We beg to differ.
One of the stupidest things some Filipinos kept suggesting during the height of the disaster in Central Philippines brought about by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) is for people to stop criticizing the Philippine government. For some bizarre reason, some equate the criticism coming from those who were concerned for the welfare of the victims as…
Noted constitutionalist and former president of the Ateneo de Manila University Fr Joaquin Bernas lauded the Supreme Court decision to ban pork which, he wrote, “restores the normal constitutional order of handling public money”. He cited the specific clause in the Constitution that clearly defines the limits of the power of any one government official…
The first 72 hours in every disaster relief and rescue operation is the most crucial. It’s when a responsible and speedy reaction is much needed. It was during this most crucial time, the 1st 72 hours, that I was hoping our government leaders have acted more swiftly and responded more responsibly as well. No, I…
In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Typhoon Yolanda (a.k.a. Haiyan) the hard question stares us squarely in the face: What’s next for a nation that, even in normal times, struggles to deliver the most basic services to the majority of its people?. According to recent reports, up to four million Filipinos are left…
Read More “The Philippines’ long road to recovery after Yolanda: Are Filipinos up to the task?” »
And when we say the Philippines, we don’t mean just the government; we mean to include the Filipino people who voted those incompetent officials in, like for example, president Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III. From the start of his term, it has been painfully obvious that BS Aquino’s presidency was heavily anchored on popularity. Thus,…
Read More “Typhoon Yolanda has exposed the nakedness of an image-conscious Philippines” »
Did the Filipino people elect their leaders so that they could be given a “break” in times when their leadership is needed the most? It seems that’s exactly what they did. Many Filipinos are already quite aware of the embarrassingly cringe-worthy manner with which Philippine President Benigno Simeon “BS” Aquino III and Department of Interior…
They say people’s true character reveals itself under pressure. Super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) has certainly put Philippine politicians under pressure. This is something they are not really used to. They are more used to grandstanding under their own terms during scheduled press conferences with members of the local media and during mock hearings, which appear…
Within several days, a coherent picture of the situation in the areas devastated by Typhoon Yolanda (international code name: Haiyan) which hit the Philippines on the 8th November 2013 has been produced by an international team of crisis management experts. The Situation Report published on the 13th November 2013 by the UN Office for the…