Mar Roxas and weaknesses in Filipino character

Posted by JoeAm on December 11, 2014 · 164 Comments 

Let’s get ready to RUMBLE! The recent incident of Mar Roxas being captured in a photograph slipping on a motorcycle while not wearing a helmet is to me representative of bad character. Not for Mar Roxas. But for his critics. Ridicule is a common feature of Philippine character. It is an element of “amoral interdependence”, … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Philippine Politics

The continuing occupation of the oligarchs

Posted by josephivo on December 5, 2014 · 227 Comments 

  by josephivo (1) Wayang kulit and the Philippine political reality A wayang kulit (= Indonesian shadow theater play) is the political reality we are looking at in the Philippines. Wayang kulit is special because of its double abstraction. First you only see shadows not the live actors. Second, the shadows come from leather puppets … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Education, Philippine Politics

The technocratic federated Republic of the Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on December 4, 2014 · 4 Comments 

In this blog, I seek to develop a set of understandings about how the Philippines works as a nation. Is there a way to improve the productivity of the Philippines? The blog is another case of JoeAm thinking out loud, and writing about it. A puzzlement: what kind of government is best? One puzzlement for me has … Continue reading →

Filed under Economy, Philippine Government, Technology/Internet

Ruby, Ruby, calm thy raging winds

Posted by JoeAm on December 3, 2014 · 50 Comments 

Ruby, Ruby, calm thy raging winds, thy torrents of water flying flat. Do not Yolanda be, God’s rage upon the poor. In tents they live still, and food they have not any. Be firm if you must, but be kind, for we are learning our lessons well. Natural reaction: “Well, here we go again!” The good news: the beast is … Continue reading →

Filed under Ecology/Global Warming, Foreign Affairs and Defense

Binay does not have to be declared guilty to get thrown from the presidential race

Posted by JoeAm on November 30, 2014 · 70 Comments 

One of the great differences between America and the Philippines is the existence in America of what I will call the “community’s force of conscience”. It is a very important difference. Before getting to that, however, let’s start by observing  a similarity: both America and the Philippines have well evolved laws. These are the rules the community … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Culture and Arts, Laws and Ethics