Category: Media

How the Miriam Santiago vs Ping Lacson circus mirrors the Philippines’ bakla culture

February 14, 2013 benign0 51 Comments

Funny that just as soon as Senator Miriam Santiago threatened to reveal the “truth” about Senator Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson’s sexual orientation, the latter senator in a way kind of validated what many people have been speculating by going on a rampaging counter-attack himself. For one thing, this all supposedly started after Lacson was accused by…

Civics, Culture, Government, Media, Politics, Society

Noynoy surpasses Gloria? The Force is strong with him…NOT!

February 11, 2013August 14, 2013 FallenAngel 22 Comments

Former president Gloria Arroyo praised president Benigno Simeon Aquino III (BS Aquino) for the 2012 reported 6.6% GDP (gross domestic product) growth. There was a “but”, though: In her statement, Arroyo said she “shares the commitment of President Aquino to integrity and opposition to corruption.” “But the campaign against corruption must uphold the rule of…

Government, Media, Politics

Are we over-governing political campaign activities?

February 7, 2013 benign0 12 Comments

In recent days we’ve been seeing a few new “movements” and “advocacies” emerging (or being repackaged) as dominant topics amongst the chattering classes. Many of these involve one or another form of implementing some sort of “governance” around the way the Philippines’ wondrous cacophony of activity and voices that is its “democracy” work their way…

Civics, Government, Media, Politics

Philippine Economy blah-blah at the start of Year 2013

February 6, 2013July 14, 2013 benign0 14 Comments

So the economy is in the limelight again. Hmmmm…. What to say about the Philippine economy… hmmmm. What makes talking about the economy easy is that one need just highlight the same things again — that the Philippine economy is nothing more than an illusion propped up by “commercial activity” brought about by the flow…

Development, Economy, Media

The Online Media Business Model: Rappler Shows Us How to Do It Wrong

February 3, 2013April 12, 2018 BenK 5 Comments

For an entity that has spent a little over a year aggressively trying to convince the rest of us that it is some kind of â€œphenomenon,â€ just what, exactly, the creamsicle-themed â€œsocial news networkâ€ website Rappler is supposed to be is a question thatâ€™s still looking for an answer. And recent speculation about Rapplerâ€™s ownership…

Media, Money Talks

Sleeping with the enemy: Carlos Celdran fails to notice Church and Media partnership in crime

February 2, 2013 benign0 9 Comments

Perhaps if self-styled shock activist Carlos Celdran weren’t too busy posing for self-portraits and posting these on Twitter, he’d notice that the bigger institution that needs a bit of spanking is Philippine Media. Much of what makes the Church powerful today is owed to the handiwork of “creatives” like now-Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III (ironic!)…

Crime, Culture, Media, Politics

No, freedom of speech is NOT under threat…

February 1, 2013August 14, 2013 FallenAngel 38 Comments

Whiny, emo, pa-victim “activism” is. This realization has failed to sink in, so far, among the chattering classes currently up in arms just because Carlos Celdran was jailed for his Damaso stunt. The simple inescapable fact emerging from all this is that he violated a law. Regardless of whether he and these “activists” knew that…

Civics, Culture, Media

Senate drama sideshow: Yoly Ong and Juan Ponce Enrile’s exchange of lawsuits

January 28, 2013August 19, 2013 FallenAngel 28 Comments

As if Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile did not have enough on his plate this month from Senators Miriam Santiago, Antonio Trillanes, and Alan Peter Cayetano. As was reported a few days ago, he also has to deal with the counterclaim of Campaigns & Grey chairperson and Philippine Star columnist Yoly Villanueva-Ong. Ms. Ong filed…

Government, Media, Politics