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Are OFWs’ right to travel being violated by the Philippine Government?

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 Ilda 41 Comments

The Philippine economy will collapse without the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). Remittances from the OFWs contributed significantly to the 7.3% growth in the economy in 2010. The spending fuelled by the billions of dollars they send back home is a factor that is likely helping the country avoid a Greece-like economic failure. Even without drastic…

Economy, Government

Three communication tips that will get you out of the office by five

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 benign0 10 Comments

In an ideal work environment, the first thing many of us do in the morning is schedule the stuff we will be doing for the day, plan the things we need to get these jobs done, and then proceed to do the job subject to said schedule and plan. By doing the thinking up front…

Lifestyle, Money Talks

OFW ‘exit permits’ make sense – because taxpayers’ funds are at stake

July 15, 2011July 15, 2011 benign0 14 Comments

Exit permits for OFWs? You gotta be kidding. That plus anecdotal evidence of all sorts of red tape before one can depart for a job overseas? An outrage! It sounds like something reminiscent of the Cold War when East German citizens would risk life and limb to make a dash across the border for a…

Economy, Lifestyle, Politics, Society

I Donâ€™t Like President Aquino

July 14, 2011July 14, 2011 BenK 14 Comments

Iâ€™ve seen more than enough. Iâ€™m passing my judgment. I donâ€™t like President Aquino. But that is actually secondary to the point I want to make here, so bear with me as I attempt to find a straightforward way to explain it. For an outsider like me, comparisons between the country of my birth and…

Culture, Society

Religious group throws money into the Mitsubishop ‘issue’ in the hope of ‘resolving’ it

July 13, 2011 benign0 56 Comments

The Philippines is a nation of suckers. Filipinos routinely elevate rabble-rousers to “hero” status, pardon convicted plunderers, allow dictators’ family and offspring to continue living the good life, and tolerate a uniquely-Filipino brand of banal criminality that is embedded deep in the very fibres that weave the social fabric of Philippines society. This quaint aspect…

Civics, Lifestyle, Religion

Google Plus or ‘Google+’: jumping into the Borg

July 12, 2011July 12, 2011 benign0 4 Comments

I finally found the time to get off my bum and jump into this new new thing called Google+ (pronounced “Google Plus” presumably). This is the Web behemoth’s new social networking platform that was rolled out on limited testing among a select set of users. I got roped in by a friend who was a…

Lifestyle, Tech Talk, Technology

Flashy cars and brand-new SUVs in car-crazy Philippines

July 11, 2011 benign0 3 Comments

First it was President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and his Porsche, now it is Butuan Bishop Juan de Dios Pueblos and the other “Mitsubishops,” proud owners of their Pajeros, considered to be luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) in a country with a measly 31 motor vehicles per 1000 people (compared to 273 per 1000 for…

Glitz and Glamour, Lifestyle

Mitsubishops: the CBCP conveniently absolves its own and remains above the Law

July 11, 2011 benign0 29 Comments

A statement issued last week by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on the matter of some of its members using taxpayers’ funds to buy luxury sport utility vehicles (SUVs) for use in their “field work,” made it quite categorical: “Our conscience is clear.” But of course it is. This is a statement…

Civics, Culture, Government, Religion