Category: Government

Recall: President BS Aquino was crowned ‘Filipino of the Year’ by the Inquirer in 2010

July 6, 2014 benign0 5 Comments

For old times’ sake, let us revisit how the Inquirer back in 2010 crowned President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III “our Filipino of the Year” after just six months in power. This honour was bestowed on the incumbent Philippine president supposedly for being “the living Filipino who made the most positive impact in 2010”. And,…

Crime, Government, Media, Politics

Ph President BS Aquino doesn’t care if he broke the law while handling taxpayers’ money

July 4, 2014July 4, 2014 Ilda 33 Comments

According to Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr., President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino won’t apologize for the controversial Disbursement Acceleration Program or DAP after it was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. He insists that “the executive branch ‘exercised good faith and due diligence’ in accordance with existing laws and relevant auditing…

Crime, Development, Economy, Government, Politics

In these challenging times, it really helps that the Philippines is like a cockroach

July 3, 2014 benign0 4 Comments

How can the Philippines continue to function over the remaining two years until President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III steps down after the completion of his term in 2016? In the last two years, Congress has limped along under the weight of overwhelming public distrust. And now that a presidential slush fund that is the…

Crime, Culture, Government, Politics, Society

And Now It Begins… Philippine Politics Without DAP and PDAF

July 2, 2014July 2, 2014 P. Farol 15 Comments

I felt like celebrating yesterday afternoon when I found out that the Supreme Court had ruled that the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) was UNCONSTITUTIONAL. It’s like the knock out punch in a one-two combination, the first punch being the Supreme Court decision declaring the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel fund unconstitutional. Let’s…

Government, Politics

SC rules DAP unconstitutional: Time for PNoy to walk down the straight path to justice!

July 1, 2014 benign0 47 Comments

So the highest court in the Philippines has now ruled, the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) is deemed unconstitutional. It now needs to be dismantled, funds appropriated and disbursed within its framework accounted for, and its facilitators, brokers, and creators taken to task. It won’t be surprising if, out of all this, all eyes will once…

Crime, Government, Politics

VP Binay Criticizes Noynoy for DAP, But Gets P11 Billion of DAP

July 1, 2014July 1, 2014 P. Farol 14 Comments

Vice President Jejomar Binay seems to be like President Benigno Aquino’s frenemy as far as the Disbursement Acceleration Program is concerned. Essentially, Binay’s position on DAP is that it is illegal and unconstitutional and ONLY President Aquino should be held liable for it, despite the fact that he himself P11 Billion in DAP. I think…

Government, Politics

Is it illegal to exhibit Filipino maids in store display windows in Singapore malls?

June 30, 2014 benign0 25 Comments

By now, the now infamous report “Buy a discount maid at Singapore’s malls” featured by Al Jazeera last week has been shared and re-shared on social media as well as published and re-published by mainstream news organisations, further inflaming outrage among Filipinos whose egos have already taken severe beatings thanks to some media gaffes and…

Government, Lifestyle, Society

Would you throw a 90-year-old man like Senator Juan Ponce Enrile in prison?

June 25, 2014 benign0 28 Comments

Now that two of the three Philippine Senators charged with offenses related to the ‘malversation’ of their pork barrel funds through bogus non-government organisations associated with alleged ‘scam’ mastermind Janet Lim Napoles are in prison, it is Senator Juan Ponce Enrile’s turn to get his wrists cuffed. But this is no ordinary suspect. Enrile is…

Crime, Government