Category: Education

The truth about Tagalog that James Soriano failed to explain

September 4, 2011June 18, 2014 Ilda 42 Comments

William “The Chair Wrecker” Esposo of Philstar.com has joined in the debate about the Philippine national language (or lack of it) in his recent column. This was in response to the controversial and now removed article written by James Soriano from Manila Bulletin. While Esposo rabidly defended our constitutionally mandated national language, Tagalog, he wrote…

Culture, Development, Education, Society

How a simple question evolved into a heated debate: Is Tagalog a language or a dialect?

September 1, 2011July 26, 2018 Miguel Tajan 15 Comments

The answer is simple, Tagalog is a language. Why make such a simple question into something so complex? I believe that the answer lies in the confusion between the definitions of a language and a dialect. We all know what a language is; itâ€™s what we speak everyday to communicate, so letâ€™s take a closer…

Culture, Education, Society

Why there is no Tagalog word for ‘efficiency’

August 30, 2011February 13, 2018 benign0 37 Comments

Lots of people seem to have, at best, a rather shallow understanding of what I mean when I keep harping about the lack of a concept of “efficiency” in the Tagalog dialect. My simple explanation is that the lack of a concept of efficiency native to (or long embedded in) Tagalog reflects the inherent intellectual…

Development, Education, Science, Technology

English vs Tagalog: James Soriano owes no one any apologies

August 27, 2011 benign0 117 Comments

Whatever it was said by whoever this James Soriano is, if it is the truth about the utter lack of intellectual tools Tagalog provides its speakers, then no apologies are needed to be given to those who take offense from these words. A Manila Bulletin column published on August 24 titled “Language, learning, identity, privilege”…

Culture, Education, Media

Rioting in London: How it could happen in the Philippines

August 12, 2011August 12, 2011 Ilda 33 Comments

Rioting. Looting. Mugging. Stealing. These are activities people would normally associate with street gangs. But the recent mayhem in London that involved all those activities has baffled every expert in every society. They are baffled because the people involved didnâ€™t just come from the â€œalienated poor, those without hope, lashing out in rage and despair.â€…

Crime, Culture, Education, Society

Facebook exec: Let kids play more video games

August 3, 2011August 3, 2011 benign0 5 Comments

It’s a surreal WTF moment. In a gathering of Silicon Valley “technorati” in Palo Alto, California yesterday to “dole out advice” on “job creation,” Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg emphasised the need for “better education” to “foster growth, competitiveness, innovation, and job creation.” Sounds good so far. But then she lets out these doozies: Sandberg talked…

Education, Media, Society, Tech Talk

Maricel Soriano’s alleged abuse of domestic workers reflects Filipino society

July 4, 2011July 4, 2011 benign0 2 Comments

While much Media airtime is given to the abuse of domestic workers employed in foreign countries, not much interest seems to go the way of domestic workers employed by households in the Philippines. Faded star of the 1980s Maricel Soriano provides the most recent of cases that highlight the plight of domestic workers employed by…

Education, Glitz and Glamour, Society

The Filipino Youth: where lies hope for a better Philippines in the future

June 26, 2011May 29, 2014 benign0 7 Comments

A visitor to GetRealPhilippines.com sent a letter by email dated 31 October 2005 that, in a nutshell, best describes the whole problem with our society’s regard for the youth. Here is an excerpt: we filipinos are so hypocrete. we live on lies and half truth. when I was a kid (am now 40 [years old])…

Culture, Development, Education, Society