Category: Development

An unconventional proposal to save all versions of Filipino democracy

October 31, 2021October 31, 2021 FallenAngel 15 Comments

For anyone who has been observing the Philippine political scene long enough, it is not hard to come to the conclusion that regardless of who wins the presidential election, Filipinos will remain the same mediocre, divided, and self-interested collection of disjoint tribes that they’ve always been. The term of Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino was marked…

Civics, Development, Media, Politics

Duterte achieved a lot during his term which is why CONTINUITY post-2022 is very important

October 21, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 18 Comments

It was then incoming Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez who set the administration’s 0-10 point socio-economic agenda which was basically the key performance indicators (KPIs) set by the administration for what it expected to achieve by the time its term ended. I tend to disagree to the scores Inquirer columnist Peter Wallace laid out in…

Development, Economy, Education

Platforms and action plans, NOT mere motherhood statements: Filipinos should expect MORE from their candidates

October 17, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 2 Comments

Mass media was existent even before the rise of President Rodrigo Duterte. But the clowns in public office were the offshoots of the dumbing down of the Filipino by ABS-CBN and the change in demographics brought about by uncontrolled population growth. Professor Randy David in his Inquirer piece “Politics in the age of mass media”…

Development, Media, Politics

The most important election issues for 2022. Take note: being “anti-Marcos” is NOT one of them

October 9, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 4 Comments

With the Presidential candidates cast more or less complete, the time has come for the questions we should ask each of them that will guide us in determining who is in the position to lead the country over the next six years. It shouldn’t be about Aquino versus Marcos again or looming authoritarianism against freedom…

Development, Government

No justification for Pasig River Expressway (PAREX), project driven more by profit than by public good

September 29, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 6 Comments

The Pasig River Expressway has broken ground and the project has begun in earnest even with the growing opposition to it. The initial furor was over the design that the whole river would be covered by the length of the expressway which runs from east to west from Manila Bay to Laguna De Bay. As…

Business, Development, Environment

Century Peak Tests President Duterte’s Resolve on Reclamation Ban

August 19, 2021August 19, 2021 P. Farol 1 Comment

It seems proponents of reclamation projects are out to test President Rodrigo Duterte’s resolve a few weeks after saying he had put a stop to such projects because of corruption. “You know, itong sa (this) Manila Bay na reclamation, thousands have applied but because of the corruption that I’ve heard early last year, there’s no more processing of papers,”…

Business, Development, Government, Politics

Manila “achievements” pimped into service for Isko Moreno 2022 presidential run, ultimately BETRAYS Manileño constituents

August 11, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 1 Comment

You know it would come to the point that a puff piece praising Manila Mayor Isko Moreno would eventually be written. It was just a matter of time. In his PhilSTAR piece “The city of Manila acting like Singapore”, columnist Andrew Masigan describes Isko as a “transformative leader” gushing about how Moreno had “achieved more…

Development, Politics

Anti-Duterte oligarchs back Isko Moreno candidacy, salivating over infra projects worth BILLIONS!

August 7, 2021August 7, 2021 Ramon Ortoll 2 Comments

The usual crap assessment from former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario’s think-tank Stratbase-ADR Institute given prime space on mainstream media! In an Inquirer “report” on “Governance prospects for 2022 and beyond”, a certain Dindo Manhit, “founder and managing director of Stratbase Group”, regurgitated the outcome of a “town hall” organised by this “institute” which…

Business, Development, Politics