Category: Politics

What Filipinos need to learn from Hong Kong’s #UmbrellaRevolution

September 30, 2014September 30, 2014 benign0 55 Comments

A lot of Filipinos have been following closely the massive pro-democracy protests that have rocked Hong Kong in recent days. After Beijing announced that it will be vetting candidates for the coming 2017 election there, Hong Kong residents have taken to the streets by the hundreds of thousands, virtually paralysing the prosperous former British colony…

Politics, Society

Question to activists: After resorting to violence against Sec Butch Abad, what next?

September 28, 2014 benign0 22 Comments

I can understand the rage felt by those UP students who mobbed Department of Budget Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad in mid-September. The behaviour of these activists represent an explosion of pent-up anger over what many believe to be an astounding case of wholesale national thievery that will likely go unpunished. Abad is widely-regarded…

Civics, Crime, Government, Politics, Society

The futility of begging for foreign investment when your country sucks

September 22, 2014 benign0 23 Comments

Recent events have, yet again, highlighted the embarrassing way with which Filipinos and the government they elected to lead them are desperately scrambling to extricate themselves from systemic poverty after decades of misguided “development” approaches and serial promise breaking. Like many many previous presidents before him, Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III went on…

Culture, Development, Environment, Government, Politics, Society

Noynoy Aquino’s arrogance is forcing Filipinos to take matters into their own hands

September 19, 2014September 19, 2014 Ilda 25 Comments

The mobbing of Budget Secretary Butch Abad by angry students from the University of the Philippines (UP) is a sign that the system in the Philippines has broken down. The fact that a large group of Filipinos did not hesitate to verbally abuse a public official and were even prepared to physically assault him shows…

Crime, Education, Government, Politics, Society

DBM Secretary Butch Abad faces the wrath of the ‘Iskolars ng Bayan’

September 18, 2014 benign0 22 Comments

A video has emerged showing Department of Budget Management (DBM) Secretary Florencio ‘Butch’ Abad being mobbed by activists at the University of the Philippines School of Economics building in Diliman, Quezon City last night. In the video, youths loudly chanted, among other phrases, “Noynoy Patalsikin!” and then heckled Abad as he left the building and…

Crime, Education, Government, Politics

The Philippines’ power crisis and Noynoy Aquino’s lame bid for emergency powers

September 17, 2014 benign0 36 Comments

So let me get this straight. After four years of sitting on his hands, Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III is suddenly asking for “emergency powers” to solve the power crisis gripping the country? What happened to those last four years? Why is this suddenly an “emergency”? Project managers who are worth their salt…

Crime, Development, Economy, Government, Politics

Noynoy Aquino: stop issuing stupid answers to the question of your term extension

September 16, 2014 benign0 18 Comments

The most annoying sort of human beings of all are those who can’t make up their minds. I’m a firm believer in the saying: Either dump your load or get off the can. Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III has been playing games with Filipinos for months now. He’s certainly earned the ‘BS’ in…

Charter Change, Government, Politics

4 issues Philippine presidential candidates should address in the lead up to the 2016 election

September 12, 2014September 13, 2014 Ilda 39 Comments

Filipinos should be grateful to The New York Times for being instrumental in putting an end to talks around whether or not Philippine President Benigno Simeon (BS) Aquino should seek another term. The news site’s scathing editorial lambasting the President for hinting he would support the amendment of the 1987 Constitution to allow him to…

Development, Economy, Government, Politics, Society