We beg to differ.
Let me start off with a joke taken from the book Bad Medicine: The Prescription Drug Industry in the Third World by Silverman, Lydecker, and Lee. I changed it a little bit to make the political issues more appropriate for this article but nevertheless, the message remains the same as it describes the magnitude of…
The race for the highest position in the land just got tougher with popular surnames Poe, Binay and Aquino all winning Senate seats and all said to be vying for a push to the Presidency in 2016. Yes, the election is just a popularity contest particularly in the Philippines where most voters don’t even ask…
Elections come and go every three (3) years in the Philippines. In fact, the mid-term elections have just concluded, where the Filipinos vote for twelve senators and local government officials. Philippine national elections just happen to be the biggest fiesta nationwide, and this recent one was no exception. As of this writing, with more than…
Read More “Four appalling bits of election ‘wisdom’ that really need to go away” »
Same old faces, same old farces. Same old names, same old games. Such is the painfully hilarious nature of our national politics. As the 2013 Philippine midterm elections quickly drew to a close, we stood witness to what our collective action has produced, to what our very own brand of democracy has to offer; a…
Read More “Philippine Elections 2013: Long live, democracy” »
The latest buzz that has been circulating around the chattering classes is how ABS-CBN comedic talent Vice Ganda made a tongue-in-cheek remark when asked if he had any plans to pursue a career in public service. “Gusto ko president ako agad, yung wala kang background, pero mataas agad, parang ‘yung mga pulitiko lang ngayon. Walang…
Read More “What Vice Ganda’s tongue-in-cheek remark says about us Filipinos” »
Can a change in system of government really change the development trajectory of an entire nation? Perhaps so, but the complexity of any causal link that might exist between a system of government and the future success — or failure — of a country does not allow us a straightforward way of determining just how…
Read More “Will the Philippines prosper if we change its system of government?” »
While I was reading news about Malaysia’s recently-concluded election, I could not help but shake my head; it was as if I was reading about the Philippines. Some of the things that were being said about the Malaysian government and its society could likewise be said about the Philippine government and its society too. It…
Read More “Malaysia and the Philippines: corruption and cheating are all part of ‘the game’” »
But the thrill we’ve never known Is the thrill that’ll getcha When you get your picture On the cover of the Rollin’ Stone Wanna see my picture on the cover Wanna buy five copies for my mother Wanna see my smilin’ face On the cover the cover of the Rollin’ Stone Cover of…
Read More “How To Win Friends And Influence People Noynoy Style” »