #ASEAN2017 Summit proves that the Philippines is not a fascist state

November 16, 2017November 16, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

Funny how elements of the Philippine Opposition gleefully spread images of Leftist protesters infesting Manila’s streets as if to demonstrate that there is a “fight” for “freedom” currently raging against the oppressive “fascist” government of an “evil” strongman. There is even a dramatic image of one of these protesters in the act of delivering a…

Development, Politics, Society

Duterte has won Filipinos so much respect that the Yellows can no longer hope for reelection

November 16, 2017 zaxx 12 Comments

The recent media attention on the APEC and ASEAN summits has been a welcome reprieve from all the relentless energy- and time-wasting Senate investigations and hearings that front-page-hungry grandstanding lawmakers and politicians have been battering us with all year round. At least we get a break to see our president with the biggest who’s who…

Culture, Politics

A sadly familiar demand for RESPECT is on exhibit during the #ASEAN2017 Summit in Manila

November 15, 2017 benign0 14 Comments

Lately we’ve been seeing many perverse senses of entitlement exhibited by — horrors — some of the Philippines’ most influential people. That’s thanks to the on-going Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit currently being held in Manila. Whilst, the event brought out the best in the attending world leaders, it seemed to not have…

Politics, Society

Die-hard bloggers behaving badly: anti-‘disente’ taken too far

November 14, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

The key to sustained consistency in media practice (whether in mainstream or otherwise) is to compete on content and quality — not on narcissistic stunts and attention-grabbing circuses. On the mainstream front, this is how Rappler did itself in — because it made itself the news rather than focusing on just reported it. Of course…

Media, Politics, Society

Trump’s visit a blow to Duterte’s critics

November 14, 2017 Ilda 7 Comments

Despite the efforts by members of the Opposition to stop it, the much awaited visit by United States President Donald Trump finally happened during the 2017 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit. President Rodrigo Duterte’s critics did not want Trump to visit the Philippines for various reasons. For one, Trump’s visit would overshadow their…

Politics

Duterte, Rappler, Utos ni bossing, and Tone-deafness

November 13, 2017November 13, 2017 FallenAngel 3 Comments

Singing karaoke-style is of course, a staple of Filipino hospitality. Quite a few Filipinos, I can imagine, will vividly remember being forced by their parents to, ignominiously, sing for a house guest. When Filipinos grow up, either karaoke machines, or on occasion, a live band, provides the means through which they can “showcase” their musical…

Media, Politics

Justin Trudeau’s Jollibee visit ‘staged’ but a winner just the same

November 13, 2017November 13, 2017 benign0 10 Comments

What is really amazing about Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s brief visit to a Jollibee restaurant shortly after landing on Clark Field for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Manila is that some Filipinos would actually consider the possibility that this visit was a genuinely candid spur-of-the-moment decision on Trudeau’s part. It…

Culture, Glitz and Glamour, Society

Ph Opposition commentary on #ASEAN2017 fails to pass standards of INTELLIGENT discourse

November 13, 2017 benign0 5 Comments

True to form, self-described critics of the government of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte have taken positions, presumably over the duration of this year’s summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) hosted in Manila, to aim their sniper scopes at the events. As snipers would do, they are putting every quip, gesture, and nuance…

Culture, Politics, Society