Tag: balat-sibuyas

Why Yellowtards need people like @PinoyAkoBlog to ‘say what they want to say’

October 23, 2017October 23, 2017 FallenAngel 5 Comments

Unfortunately for the pro-Duterte community, the recent exposés on the identities of those behind certain anti-Duterte websites – SilentNoMorePH and PinoyAkoBlog among them – did not have the desired effect. Rather than flush out others who are involved in what is widely believed to be a well-oiled information control machine, one of the persons identified,…

Culture, Media, Society

Are comments sections becoming a thing of the past?

August 29, 2016 FallenAngel 7 Comments

Comments sections can be both a boon and a bane for online sites, whether they be news sites or blogs. In an ideal setting, the conversations and insights that can be derived from those who leave comments would be wholesome, respectful, decent, lucid, on-topic, and diverse. The ideal setting does not exist in today’s internet…

Media, Society, Tech Talk

Wrestling with Pigs

August 19, 2016 FallenAngel 58 Comments

The phrase panem et circenses (bread and circuses) is often used to describe the way governments provide superficial appeasement to the governed. No doubt this describes the Philippine government and politics, with all their telenovela-worthy drama that the media is only too willing to shove a camera and microphone towards. One can also notice, however,…

Not even the Donald can Trump Filipino hypersensitivity!

August 10, 2016 FallenAngel 40 Comments

Donald Trump, the Republican candidate for President of the United States (POTUS), caught the ire of the Filipino community recently, when he mentioned Filipinos in a speech as one among a bunch of “terrorist nations”. The Donald did get something partially right: dealing with Filipinos is like dealing with a bunch of animals. I haven’t…

Development, Government, Politics

Will the Pinoy Way ever work?

December 31, 2015 FallenAngel 10 Comments

The Pinoy Way is that set of behaviors, mannerisms, and cultural idiosyncrasies which have become a staple and hallmark of Filipino culture and society as we see it manifest today. Filipino culture is seemingly built up on three pillars of dysfunction. This means that all the observed dysfunctional behaviors of Filipinos as of yet (I…

Culture, Society

The hollowness and hypocrisy with which Filipinos regard foreign entities

June 19, 2015June 19, 2015 FallenAngel 20 Comments

Fact is, the Philippines is tremendously dependent on foreign entities to prop itself up. Not only do Filipinos rely on importing foreign goods into the country, they have a constant need to seek validation from foreign entities that they have good qualities. Up to a certain point, Filipinos could be excused for saying that as…

Culture, Development, Lifestyle, Society

Common, irritating ways Filipinos react to criticism

July 4, 2014July 4, 2014 FallenAngel 49 Comments

It is no secret that Filipinos are collectively extremely sensitive to criticism. In fact, a term exists in the vernacular to describe just how bad Filipinos are at taking it: balat-sibuyas, literally, onion-skinned. The explanation is that, just as onion skin peels rather easily, the Filipino “skin” easily gets hurt. Fact is, there is a…

Culture

Living in bubbles – pop goes the Philippines!

December 1, 2013 FallenAngel 95 Comments

Among the talking points currently on the plates of the pundits here in the Philippines is the article published on Forbes by Jesse Colombo. He describes himself as “an economic analyst and anti-economic bubble activist who was recognized by the London Times for predicting the Global Financial Crisis. I am currently warning about growing bubbles…

Culture, Development, Economy, Lifestyle