Category: Development

A pre-analysis of the likely BS in PNoy’s 2012 State of the Nation Address (SONA)

July 19, 2012 benign0 9 Comments

The next presidential State of the Nation Address (SONA) to be delivered to joint sessions of Philippine Congress next week is likely to have ‘BS’ written all over it. That’s because the 2012 SONA is, in fact, a speech that will be delivered by Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III. Like any speech that…

Development, Economy, Government, Politics

Filipinos still can’t get over being dependent on the United States for national defense

July 17, 2012June 9, 2013 benign0 37 Comments

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr says it like it’s a bad thing — that the United States possibly intends to renew its use of key military bases in the Philippines in its bid to “rebalance” troop deployment towards the region. This follows a recently-concluded meeting between Philippine President Benigno “BS” Aquino…

Culture, Development, Government, Society

CNN report on Philippine economy barely comes across as news

July 16, 2012 benign0 51 Comments

The Philippines has long had an economy propped up by consumption binges that are funded by overseas employment that sucks the substance out of the society from the inside, and outsourced work that turns the country’s brightest grads into red-eyed parrots. It all sounds awfully familiar. And why shouldn’t it? The above paragraph may as…

Development, Economy, Money Talks

Senator Miriam Santiago will have more fun in the Philippines than at the International Criminal Court

July 13, 2012October 13, 2015 Ilda 124 Comments

There comes a time when one starts getting bored with one’s job and starts to think about going for another one just because it looks like the grass is much greener on the other side. But when the time comes to say goodbye to the old job, realization suddenly hits and then one starts having…

Development, Government, Politics

The moronism in ‘ordering’ bus drivers and conductors to be paid fixed salaries

July 11, 2012July 11, 2012 benign0 19 Comments

Why am I not surprised that the move of the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to implement an order to change remuneration of the country’s public utility bus drivers from a commission-based payment scheme to a fixed-salary scheme fell flat on its face? DOLE Order Number 118-12 which mandates this transition supposedly had…

Development, Government, Society

Understanding the BS in being a ‘breakout nation’

July 9, 2012 benign0 6 Comments

In its most recent rah-rah story about how the government of President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III has so far been the heroic beacon of progress as was “promised” during the campaign, “social news network” site Rappler.com has quoted Ruchir Sharma, head of Emerging Market Equities and Global Macro at Morgan Stanley Investment Management who,…

Development, Economy, Government, Media, Money Talks

MMDA is living on a prayer instead of thinking about solving EDSA’s traffic problems

July 7, 2012June 19, 2013 Ilda 48 Comments

It seems Filipino public servants are incapable of thinking outside the square when it comes to addressing the problems that plague the nation. Most of them rely on prayer to solve issues rather than apply science and technology — an approach that could actually yield permanent solutions. Take the case of the Chairman for Metro…

Civics, Culture, Development, Government, Religion, Society

President Benigno Simeon Aquino’s 3rd State of the Nation Address (SONA 2012)

July 3, 2012 Ilda 52 Comments

President Benigno Simeon â€œBSâ€ Aquino III will be giving his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) soon. Like his first and second SONA, his speech will most likely be full of motherhood statements similar to all the previous speeches he had delivered since he announced his plans to run for the Presidency in 2009….

Development, Economy, Government, Politics