Category: Politics

Re-engineering Philippine US Relations in the Advent of Chinese Expansionism

June 20, 2024June 23, 2024 Oman No Comments

Navigating the intricate web of Philippine interests amidst the volatile relationship between China and the United States presents a formidable challenge. The situation is further complicated by recurrent Chinese interference with Philippine resupply missions to the BRP Sierra Madre and escalating internal political rivalries fueled by the upcoming 2025 electoral campaign season. Picture a scenario…

Government, Politics

On its “Independence Day”, the Philippines remains a sad and CONFUSED colony

June 12, 2024June 12, 2024 benign0 7 Comments

Today, the 12th of June, is the Philippines’ imagined “Independence Day” — the day when she unilaterally declared herself “independent” of her Spanish colonial master. That was not to be for long as history would go on to reveal. Way above Filipinos’ pointed heads as their “revolutionaries” patted themselves on their backs, Spain and the…

History, Politics, Society

False “patriots” are fomenting sinophobia in the Philippines and turning Filipinos into racists

June 9, 2024June 9, 2024 Ramon Ortoll 8 Comments

Who’s sinophobic? Or rather, who’s fanning sinophobia in the country? It’s not the average Pinoy but overzealous nuts in the country’s government. You have the now famous coast guard commodore who infringes on the authority of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the National Security Council (NSC), combined. Then there are the leftist-liberals who…

Politics

Is the Philippines the Looming Ukraine of Asia?

June 7, 2024 Ramon Ortoll 20 Comments

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos welcomed Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a one-day visit to the Philippines after he spoke at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore which Marcos attended last week as the keynote speaker. The visit drew a comparison at the situation of Ukraine, which is seen by geopolitical analysts as engaged in a…

History, Politics

Terror, Duterte Style Rule of Panglao Mayor Drives Tourists Away During Peak Season

May 20, 2024 P. Farol No Comments

More than three hundred guests and employees of Villa Tomasa Alona Kew Resort in Panglao, Bohol remain in shock more than a week after it was allegedly shutdown by force by Mayor Edgardo “Boy” Arcay. Smartphone video footage taken by someone inside the resort shows dozens of police in battlegear and men armed with shotguns…

Government, Politics

Why is Filipino “patriotism” so CRINGE?

May 18, 2024May 19, 2024 benign0 13 Comments

One is consistently hard-pressed to get an authentic stand-up-and-put-hand-on-heart-with-welling-eyes vibe when called to emit a bit of patriotic signals for the Philippines. The latest such attempt to reel in some “love of country” sentiment comes in the form of an all-too-familiar “people power” stunt pulled by “non-government coalition” Atin Ito (“this is ours”) which set…

Politics, Society

The Philippines’ hollow no-substance political leaders and alliances hinders its development

May 16, 2024 Ramon Ortoll 5 Comments

In his recent piece “Ideology, anyone?”, Manila Standard columnist Lito Banayo hits upon a key reason why we are not as progressive as our ASEAN neighbors. Banayo gets to the core of why the “Unity” theme of the current administration of President Bongbong Marcos (PBbM) is in a death spiral sharing a conversation he picked…

Politics, Society

An alliance between the Yellowtards and the Marcos dynasty forms the Philippines’ new ruling oligarchy

May 12, 2024 Ramon Ortoll 6 Comments

In his Inquirer piece “Media, politics, and foreign relations”, columnist Randy David illuminates the recent media re-circus surrounding President Bongbong Marcos’s alleged history of drug use… It must have taken no small amount of pressure by the former president to get [Senator Ronald “Bato”] Dela Rosa, his erstwhile police chief, to initiate an investigation into…

Media, Politics