We beg to differ.
True to form in the way Filipinos imagine themselves to be the inventors of “peaceful change in leadership”, we see the Inquirer editor, in that familiar tradition of Filipino self-aggrandisement, insert the “Filipino experience” into Malaysian current events. Today’s Inquirer Op-Ed peace is given the title “The Marcoses of Malaysia”. Not surprisingly, practically the entire…
The trend is becoming clear. With the victory of Malaysian opposition coalition Pakatan Harapan led by former revered strongman Mahathir Mohamad in the recently-concluded Malaysian elections, a region revisits its roots as rapidly-industrialising economies back in the mid- to latter-half of the 20th Century. The return of Mahathir follows a similar ascent to power of…
Read More “Mahathir Mohamad set to turn Malaysia back into a REAL southeast Asian nation!” »
Filipinos need to “unite” to solve their big macro national problems. Yet Filipinos, unfortunately, are a people pulled in different directions. We have Yellowtards versus Dutertards, the masses versus the oligarchs, Christians versus Muslims, and Imperial Manila versus the rest of the country among other battles being waged that are ripping Philippine society apart. Adding…
Read More “Filipinos need to kill their cultural demons in order to kill their real enemies” »
The famous mega-rich investor Warren Buffet once said: “Never ask a barber if you need a haircut.” That’s short for saying that everyone has an agenda and the last thing one should be doing is seeking advise from someone who happens to have the “perfect product” for you. As we begin the six-month homestretch to…
Read More “Philippine democracy can only work when mediocre thinking is eradicated” »
You gotta love free enterprise. Filipinos will steal and sell anything that isn’t bolted to the floor. So no surprise in these recent reports following the latest barangay elections. Votes are certainly not the heaviest of objects to make off with. And there are lots of buyers. Why do Filipinos sell their votes? There’s really…
Read More “Vote buying is a win-win transaction for the average Filipino voter” »
In one of my earlier articles, “Is the solution to Filipino Dysfunction being more ‘UnFilipino,’” the discussion shifted to Asian Values and whether I was saying Filipino values were inferior – which was not my point. Perhaps I have not written the earlier article well enough and need to clarify my stance, with more references…
Read More “Asian Values, Filipino Values, Superior Values?” »
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…
While I was reading news about Malaysia’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…
Read More “Malaysia and the Philippines: corruption and cheating are all part of ‘the game’” »