Category: Government

Two years of Aquino presidency fails to curb human rights abuses in the Philippines

July 22, 2012August 23, 2016 benign0 3 Comments

Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III has so far failed to make good on his promise to supplant the Philippines’ culture of impunity by applying swift and consistent justice under his overarching “daang matuwid” (“straight-and-narrow”) campaign slogan. According to a Human Rights Watch (HRW) report, “The Aquino government has not successfully prosecuted a single…

Crime, Culture, Government, Society

Is President Noynoy Aquino to blame for the diplomatic and military row with China?

July 20, 2012June 9, 2013 Ilda 63 Comments

How did the Philippines manage to enter into a diplomatic row with China? Well aside from China’s insatiable need to find alternate sources of energy, part of the reason why China seems very aggressive in laying claim over the disputed Spratly group of islands and the Scarborough Shoal apparently has a lot to do with…

Government, Politics

A little reminder: don’t rely on PNoy’s SONA

July 20, 2012 a 8 Comments

So itâ€™s that time of the year again. That time when the good president steps into the pedestal to address every single Filipino all over the world, regarding the current state of our country in terms of politics, economics and society. That time when all eyes and cameras are focused on the most powerful man…

Government, Politics, Society

A pre-analysis of the likely BS in PNoy’s 2012 State of the Nation Address (SONA)

July 19, 2012 benign0 9 Comments

The next presidential State of the Nation Address (SONA) to be delivered to joint sessions of Philippine Congress next week is likely to have ‘BS’ written all over it. That’s because the 2012 SONA is, in fact, a speech that will be delivered by Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III. Like any speech that…

Development, Economy, Government, Politics

Filipinos still can’t get over being dependent on the United States for national defense

July 17, 2012June 9, 2013 benign0 37 Comments

Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Secretary General Renato Reyes Jr says it like it’s a bad thing — that the United States possibly intends to renew its use of key military bases in the Philippines in its bid to “rebalance” troop deployment towards the region. This follows a recently-concluded meeting between Philippine President Benigno “BS” Aquino…

Culture, Development, Government, Society

The Philippines’ flaccid response to the grounded Chinese warship within its claimed territory

July 15, 2012 benign0 11 Comments

So finally a Chinese warship that had run aground in Half Moon Shoal (known as Hasa-Hasa Shoal to the Philippine Government) had been “rescued” and “refloated” by other Chinese navy vessels that had come to its rescue. The rescue party reportedly consisted of “at least five vessels and several smaller boats” freed the People’s Liberation…

Civics, Government

Senator Miriam Santiago will have more fun in the Philippines than at the International Criminal Court

July 13, 2012October 13, 2015 Ilda 124 Comments

There comes a time when one starts getting bored with one’s job and starts to think about going for another one just because it looks like the grass is much greener on the other side. But when the time comes to say goodbye to the old job, realization suddenly hits and then one starts having…

Development, Government, Politics

The moronism in ‘ordering’ bus drivers and conductors to be paid fixed salaries

July 11, 2012July 11, 2012 benign0 19 Comments

Why am I not surprised that the move of the Philippines’ Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to implement an order to change remuneration of the country’s public utility bus drivers from a commission-based payment scheme to a fixed-salary scheme fell flat on its face? DOLE Order Number 118-12 which mandates this transition supposedly had…

Development, Government, Society