We beg to differ.
We’ve all read about how anti-intellectual Philippine society is and how Filipinos are often too emotional for their own good. Yes, I even wrote an article about how my idea of Hell fits in with the Filipino mindset. But now comes an important question for all Filipinos: Is it so difficult to be professional? Is…
[The following is a piece originally published in The Manila Bulletin on the 09th April 2000 and featured in Get Real Philippines on the same year. How many of the issues mentioned here remain the same unchanged ones today? Remember, this was written back in 2000.] * * * AN admired Filipino economist, based in…
Read More “The #Philippines suffers from acute intellectual bankruptcy and a lack of common sense” »
We already know the answer to that question. Back in 1991, Philippine Congress voted to boot Uncle Sam’s boys out of her shores for good. Since then, the Philippines had undergone a steep decline to irrelevance in the world stage. Along with that came tumbling her ability to defend herself. Indeed, one would have thought…
Read More “What will the Philippines do if America walks away?” »
So the reason Harry Roque, legal counsel for the family of slain Filipino transgender Jeffrey Laude, released photos of the victim’s body to the public is reportedly “to gain public sympathy for the case.” “It’s high time the Filipino people understand the family’s and Suselbeck’s sense of anger,” Roque said. In short, Roque confirms that…
Read More “Bad taste rules: Morbid photos of a dead Jeffrey Laude released by his family!” »
If I were a businessman of any sort in the Philippines, I’d be fuming. In most NORMAL countries, the arrival of shiploads of young, cashed-up, and physically vigorous American military personnel would be greeted with joy and eyes flashing with $$ signs. Not in the Philippines though. The other day, the United States aircraft carrier…
Read More “Sorry, Joe. No more boom-boom in Manila and Olongapo City” »
The Philippines does not negotiate with terrorists. Or so we are told following the miraculous “rescue” of two German hostages Stefan Viktor Okonek and Henrike Dielen held by the Islamic terrorist group Abu Sayyaf. According to Abu Sayyaf spokesman Abu Rami, the ransom they demanded was paid. According to the Philippine Government no such ransom…
Or any other country’s democracy-oriented drive, for that matter. Admittedly, watching the unfolding of the Hong Kong protests – dubbed the Umbrella Revolution – gets one’s curiosity easily piqued. Given that the protesters have been issued an ultimatum to clear the streets, outside observers are hoping that things don’t end tragically. When the world recalls…
Read More “Filipinos need to stop inserting themselves into Hong Kong’s #UmbrellaRevolution” »
The People’s Republic of China (PRC) has taken its all-too-familiar stand on the issue of unrest in Hong Kong remaining consistent with its standard approach to managing and negotiating issues of sovereignity over its territories. “I’d like to reiterate that Hong Kong is a special administrative region (SAR) of China, and Hong Kong affairs fall…
Read More “Why Hong Kong’s #UmbrellaRevolution is unlikely to move Beijing” »