Tag: people power

The sad 29th anniversary of the 1986 EDSA people power ‘revolution’

February 26, 2015 benign0 9 Comments

Another EDSA “people power” anniversary, another traffic jam. These commemorations of that now-debatable “revolution” have become bigger and bigger national cringes with each passing year. But this year’s “celebration” was particularly noteworthy as it features a government that is now on the run from its own “bosses”. Police in anti-riot armour were out in full…

Civics, Development, Government, Politics, Society

How EDSA ‘people power’ ‘revolutions’ have become the Philippines’ biggest national embarrassment!

February 25, 2015February 21, 2022 benign0 4 Comments

The following is an article I wrote way back in 2001 following the ouster of former President Joseph ‘Erap’ Estrada via a multi-million-strong street revolution that would go on to be known as “EDSA 2” (or EDSA Dos). The ouster of Estrada paved the way for the ascent to power of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who would…

Civics, Culture, Development, Politics, Society

The Philippine ‘Opposition’: A movement in search of a credible cause

February 24, 2015 benign0 3 Comments

There used to be an old 1970s-1980s term often used to describe the “politically passionate”. Cause-oriented groups or COGs as they were once called was the collective term used for activists and rabble-rousers alike. They had real “causes” at the time — many of which were focused on achieving “freedom”, because Filipinos were supposedly not…

Crime, Development, Politics, Society

It is time Filipinos learn to understand what it means to be truly MINDFUL

February 24, 2015 benign0 22 Comments

Your stuck with it so you might as well defend it. That’s the sort of loser attitude that’s at work in a lot of the apologism we see nowadays. I’m fat. Deal with it. I’m poor. Deal with it. I’m a Catholic. Deal with it. I can’t speak English. Deal with it. I voted for…

Culture, Development, Education, Lifestyle, Society

The 1986 EDSA people power ‘revolution’ has irreparably damaged the Philippines

February 18, 2015February 20, 2022 benign0 44 Comments

Back in the heady days leading up to the 1986 EDSA “people power” “revolution”, the top slogan of supporters of then incumbent Philippine president Ferdinand E. Marcos was, what else, “Marcos pa rin!” (roughly translated: “Still Marcos!”). Fast forward to today and, guess what, the incumbent’s slogan that “trended” in recent days (presumably to counter…

Development, Media, Politics, Religion, Society

The #Philippines suffers from acute intellectual bankruptcy and a lack of common sense

January 5, 2015 benign0 28 Comments

[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…

Crime, Culture, Development, Economy, Government, Politics, Society

Why Voters Should Not Vote for the ‘Right’ Candidates

October 11, 2014 Hector Gamboa 17 Comments

There is a saying that goes: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result”. Of course if we think about it, it’s not entirely true. Tom Chivers, assistant comment editor of The Telegraph in the United Kingdom, correctly points out the flaw of the cliché. He points out…

Government, Politics

Former President Cory Aquino speaks to PNoy from beyond the grave

August 14, 2014 benign0 10 Comments

Former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino, the late mother of Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III seems to be speaking to her son from the grave in the following speech (where she tries to dissuade then President Fidel Ramos from pushing for charter change to extend his term). Note the irony in her words in…

Charter Change, Government, Politics