No small deal: The contribution of POGOs to the Philippine economy

Posted on By Ramon Ortoll 2 Comments on No small deal: The contribution of POGOs to the Philippine economy
No small deal: The contribution of POGOs to the Philippine economy

Much has been written about Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) but no one has actually ever been in one I think. I got a glimpse into how they operate last Friday. They are literally self-contained communities complete with their own grocery store, salon and barber shop, restaurant, laundry and whatever else the Chinese employees will…

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Business, Money Talks

Members of @1Sambayan and the broader Opposition need to reflect on why Filipinos hate them

Posted on By benign0 No Comments on Members of @1Sambayan and the broader Opposition need to reflect on why Filipinos hate them
Members of @1Sambayan and the broader Opposition need to reflect on why Filipinos hate them

It is clear that the most influential “thought leaders” of the Philippine Opposition still fail to truly understand why they are in the predicament they are today. With just a week to go until the much-hyped June 12 announcement of the candidates 1Sambayan will be endorsing and just 11 months to go before the election…

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Politics

1Sambayan fails to measure up to opposition camps of previous elections

Posted on By Ramon Ortoll 2 Comments on 1Sambayan fails to measure up to opposition camps of previous elections
1Sambayan fails to measure up to opposition camps of previous elections

Political scientists should be objective and pragmatic. If you dump both and pick a side, then you’re not a scientist anymore because your analysis is not based on evidence. A breath of fresh air is Cleve V Arguelles’s East Asia Forum piece “Can a new Philippine ‘popular front’ defeat Dutertismo?” where he ponders the question…

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Politics

China makes inroads into breaking Apple-Google mobile OS duopoly

Posted on By Ramon Ortoll No Comments on China makes inroads into breaking Apple-Google mobile OS duopoly
China makes inroads into breaking Apple-Google mobile OS duopoly

Smartphone operating systems is another area where China aims to break US dominance. At the moment, Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android power all mobile devices globally. Apple’s ecosystem is closed while Android is open for as long as you don’t run afoul of the US. Enter Huawei’s HarmonyOS. This is in response to US sanctions…

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Lifestyle, Tech Talk

NOBODY wants to lead the Philippine Opposition

Posted on By benign0 10 Comments on NOBODY wants to lead the Philippine Opposition
NOBODY wants to lead the Philippine Opposition

June 12 may be just eight days Way but it may as well be six months from now. In just the last ten days since dominant Opposition coalition 1Sambayan announced its plan to announce its candidates on what some people believe to be the Philippines’ “Independence Day”, Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte has pretty…

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Politics

Hyper-politicised energy sector dooms Filipinos to chronic energy shortage

Posted on By Ramon Ortoll 4 Comments on Hyper-politicised energy sector dooms Filipinos to chronic energy shortage
Hyper-politicised energy sector dooms Filipinos to chronic energy shortage

Interesting that Boo Chanco makes no mention of the elephant in the room; the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant (BNPP). This, considering how, in his PhilSTAR piece today “Power failure” he writes about what he calls “the big elephant in the room” which comes in the form of the question, “how much energy capacity do we…

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Business, Economy, Environment

Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and The Rise to National Prominence of Local Government Executives

Posted on By P. Farol 3 Comments on Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and The Rise to National Prominence of Local Government Executives
Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and The Rise to National Prominence of Local Government Executives

To be sure, former Davao City Mayor and now President Rodrigo Roa Duterte wasn’t the first local government executive to have risen to national prominence through a presidential bid. But I guess his win in 2016 may be written down by some as a turning point in our history of elections when people began looking…

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Government, Politics

“Birthday visit” raises possible Duterte-Gibo tandem, throws Opposition into further panic

Posted on By Ramon Ortoll 1 Comment on “Birthday visit” raises possible Duterte-Gibo tandem, throws Opposition into further panic
“Birthday visit” raises possible Duterte-Gibo tandem, throws Opposition into further panic

Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro who served as Defense Secretary under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (GMA) was President Rodrigo Duterte’s (PRRD’s) initial choice for Defense Secretary. However, Gibo declined for undisclosed reasons. Recently, he signified his intent to run in 2022 but would not disclose the office again. What does Gibo bring to the table as a…

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Politics