Category: Politics

PNoy’s 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) makes you go ‘hmmm…’

July 26, 2013August 8, 2013 Ilda 80 Comments

There is simply no other show in the Philippines like the occasion of the State of the Nation Address (SONA), especially when it involves President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino, his family, and his minions. Some star-struck Filipinos even liken the spectacle to the internationally-renowned Academy of Motion Pictures awards night or the Oscars because public…

Government, Politics, Society

The crying cop story and how Filipino society can break even the most stoic citizen

July 24, 2013July 25, 2013 FallenAngel 33 Comments

President Benigno Simeon Aquino III (BS Aquino) delivered the State of the Nation Address (SONA) to mark the opening of Congress for year 2013 last Monday, July 22. As much as the content of said address (all 102 minutes of it), what’s also being discussed by the chattering classes is what our politicians wore to…

Politics, Society

An analysis of the 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Noynoy Aquino delivered July 22, 2013

July 22, 2013July 23, 2013 benign0 62 Comments

No wonder the fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III took all of 102 minutes. He tried to cover every bit of detail in what was an unstructured litany of statistics, examples, and anecdotes. But to the expansion of BS Aquino’s speech in duration was a reportedly…

Development, Economy, Government, Politics

Members of Philippine Congress shouldn’t have been given the pork barrel to begin with

July 22, 2013 Kate Natividad 12 Comments

If you will pardon me, but I have a very simplistic take on the issue of pork barrel and it revolves around this simple question: Why are legislators involved in the disbursement of development and project funds? After all, we elect legislators to craft laws. But then we also elect our local government officials to…

Development, Politics

The Fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Noynoy Aquino – July 22, 2013

July 21, 2013July 22, 2013 Ilda 200 Comments

President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino will be delivering his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday, July 22, 2013. It has been three years since majority of Filipino voters elected the son of so-called “heroes” into the highest office in the land. Little did those voters know that after he banished the use…

Crime, Government, Politics, Society

MMDA’s Proposed Ban and Bane

July 20, 2013 John Bay 12 Comments

People are outraged by MMDA’s proposed number coding scheme that is set to ban vehicles plying EDSA for two days instead of one. While the movement seems like a legitimate effort to curb vehicle volume, perhaps the same has not been well thought and apparently costing the administration some points especially with the upcoming SONA….

Development, Government, Politics, Society

Local Similarities With The Taliban?

July 16, 2013July 21, 2013 Gogs 12 Comments

Nick Naylor: My job requires a certain… moral flexibility. From the film Thank You For Smoking (2005) What were you doing on your 16th birthday? If you are as old as me maybe you were marveling at the recent implementation of indoor plumbing. Regardless of age I doubt you were addressing…

Education, Government, Politics

Pork barrel scam probe by NBI implicates 28 members of Philippine Congress

July 16, 2013 benign0 24 Comments

According to an NBI investigator, it is “the mother of all scams”. Allegations that up to Php10 billion was siphoned off by a syndicate into dummy firms is rocking the foundations of both chambers of Philippine Congress. Linked to the scandal are no less than five senators and 23 congressmen. Was it a racket knowingly…

Crime, Development, Politics