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Road rage and the Filipino ego – like navigating a bubble through a forest of pins

September 12, 2011 benign0 17 Comments

Any motorist who’s spent enough time negotiating Manila’s potholed streets will attest to how the Philippines’ surreal complex of culturally-ingrained bad manners, ill-thought-out road layouts, inconsistent law enforcement, and the overall unsightliness that blankets the Philippines’ capital cities contributes to an experience like no other. At the root of the banal dysfunction of Philippine-style motoring…

Civics, Crime, Culture

The 11th September 2001 terrorist attack – ten years hence: What have we learned?

September 10, 2011 benign0 4 Comments

History’s worst terrorist act against Americans within and outside of their borders will be remembered on Sunday, the 11th September this year. Exactly ten years ago on that date (now known simply as â€œ9/11â€), more than three thousand people died in separate suicide attacks against high-profile targets within the United States, culminating in the total…

Crime, Politics, Religion

Reflecting on the Constitutional Reform Movement

September 9, 2011June 28, 2013 BenK 16 Comments

It seems I started a bit of a firestorm with a recent article among the advocates of constitutional reform, whom I did not actually identify as the CoRRECT movement — because to be quite honest, I’m not at all certain they are necessarily the only reform advocates in the country — but who were quick…

Charter Change, Politics

Ambassador Kristie Kenney and the awkwardness of what Wikileaks reveals about the Philippines

September 7, 2011 benign0 52 Comments

Of course the best policy is to shut up when faced with an awkward situation. Thus the term awkward silence. The Wikileaks-facilitated expose on what the United States really thinks of the Philippines is one awkward situation indeed. Of course it does not take a genius to work out how a bumbling basket case such…

Civics, Culture, Society

Recalling Senator Tito Sotto’s Pepsi Paloma connection

September 5, 2011March 5, 2016 benign0 67 Comments

Pepsi Paloma was best known as one of the “softdrink” beauties along with starlets Coca Nicolas and Sarsi Emmanuel in Philippine Cinema of the early eighties. Her career and life were tragically cut short after an unfortunate alleged crossing of paths with comedy stars and noontime variety show personalities Joey de Leon, Richie d’Horsey, and…

Crime, Glitz and Glamour, Media, Politics

Is prosperity with ‘no one left behind’ really possible?

September 5, 2011 benign0 5 Comments

I enjoyed reading a a blog post recently published in ProPinoy.net authored by a certain “bill” (quoted as it appears on the site — not capitalised). In his article, “reThinking Soriano“, “bill” makes an intriguing statement that got me thinking… So the question is not, â€œEnglish or Filipino?â€ The question is how to live and…

Development, Economy, Money Talks

The truth about Tagalog that James Soriano failed to explain

September 4, 2011June 18, 2014 Ilda 42 Comments

William “The Chair Wrecker” Esposo of Philstar.com has joined in the debate about the Philippine national language (or lack of it) in his recent column. This was in response to the controversial and now removed article written by James Soriano from Manila Bulletin. While Esposo rabidly defended our constitutionally mandated national language, Tagalog, he wrote…

Culture, Development, Education, Society

How a simple question evolved into a heated debate: Is Tagalog a language or a dialect?

September 1, 2011July 26, 2018 Miguel Tajan 15 Comments

The answer is simple, Tagalog is a language. Why make such a simple question into something so complex? I believe that the answer lies in the confusion between the definitions of a language and a dialect. We all know what a language is; itâ€™s what we speak everyday to communicate, so letâ€™s take a closer…

Culture, Education, Society