Tag: overseas foreign worker

Winning, heroism and the palamunin mentality in Philippine society

September 1, 2014September 1, 2014 benign0 12 Comments

Keen observers of the Filipino Condition had long ago collectively agreed to put a word to the concept: palamunin. The word encapsulates many aspects of Philippine culture encompassing its renowned mendicancy, lack of foresight, heritage of smallness, victim mentality, false hope, and anti-intellectual values. Indeed, the most disturbing aspect of Philippine society is the way…

Culture, Development, Society

Financial Times Editor David Pilling confirms Philippine economy grew on back of Arroyo’s legacy

July 13, 2014 benign0 37 Comments

Where are we now? No one knows. We don’t know whether we are coming or going or how far we are in our journey to whatever was promised to the Filipino during President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III’s campaign. All we know for sure is that four years have passed since we elected ourselves a…

Development, Economy, Government, Media

Filipinos need to end their love affair with mediocrity and ‘pwede na yan’ mentality

July 9, 2014August 4, 2014 Ilda 118 Comments

My views are not very popular with Filipinos. I guess it’s partly my fault because I like posting topics that some might consider taboo and boring. But it’s not like I discuss religion or make fun of other people’s religious beliefs. Granted, I like talking about Philippine politics and society in general but I really…

Civics, Culture, Development, Economy, Featured, Government, Lifestyle, Media, Politics, Society

Philippine employment dilemma: Dumb down the jobs? Or smarten up the workforce?

July 6, 2014 benign0 11 Comments

The Philippines is imprisoned by a deep systemic inability in its people to extricate themselves from poverty. It is a problem that is an outcome of (1) the sheer number of Filipinos that inhabit the planet, (2) the average productive output of each warm Filipino body earning (or seeking to earn) a living, and (3)…

Development, Economy, Education, Money Talks

Is it illegal to exhibit Filipino maids in store display windows in Singapore malls?

June 30, 2014 benign0 25 Comments

By now, the now infamous report “Buy a discount maid at Singapore’s malls” featured by Al Jazeera last week has been shared and re-shared on social media as well as published and re-published by mainstream news organisations, further inflaming outrage among Filipinos whose egos have already taken severe beatings thanks to some media gaffes and…

Government, Lifestyle, Society

HK Filipino maids react to latest ‘racism’ row as impact of Singapore hate blog ripples across region

June 19, 2014June 19, 2014 benign0 36 Comments

Tensions between Filipino expat residents in Singapore and so-called hate bloggers and online trolls seems to be escalating. The Philippine embassy in Singapore has asked the Singapore government to hold accountable for inciting hatred a blogger who published an article on the site “Blood Stained Singapore” in which the Filipino community there was described as…

Civics, Culture, Development, Economy, Education, Government, Lifestyle, Media, Society

Why do Singaporeans hate Filipinos?

June 18, 2014July 1, 2014 benign0 169 Comments

It’s the obvious question everyone is asking nowadays amidst a raft of hate blogs and other such digital artifcats going “viral” all over the Net. Many of these seem to have stemmed from the whole fracas surrounding a plan by Filipino community leaders to stage a 12th June Independence Day event at a major shopping…

Civics, Culture, Economy, Featured, Government, Lifestyle, Society

Five things the Philippines needs to develop to become a great nation

June 8, 2014June 8, 2014 benign0 31 Comments

The following are the five key pillars that form the foundation of what could make Filipinos’ aspirations to build not just a better Philippines but a great Philippines a reality. No amount of nebulous campaign slogans and promises delivered in flowery speeches will replace the need for solid foundations for development and progress. Here is…

Civics, Crime, Culture, Development, Economy, Government, Society