2016 Dream Team: Aquino and Aquino

Posted by JoeAm on January 31, 2014 · 39 Comments 

We need a new approach. One of the things I wrestle with in my cross-cultural discovery trek is the apparent fact that an American style government overlaid on the Filipino hierarchical culture creates a lot of odd results. Like local mayors become dynastic warlords and the Congress gets packed with dynastic power-mongers, boxers, crybabies, plagiarists … Continue reading →

Filed under China, Entertainment, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Humor/Satire, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics

How the Rule of Law Limits Freedom in the Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on January 29, 2014 · 31 Comments 

Freedom House undertakes to survey 185 nations around the world once a year to see how they are doing in terms of freedom, where freedom is broken into two categories, Political Rights and Civil Liberties. Advocacy groups and businessmen use the information, the former to raise a voice of complaint to instigate social change, the latter … Continue reading →

Filed under Crime/Corruption, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

The Philippines: A Culture of Criticism

Posted by JoeAm on January 27, 2014 · 59 Comments 

Now you may judge from the title of this blog that I am going to take some cheap foreign shots at Filipinos and the culture in which they swim. That is easy to do for us of impeccable vision and grace, Americano Screwus Whitus. But that is not for today. Today I simply want to … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts

The Idiot’s Guide to Surviving a Natural Disaster

Posted by JoeAm on January 24, 2014 · 34 Comments 

Some would say we are idiots for choosing to live in the most dangerous land in the world, where nature’s delights, from screaming winds to hot rocks, and mankind’s lunacy, from murder to motorized mayhem, make it more fatal in the Philippines. Nature’s delights are typhoons and tropical storms that ram wind and water at … Continue reading →

Filed under Ecology/Global Warming, Philippine Government

Changing the Asocial Behavior of the Ruling Class

Posted by josephivo on January 22, 2014 · 85 Comments 

by Joseph-Ivo More of the same will result in more of the same If you expect a different outcome, somebody will have to do something differently. To achieve something different in the Philippines, there are basically two options, an autocratic approach or a democratic approach. We have seen what an autocratic approach can achieve with … Continue reading →

Filed under Crime/Corruption, Education, Laws and Ethics