Category: Politics

Analyzing Duterte’s Magically Increased Budget and Totalitarian Tendencies

July 10, 2023July 10, 2023 Oman No Comments

In a recent article on One News, it was reported that the Office of the Vice President’s (OVP) budget for 2022 had increased by 32% following the assumption of office by Sara Duterte. The budget hike has raised concerns regarding President Duterte’s potential abuse of power and privileges, leading to questions about her totalitarian tendencies….

Politics

Totally Inday Sara: Life Under Full Blown Totalitarian Rule By 2028 and Beyond

July 9, 2023 Oman 6 Comments

After thirty years of living in the Philippines as a man with Middle Eastern ethnic origins who chose to be naturalized as a Filipino decades ago, I still have yet to grasp why most Filipinos and their political analysts still cleave to the inappropriate categorizations of political behavior. Most still tend to say that that…

Politics

Democracy Will Die With Inday Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio

July 2, 2023 Oman 22 Comments

Not even a year into her term as Vice President, Sara Zimmerman Duterte Carpio was caught trying to jump the line of succession leading to the Presidency and this has unmasked her power mad, reptilian character. The failed plot entailed seizing the House Speakership through former President now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, having President Ferdinand…

Politics

Inutile Opposition leaves administration factions to carve out the Philippines among themselves

June 28, 2023 Ramon Ortoll 3 Comments

Not really sucked the oxygen out, as Opposition columnist Manuel L Quezon III writes in his Inquirer piece “Ruling coalition fiesta”. Eerily quiet is the same as noisy if you think about it. Quezon writes, “With an opposition with no teeth, speculation on ruling coalition intramurals has sucked all the political oxygen out of the…

Politics

On Afghan refugees: Philippines bending so far backwards for the US it risks breaking its back

June 19, 2023 Ramon Ortoll 1 Comment

In his Manila Standard column today, Lito Banayo beseeches the President, “Please listen to your sister”. Banayo refers to the issue of the Afghan refugees that the United States are suggesting should be temporarily accommodated in the Philippines while they are being cleared for resettlement in the US. Banayo credits said sister, Senator Imee Marcos,…

Politics

Administration split between Marcos, Duterte camps throw shade on US regional designs vs China

June 18, 2023 Ramon Ortoll 1 Comment

Proof that all is not well within the ruling coalition? Columnist Alex Magno in his PhilStar piece “Overreach” today fearlessly forecasts that “personality clashes that surfaced the past few weeks will become more severe as realignments happen in preparation for the midterm elections.” At a recent event, Vice-President Sara Duterte professed support for President Marcos…

Politics

Disunity cracking the UniTeam: Knives out as players jostle for position

June 14, 2023 Ramon Ortoll No Comments

Is there a break in the UniTeam this early in the game? Most likely yes. Back in the campaign leadup to the 2022 national elections, then President Rodrigo Duterte read the political tea leaves right and knew that then candidate Bongbong Marcos couldn’t win the presidency without his daughter Inday Sara Duterte in tow. His…

Politics

Getting the Philippines to Denmark (Part I)

June 14, 2023 The Unpopular Opinion No Comments

The Philippines had recently celebrated its 125th Independence Day. It is a celebration that symbolizes how Filipino forefathers have broken the shackles of centuries-long Spanish imperialism and colonialism. It also serves as a reminder to reflect on the sacrifices of Filipinos in pursuing the path towards self-determination. As June 12, 1898 became a date when…

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