Category: Society

The Philippines: an Ampaw Republic governed by an Ampaw President

March 15, 2014 benign0 7 Comments

It all started with former Congressman Teddy Casiño’s morning greeting on Twitter… Good morning citizens of the Ampaw Republic! That pretty much made our morning. Within minutes, hordes of Pinoy Pridists descended upon the hapless activist, denouncing his likening of the Philippines to the no-substance low-nutrition Filipino dessert ampaw. Ampaw is made of puffed-up grain…

Culture, Development, Government, Politics, Society

Senator Miriam Santiago: ‘social media superstar’ or just another ampaw politician?

March 15, 2014 benign0 14 Comments

Of all people. Senator Miriam Santiago was the last person in the world I would’ve expected to request that Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III be “given leeway in making his decisions.” “I will be very careful in criticizing a president because I have close, first hand observation of how difficult it is to…

Politics, Society

Honor is not a strong part of Filipino tradition

March 14, 2014January 15, 2022 benign0 42 Comments

You don’t need to look far. The current political tele-dramas that have rivetted Filipinos lately point to it. Thievery on such an unprecedented vast scale perpetrated by the elected officials of a society are proof in itself. Many of them were not elected once but twice — and their offspring and kin elected despite all…

Civics, Culture, Development, Government, Society

What the case of PMA student Cudia says about Filipino society at large

March 14, 2014March 14, 2014 FallenAngel 46 Comments

The case of dismissed Philippine Military Academy student Aldrin Cudia has lingered long enough among the chattering classes. When news of it first broke out, it seemed that Cudia was dismissed for being a few minutes late for a succeeding class. Eventually, it became known to the public that Cudia was found guilty of something…

Crime, Culture, Lifestyle, Media, Society

Social media for social change? Think again, Philippines

March 13, 2014March 13, 2014 FallenAngel 12 Comments

The more I hear people say that social media is going to be a “game-changer” for social good, or however they want to say it, the more I get convinced that it’s actually not going to happen. Social media is commonly delineated in scope to refer to Facebook, Twitter and in some cases Youtube, no…

Civics, Media, Politics, Society, Technology

According to Senator Miriam Santiago, the next Philippine president should have a vagina

March 12, 2014February 20, 2022 benign0 21 Comments

Here is Senator Miriam Santiago’s compelling argument for why the next President of the Philippines should be a woman… “We’ve had 13 male and only two female presidents so far. The Philippines has had a total of 15 presidents. To achieve equality between males and females, since we have had 13 males, the next 11…

Civics, Government, Lifestyle, Politics, Society

Why the good guys need to keep it real when dealing with Russia and China

March 12, 2014March 12, 2014 benign0 13 Comments

One thing about all the conflicts going on around the world today is that their underlying causes haven’t changed. War has always been all about resources — access to and control over it. This is essentially what aspirations to national “independence” are all about. They start with “oppressed” people complaining about being sick and tired…

Economy, Politics, Society

Philippines’ Makati and Cebu Cities among top ‘selfiest’ cities in the world!

March 11, 2014 benign0 31 Comments

Another feather added to the Philippines’ cap of dubious acheivements! Two Philippine cities made it to the Top Ten “Selfiest” cities in the world. A database compiled by TIME, reveals that the Philippines’ financial centre Makati City produced “more selfies per capita than any other city in the world.” Following Makati, which logged “258 selfie-takers…

Culture, Lifestyle, Society, Tech Talk