Tag: constitutional reform

It is time to reform the way ‘reform movements’ are run in the Philippines

June 7, 2013 benign0 131 Comments

There are reform movements and there are people critical of said reform movements. Perhaps it is time that certain “reform” movements learn from their critics. That assumes of course that there is such a culture of learning within said movement. Indeed, the template had long ago been set for “movements” that behaved more like cults…

Charter Change, Culture, Politics, Society

Political, economic reform: Best left to the grown-ups

June 1, 2013 BenK 10 Comments

(From The Manila Times, Saturday, June 1. Apparently, the link to this article has been giving some readers a bit of trouble, which is probably attributable to the Times’ website upgrade being only a couple days old. Please bear with us.) While President Aquino and the presumptive new Senate President Franklin Drilon have both expressed…

Charter Change, Government

President Noynoy Aquino may have a good reason for giving a no-go to charter change!

May 22, 2013 benign0 45 Comments

In a pre-emptive strike on the whole discussion around ‘charter change’ that is likely to come up after the opening of the 16th Congress in July, President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III issued his two cents on the matter of foreign ownership of land in the Philippines. â€œI donâ€™t think they are necessary detriment to…

Charter Change, Development, Economy

Why A Parliamentary Shift Advocacy Has ‘Lost It’

May 16, 2013May 16, 2013 P. Farol 79 Comments

It’s not so much the concept of a parliamentary form of government, but the manner in which one group chooses to push for it that has gotten the larger online Filipino community linking arms against it. Tsk tsk. Weak arguments, kilometric tirades, and focus on personal attacks are signs of a creeping desperation in this…

Charter Change

Showbiz government set to rule as Grace Poe and Erap Estrada take early leads in poll count

May 14, 2013 benign0 23 Comments

There’s really not much you can say about the outcome of the 2013 elections other than to invoke those famous last words: Told ya so. The proverbial pig is a lot bigger than its proverbial lips. So you may put as much lipstick as you want on said lips, and the fact will still remain…

Culture, Media, Politics, Society

Why Enabling Steps Are Not Enough

May 13, 2013 P. Farol 47 Comments

Political dilettantes talk about “enabling steps” because that’s all they know. Most people can’t tell how a chess game will go simply just by looking at the opening game. Â I think it’s actually the middle game that determines a great game from a mediocre one and the greatness of the game is not seen in…

Charter Change, Culture, Development, Economy

Will the Philippines prosper if we change its system of government?

May 11, 2013 benign0 81 Comments

Can a change in system of government really change the development trajectory of an entire nation? Perhaps so, but the complexity of any causal link that might exist between a system of government and the future success — or failure — of a country does not allow us a straightforward way of determining just how…

Development, Government, Society

Malaysia and the Philippines: corruption and cheating are all part of ‘the game’

May 8, 2013May 10, 2018 Ilda 73 Comments

While I was reading news about Malaysiaâ€™s recently-concluded election, I could not help but shake my head; it was as if I was reading about the Philippines. Some of the things that were being said about the Malaysian government and its society could likewise be said about the Philippine government and its society too. It…

Government, Media, Politics, Society