We beg to differ.
Over the last several days, I’ve been getting snippets of news and information lately about a USD 1 billion loan extended by the Philippines to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The first I heard of it was in a “news” article that came across as a trumpeting of how the Philippines is now a “net…
Read More “Why is a $1bn deposit to the IMF such a big deal?” »
Another lawmaker has thought of a brilliant way to make money out of our hardworking and mostly cash-strapped Filipino overseas foreign workers (OFWs). Congresswoman Ma. Theresa Bonoan-David authored a bill that would increase the contribution of every departing OFW to the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) from $25.00 to $50.00 (Php2,400). Unsurprisingly, her bill is…
Read More “Is the Philippine government hell-bent on milking poor OFWs of money?” »
Big budget for cash dole outs on an election year. That, it seems, is a lethal combination in the coming financial year ending 2013 when mid-term will be held. The “centrepiece” of President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III’s poverty alleviation program, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program is set to be allocated P45 billion if…
Read More “Noynoy’s CCT war chest: Ready for dole out in 2013 election year?” »
“Give to us clear vision that we may know where to stand and what to stand for – because unless we stand for something, we shall fall for anything.” Peter Marshall There are many who applaud Lito Lapid’s speech during the Corona impeachment trial as a big thumbs up for the common man. I see…
Read More “In The Land Of The Blind The One Eyed Man Is King” »
Thanks to Senator Lito Lapid, Filipinos can continue wallowing in mediocrity and be proud of it. The Senator was lauded by many for his verdict speech, which a lot of melodramatic Filipinos found “touching”. In that speech he proudly justified his guilty verdict in the impeachment trial of Chief Justice Renato Corona which he claims…
Read More “Filipinos cannot progress because of an anti-elite mentality” »
It is quite ironic that in the newly-born desire of government figures to actively push for a more transparent, fair and apolitical selection of the next Chief Justice in light of recent events (specifically ex-Chief Justice Renato Corona’s removal from office), did the said process become more politicized than ever. While I have explained in…
Read More “Politicizing the Judiciary: Campaigning for Chief Justice” »
Mediocre political leadership. These are the words Malaysian former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad used to describe a key possible pitfall of “unbridled democracy”. This he said in a speech he delivered on the occasion of his being conferred an Honorary Professor Title by the University of Santo Tomas. Mahathir also added that free-wheeling democracy can…
So who should be the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines? Well, considering that the whole imbroglio and ensuing circus around former top judge Renato Corona started with President Benigno “BS” Aquino’s monumental tantrum over the prospect of being sworn into office by a “midnight appointee” back in 2010, it would…