Category: Development

Super-typhoon Haiyan (code name Yolanda) set to plow through central Philippines

November 7, 2013 benign0 23 Comments

Super-typhoon Haiyan (Philippine code-named “Yolanda”) continues to barrel towards the Philippines threatening to wreak havoc across southern Luzon, the Visayas, and northern Mindanao as it plows through the Philippines… Haiyan is expected to reach central Philippines as a super typhoon by Friday noon local time, packing winds of 233-249 kilometres per hour, according to Michael…

Development, Environment, Lifestyle

How Serious is the Philippines’ Educational Crisis?

November 6, 2013 Richard Javad Heydarian 9 Comments

Lately, the Philippines has — for a number of good reasons — enjoyed the limelight, emerging as an economic bright spot in Asia. Receiving a stamp of approval from the world’s leading rating agencies, namely Fitch, S&P, and Moody’s, the country stands — in label — as a full-fledged investment-grade economy. This, at least theoretically, means…

Development, Education

Does the government of President Noynoy Aquino govern? Or does it MERELY spin?

November 6, 2013 benign0 30 Comments

In a rare stroke of balance, “social news network” site Rappler published the scholarly work of eminent sociologist Nicole Curato, “a post-doctoral research fellow at the Center for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance at the Australian National University” according to the short bio included at the foot of her article The President as spin doctor….

Crime, Development, Government, Media, Politics

Wake-skating video in the Banaue Rice Terraces: will it wake Filipinos up?

October 29, 2013October 29, 2013 FallenAngel 10 Comments

One of the videos recently making waves among Filipino netizens is this one of two professional wake-skaters Brian Grubb and Dominik Preisner. Apparently, the location they used was that of the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao. According to the video caption: Respect for the environment was a priority from the beginning of this project! The…

Development, Lifestyle, Media, Society

Three-peat! NAIA is the World’s Worst Airport for 2013!

October 28, 2013 FallenAngel 28 Comments

Actually, this wasn’t really much of a surprise if you think about it. I called it last year; considering how lethargic Philippine government officials and agencies are, and how the Philippine bureaucracy is an absolute hindrance to progress, I would have been slightly miffed if we weren’t at the top or near the top of…

Development, Media

The DAP is a product of PNoy’s flawed understanding of the government’s financial position in 2010

October 14, 2013 benign0 6 Comments

The thing with trying to pitch purported good intentions is that once the resources and the means to deliver those intentions have been tainted in the public eye, there is little hope for redemption. Malacañang, true to form always five steps behind when it comes to justifying its position on many matters of national consequence,…

Crime, Development, Environment, Government, Politics

The #MillionPeopleMarch Is Nothing But An Epic Brainfart

October 7, 2013October 7, 2013 P. Farol 26 Comments

With all due respect and I apologize for saying this with an offensive tone, but I think it’s just stupid to keep on gathering in different parts of the country demanding the abolition of the pork barrel system and coming away with zip. The Million People March is kind of like a joke that I…

Development, Economy, Government, Politics

Military Unrest Under The Shadow of DAP Bribery

October 4, 2013 P. Farol 48 Comments

Those two words and what they signify at this point is giving me the jitters. Because, if you add those two words to these: Thousands of people massing almost at EDSA and other public spaces condemning the corruption of the pork barrel system. Law experts and two senators saying that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP)…

Crime, Development, Environment, Government, Politics