Tag: Vietnam

Why Is There Less Concern About Vietnamese Illegal Fishing in the West Philippine Sea?

October 25, 2022October 25, 2022 P. Farol 1 Comment

Mauro Gia Samonte’s opinion article on The Manila Times titled “The Joker in the West Philippine Sea Battle” which demonstrates how Vietnam’s activities in the West Philippine Sea hasn’t received as much attention as those of China’s was an eye-opener for me. To wit: “Based on the actual condition in the region, the three major…

Economy, Politics

Vietnam’s VinFast zooms past Philippine home-grown car brands

September 19, 2020 zaxx 9 Comments

Like my recent GRP piece on Charice’s “Self-destruct Mode” which got as far as the Tonight with Boy Abunda show, this article is another lamentation. This time it’s over the Pinoy struggle to get into the automotive industry game, with that sad feeling of being left behind. If you’ve heard of Vin Diesel of the…

Business, Development, Technology

Filipinos should junk the 1986 People Power narrative in order to TRULY progress

August 18, 2016 benign0 77 Comments

It’s time Filipinos pause, step back, take stock, and ask: What is really going on here? If one would attempt to answer that question using the common frame of mind with which Filipinos have coocooned themselves within, the responses would be unsurprising, quite trite, and peppered with certain key words prevalent in mainstream discourse today:…

Crime, Culture, Development, Economy

Can the Philippines compete in the 21st Century global economy?

February 4, 2016February 4, 2016 benign0 12 Comments

When the term ‘self sufficiency’ is mentioned, what often comes to mind is food. On that alone, self-sufficiency in terms of food is already a big issue in the Philippines. The Philippines is the world’s biggest importer of rice and is a major market in the region for the agricultural exports of many countries. The…

Culture, Development, Economy

The futility of begging for foreign investment when your country sucks

September 22, 2014 benign0 23 Comments

Recent events have, yet again, highlighted the embarrassing way with which Filipinos and the government they elected to lead them are desperately scrambling to extricate themselves from systemic poverty after decades of misguided “development” approaches and serial promise breaking. Like many many previous presidents before him, Philippine President Benigno Simeon ‘BS’ Aquino III went on…

Culture, Development, Environment, Government, Politics, Society

Manila airport upgrade up against tough regional competition!

May 28, 2014 benign0 17 Comments

Everybody is excited over a proposal coming from San Miguel Corporation to build a new $10 billion airport to replace the hopelessly decrepit and congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). NAIA is the main international gateway for travelers to the Philippines and is the hub for all Philippine airlines. The airport is named after the…

Development, Economy, Lifestyle, Money Talks

The Philippines increasingly finds itself in situations that require military responses

April 12, 2012June 28, 2013 benign0 27 Comments

The Philippines is increasingly finding itself in the middle of military flash points across the Far East. Over at the West Philippine Sea, the country’s biggest warship, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar is engaged in a standoff with two Chinese surveillance vessels standing in the way of the arrest of Chinese fishermen caught allegedly poaching…

Development, Government, Politics