We beg to differ.
One of the items on Rodrigo Duterte’s platform of government in 2016 was federalism. This has remained unfulfilled largely due to the Senate being the stumbling block to constitutional amendments. The 1987 Constitution doesn’t state explicitly of both houses of Congress voting as one or both, with a 3/4 majority is required to deem an…
The traditional sins of omission of Senate investigations “in aid of legislation” are on exhibit again this being the an election year. Politics is tough in the Philippines. It’s tough everywhere but it’s tougher here because there is no such thing as a principled stand. It is mostly the business of show as an entertainer…
Neoliberals like Richard Javad Heydarian are the first to put the blame for the Philippines’ troubles on the so-called “bobotantes“. In his Inquirer column “The foolish myth of ‘bobotante’ voters”, he points out that “authoritarian nostalgists shouldn’t forget that their idols wouldn’t have made it to Malacañang without the support of a plurality of urban…
In his Inquirer piece “Behind the durability of institutions”, Randy David speaks of public institutions which withstand the revolving door of leaders who come and go every Presidential election cycle. These are the constitutional offices with a fixed term, regardless of whoever is in power or the highest career bureaucrat in any department or agency…
Read More “Reform of the Ph’s corrupt bureaucracy only possible if 1987 Charter is JUNKED” »
Former Ambassador and Manila Times columnist writes in his piece “For the funds of it” today about “one of the main reasons – other than megalomania – why so many seem to want to run for Philippine electoral posts, even for national posts.” For the most part, Tiglao points out, “It’s an income-generating project.” The…
Before we get into the meat of this post, I think an explanation on the term “bucket list” is owed towards those out of the loop. A bucket list is a list of activities a person intends to do before they die or, idiomatically speaking, before they “kick the bucket.” This is not to say…
Read More “The Philippines’ “Bucket List” – a vision for a better country” »
Devolution. This was the spirit in which Nene Pimentel authored the Local Government Code of 1991. Pimentel and Ruben Canoy were the leaders of the federal movement which was fledgling then. Since the movement couldn’t find legs to stand on, Pimentel decided that devolution was the next best option. The local government code was passed…
If you look at a map of the pre-Spanish “Philippines,” you would see that sultanates were the norm. The archipelago was heavily influenced by Islam which came by way of Indonesia and Malaysia. It was the Spaniards who introduced Christianity. One could argue that if the archipelago wasn’t colonized it would be composed today of…