Progress Report #1: Peoples’ coalition aimed at breaking dysfunctional rule by dynasties
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
Dynasties rule the Philippines as modern day colonists. They are the self-dealing lords of corruption, entitlement, favor, and incompetence. They approve construction projects and purchases to gain commissions rather than help the people. They give incompetent family members and friends lucrative jobs while skilled people go to other lands to work. They bully and bludgeon local opposition. They bog the legislature down in incompetence and petty politics, rather than building a great Philippines. They buy votes, field trolls and propaganda ministers, or lie to voters to win elections.
Since getting dynasts to pass an anti-dynasty law is futile, I’ve proposed that liberal and left political interests join forces to form a coalition to win the presidency in 2028, and perhaps influence who gets elected in 2025.
The original coalition was:
- Pinks (Robredo supporters)
- Liberal Party (Yellows)
- Akbayan (moderate left)
- Makabayan (far and extreme left)
- Independents in dynastic regions
As discussion ensued, it was clear that there were some problems with the idea. Pinks and independents have no political structure and therefore no real ability to help craft a coalition. LP and Akbayan are politically weak. Akbayan and Makabayan don’t get along. Makabayan is tied to extremist views (pro-rebel, anti-US). There is no one to lead coalition formation.
We also had discussions that led to consideration of three additional hypothetical members of a peoples’ coalition.
- The Catholic Church
- OFWs and Filipino citizens overseas
- Oligarchs/business community
Although each would add considerable weight to a peoples’ initiative, they are all problematic. The Church cannot engage in politics, OFWs are spread out and unstructured, and most in the business community recognize the folly of getting attached to politics.
This week the suggestion was raised that the mayors who subscribe to a good governance initiative could help reach Filipinos broadly to get to more principled voting. I agree. In fact, that could be a huge addition to the coalition idea because the good governance initiative and the coalition initiative have the same goals, and both could gain by working toward principled voting. So we have:
- Good governance mayors
My proposal to “hate on the dynasties” as a way to get voter attention raised little enthusiasm here. Voters are tied too closely to dynasties locally. The “good governance” theme might serve as a better messaging framework, or one that can point to dynasties as the main source of misery (incompetence, corruption).
Right now, it seems to me that three outcomes are possible. In order of probability:
- The rule of dynasts and populists will continue. (80% probability).
- One of the original left/liberal groups will emerge to lead a coalition that builds naturally (Robredo runs again in 2028 but crafts a more effective campaign). (15%)
- Someone with coalition building skills will emerge to craft an effort along the lines proposed here. (5%)
Getting compromise is a rare skill in a feudal country. Well, that’s what makes it feudal, eh? Hard-headed local or regional leaders offer little ingenuity and have little inclination to work with others. They fight endlessly.
But it is also illustrates why a peoples’ coalition can be the dragon slayer. Dynasties cannot stick together for long. They bicker and undermine each other.
A coalition is hard to create, but it can last a long time.
Democracy is the most elegant of coalitions.
_________________________
Precedent readings
Always scan the comment section that follows the article go gain insights and incorporate objections to the article’s arguments in your own thinking.
- Setting the emotional tone to reach DE classes: WE SHOULD LEARN TO HATE DYNASTIC FAMILIES, THE LORDS OF CORRUPTION
- Can the Catholic Church be a part of the coalition?: THE PHILIPPINES IS A CATHOLIC NATION. MAKE IT OFFICIAL
- Pinks need a political organization to preserve Robredo’s contributions: ARE PINKS FOR REAL?
- Is Makabayan too extreme to help with an anti-dynasty coalition?: IS MAKABAYAN A LOST CAUSE?
- Stressing that it is possible to defeat the dynasties without an anti-dynasty law: THE PHILIPPINES IS GOING NOWHERE, BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY
- Emphasizing the importance of the Left in defeating the dynasties: THE LEFT CAN DEFEAT THE DYNASTIES!!!
- Why coalition building is hard, and how to do it: THE PHILIPPINE GOLDILOCKS PROBLEM
- Challenging Pinks to be more than Robredo: ARE PINKS A PERSONALITY CULT?
- Seating the idea of a peoples’ coalition of Left and liberals: YOU DON’T NEED AN ANTI-DYNASTY LAW TO BREAK THE DYNASTIES. HERE’S HOW TO DO IT
- Pondering the future of the Robredo political movement: IS THE PINK FLAME OUT? OR IS IT ETERNAL?
- Recognizing the Left is key to success in breaking the dynasties in 2028: THE PHILIPPINE LEFT NEEDS TO GET STRATEGIC
- Establishing the goal: ORGANIZING TO WIN IN 2028
_________________________
Cover photo from NPR News via AFP and Getty Images, from the article “Clan politics reign but a family is divided in the race to rule the Philippines“.
Comments
96 Responses to “Progress Report #1: Peoples’ coalition aimed at breaking dysfunctional rule by dynasties”Trackbacks
Check out what others are saying...-
[…] Progress Report: Peoples’ coalition aimed at breaking dysfunctional rule by dynasties Categoriespersonal AnGoL […]
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
Thanks, Joe America! We must never lose Hope for a “people’s coalition” (Democracy: government by the people).
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Thank you Gemino. I appreciate your views as I swim upriver, haha.
would be great if we have either a number or dated progress report name, but that is a nit pick. awesome summary
Ah, good idea, Gian. I’ll number them.
The Church cannot engage in politics,
It did (that’s how they started), it has of late (Father O’Brien et al), and it still can, Joe.
I hope this becomes something. Like what Father O’Brien did in Negros.
Reposting my comment per your request:
Joe, I had been thinking about another strategy for some years. You might not like it but hear this out. Consider what I said about local dynasties being in effect political machines that make alliances with other political machines. Yet some other smaller dynasties hop on board with the bandwagon once a dynastic alliance gains some traction. Even in Aquino’s coalition he had a lot of local dynasties reconfiguring their sails to become members of the Aquino coalition when they sensed the change in direction of the wind. Now consider that one of the biggest impediments to local dynasties reforming themselves for better governance is fear of loss of power along with fear of lack of national support if they initiate a project that can increase the economy of their area of control. This is also the reason why the oligarchs are happy with maintaining the consumption-services based economy that depends on imports by the way, and don’t invest in new business projects outside of this area. Same reason why the national government is happy with tariffs, consumption taxes and remittances to support the economy. Doing new things alone is too hard.
I’ve been thinking about the mayoral good governance group for some time too. While I think it’s a great initiative, those cities are solidly middle class and what they’re doing can’t be replicated in majority DE municipalities. Those good governance mayors will be fine as they have the local resources to achieve most of their goals, but they should also be supported to provide an example of a modern, economically viable Philippine local government if an opposition gains power.
So what I propose is to ally with local dynasties who may be perceptive to bringing economic improvements to their localities. Promise national support for them to improve their local economic outlook to serve their citizens and then deliver upon it. These local dynasties already have political machines; take advantage of their built up political infrastructure however small it may be. Things that can be proposed would be bringing manufacturing jobs, infrastructure projects, etc, jobs that will support industries around them like the services sector.
I hate to say it but I’ve resigned myself to believe that despite the modern trappings, politics in the Philippines stuck in a Filipino version of the late 1800s US, when American political machines and business barons were prevalent. It is not looking down on Filipinos to recognize the truth. Indeed I believe overlaying a rosy picture does a disservice to Filipinos and the nation, as it ignores the fundamental problems. The bright lining is that over time, those corrupt American local political machines reformed and became more professionalized with corruption reducing over time when citizens’ economic outlooks improved and citizens started demanding more of their government. American political machines eventually became subsumed into the national parties as national-local party alliances became strengthened and interdependent on each other’s support. The more economic benefit that can be delivered to a local area, hold out dynasties will notice and be compelled to join if they want to enjoy the benefits of the collective project.
What would this require? Astute political operators for one, internal domestic diplomats basically to coordinate between the various local political machines aka dynasties. But it can be done, as it had been done in the US, UK, Germany. Now all we need is a center-left, moderate left, social democrat left to form. That would be LP, Pink, Akbayan respectively. Identify leaders between the three factions who can agree on how to get 80% of the goals. As I mentioned before these three factions believe in the same goal, they only argue how and how fast to achieve the goal. They’d have the greatest chance of accomplishing something if they can agree on the how and how fast, but most importantly limit in-fighting so they can present a unified front to gain power. That would require as Paul said leaders who take accountability. It can be done, with a bit of hope and a lot of hard work.
Thank you, Joey. I’ve been migrating to this view myself over the past few weeks and appreciate the clarity with which you have laid it out. Irineo tapped on it a few posts ago.
Yes, this has been an idea I’ve been workshopping in my head for a while. I appreciate your insistence that we must see the Philippines as she is right now, and we absolutely should to be clear, but history often informs how we can approach the future as well. After all, the circumstances of the present were formed by history.
I also believe that a more realist position must be taken that accounts for what’s available to work with. Even the benchmark democracy, the US, has her own problems that requires unique solutions and so the same should apply to the Philippines too. In all my travels, once I got out of the walled subdivision bubble and started interacting with Filipinos I found many similarities to what I know about the late Gilded Age but with a Filipino twist and flavor. Coincidentally this was the time period when the Philippines became an American colony and adopted the form of American government from that time. It seems to me that very little has been updated aside from that time aside from what I call “modern trappings” that are superficial in nature.
So I figured that a modified version of what reformed the Gilded Age in the US tweaked to adapt to particulars in the Philippine context can possible help solve problems also. That’s how I came to the conclusion that open minded dynasties can be convinced to join in the project. After all aside from power, the dynasties also like making money. So let’s offer them a chance to make more money than they do now, while also looking good in front of the citizens they are responsible for. That’s what happened with the American local political machines and early worker’s unions in the past, and over time organizations professionalized, became more civil, so were transformed into norms. All this happened in the span of a relatively short period before Theodore Roosevelt came along and completed the reforms.
There are still some vestiges of the old pork barrel corruption that powered the co-opting of American local political machines into the current US system. That would be the spreading of Federal Dollars around the states to gain buy-in for projects that (mostly) benefit the national interest. Sure there is still some waste and inefficiencies in that way of doing things, but overall it makes everyone happy and keeps corruption at a lower level. In the Philippines, spreading National Pesos around gains buy-in right now, but at the expense of high corruption of everyone taking their cut. From what I understand this is due to the lack of oversight. So let’s have a better government focus on better oversight as well, while also recognizing that it’s not always possible to stretch every peso on every project. There will always end up being some waste. Better waste than corruption anyway, because the waste will end up circulating pesos around that target area’s local economy.
Over time, the more cooperative political machines (local dynasties) will be subsumed into a national party/coalition. The recalcitrant ones will be cut loose to wither as National Pesos are redirected elsewhere. Ample opportunities should be given for repentant dynasties that want to come back into the fold to power their economies. In the US, Harry Reid’s Nevada political machine which ended with his death was probably one of the last local political machines and it was only in 2021 that the machine ended.
Have a look at this interview about the model which Oxford professor Stefan Dercon distilled from his studies on developing countries that successfully transitioned off of elite capture. It is very pertinent to the Philippines:
https://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2022/12/05/1138927037/whats-the-secret-sauce-that-lets-some-poor-countries-prosper
Despite all the modern trappings.. Philippine towns are still like the fiefdoms of old except that the rajah or datu is elected, and the focus is on whether the leader brings well-being to his people.
Leaders who can convince their people that they can bring them real prosperity and not just handouts and birthday cakes will be the winners, and those who can help them get there will also be the winners.
There is after all a new middle class now, people who talk and act a lot like the DE classes but show them that “their own kind” can achieve more – Angat Buhay is about getting the poorest into livelihoods but maybe a kind of Angat Buhay Plus vision of prosperity is needed.
What I find a bit amusing, but also sad, is that the only people who seem to come to the same conclusion that you and I have, all graduated from the UP system. Graduates of the other Big 4 seem to be quite happy in their little walled-in world, grumble about why the rest of the Philippines can’t progress, yet seem to think very little about it.
To understand the present often requires respecting the past. This is something I’m often appalled the non-UP graduates can’t grasp. They complain about this or that SEA country bolting ahead of the Philippines just like they complained as I recall when South Korea jumped to the front about 20 years ago. Self-righteousness and feelings of misplaced superiority don’t solve anything, I’m afraid. Early on in my Philippines travels, it was apparent to me that the datu-barangay dynamic is still very much there, but just as you said the modern datu or rajah are now elected, and the people are not as mobile as they used to be back in the ancient barangic period.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with this dynamic. It is integral to the culture of the Philippines regardless of ethnic group. A culture can modernize while respecting and honoring where they came from. Certainly the Indonesians and Malaysians who share a similar cousin culture as being co-descendants of the same proto-culture have modernized their culture for a modern world. Filipinos should be thinking “if others can do it, why can’t we?” “and if we also want to achieve it, what lessons can we learn from others and modify to our own requirements?” This would not necessitate every Filipino to think this way. Rather it is the job of the leaders to modify their thinking so they may better lead.
I always thought of Angat Buhay as Leni playing the long game for the benefit of the Philippines, regardless if she gains political power or not. But Agat Buhay is the perfect framework from which to build out a bright new future.
porbida senyor, if others can do it, why cant we? why indeed, what’s stopping them? why do they need sympathisers galore that if one sinks, the rest sink as well! if one reaches nirvana the rest have to be in nirvana too. or die trying like that is the only purpose they have got in life. mayhap misery loves company. one cant do without the others acknowledgement.
in philippines, so many wealthy filipinos are investing in overseas ventures, paying less than meager attention to boosting local economy. but domiciled here because the cost of living is very affordable and allow them all the luxuries of fine living. as well, how many wealthier than most filipinos owned companies and firms that habitually changed names, and so avoid paying taxes their previous companies owed the government?
it would have to be a very brave leader to put things to right. and maybe very foolish too, betting the leader’s own longevity on the mere chance that similar minded people are on board. a sympathetic cushion for the leader to land in case the leader falls on his sword.
leni’s angat buhay program, how many of its recipients are actually paying it forward? or trying to. and gratuitously living fruitful lives and positively contributing to society in anyway they can, and avoiding the pitfalls of the slippery path to ruin and damnation.
if misery loves company, maybe leni’s angat buhay loves a progress report, a reunion and a chance to meet and greet, and see how life’s been treating those whom leni had shaken hands and crossed path.
Well we can’t expect everyone who was helped to “pay it forward.” But it’s ok, if someone is in need and an NGO has the resources, why not help the needy? Perhaps out of the multitude of people who were helped, some may be inspired to become leaders in their own lives in order to spread the good works however big or small.
Dynasties must reinvent, adapt and do anything to survive, some live to fight another day and some fade away.
some dynasty got to threaten other dynasty and hope for the best! priorly though, they have made some very fine investment that goes beyond the grave, concluded on the grave and sealed on the packed earth complete with 21 gun salute.
How many dynastiy members are in the Libingan ng mga Bayani?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libingan_ng_mga_Bayani
I think libingan is incomplete without the aquino dynasty, they were buried in manila memorial park, ninoy, cory and ex pres noy.
of those buried in libingan, there was one exhumation in protest of makoy’s burial there, the exhumed reburied elsewhere.
makoy’s burial was ‘pinangayo’ is what we said in bisaya, only got buried on ex pres duterte’s intervention.
I sincerely hope these ideas come to fruition.
fruition, fruits of the low hanging branches, fruits of the poisonous tree, fruit does not fall far from the tree, all kinds of fruits! lovely.
nah, pbbm does not want fruit be ‘pitas’ or impeach, not on his watch yata. kasi fruit of that poisonous tree make him look a saint!
sabi, the country is not ready for it, maybe he is not, but we are, haha! that there are other pressing matters kuno worthy of attention, well he can pay more attention to those matters of import to him, and leave us free to exercise our right to remove an erring government official via the democratic process of impeachment. if he is worried that in the future, the scale of justice may swing against him, and he’ll considered next in line for impeachment, that’s the risk all those in higher offices face.
ex chief justice serreno was impeached during ex pres duterte’s term, before that renato corona. was our country divided then and much poorer for it? nah, we did not sink into the black hole and anarchy demurred. we can handle division, long division and even multiplication and reversal of fortunes. we sure can adapt, maybe not so pbbm. if sara is successfully impeached, he will lose his shield and his apparent whipping boy.
Too much of an about face, kb. I’m thinking Trump et al stepped in and ordered PBBM to quiet everything down. next to be dropped will be Sedition charges. then ICC. this will ensure China has no in. USA i think is behind PBBM’s decision. though I’d like to think its from another source of great advice from here. but likely its USA, specifically Trump.
Everyone should rejoice, calamity averted.
If the VP will be removed from office, the next in line is the speaker of the house, the president’s cousin. How will it be seen by the observers? How is it related to the people’s initiative push to amend the constitution? I say let the current inquiry on the VP’s allege fund misuse but not to be overplayed . As I see it, the process is like in a MMA. Sending an u-sec for detention was a huge blow that hurts hence this out of control punches from a “butangera”.
There was an agreement made per that 2022 PBBM/Inday Sara team up. I gotta feeling in that negotiations GMA was agreed to take on the Speakership role. but as soon as that was reneged, Inday Sara and Imee Marcos made their feelings known, thus Tambaloslos. that was 2023.
2024 was all the budget stuff, isk. sure there were the Makabayans that looked into why VP Leni and VP Inday Sara’s budgets were so different before. and the answer is that too was part of the agreement for Uniteam. PBBM even gave part of his budget in 2022 just to get VP Sara going. then her budget was approved.
So I’m thinking lots and lots of the budget (confidential and intel funds) are being siphoned back to Mindanao. I think that was the agreement as well. Inday Sara’s intention is to bring Mindanao out of the backwaters status. build off from her Dad’s momentum.
But that Uniteam decision cuz I’m sure she coulda won in 2022, w/ VP Leni as 2nd, then PBBM as close 3rd. her decision to run for the VP spot was to ensure she shed herself from her Dad’s entourage. absence makes the heart grow fonder and out of sight out of mind.
So the only variable in all this is, that either PBBM reneged on promises thus Imee Marcos’ reaction, or PBBM really doesn’t know what’s going on and its Liza and Martin calling the shots. this was all a big mistake on their part. but atleast 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 people will know what happened now going forward.
I agree with you that budgets should still be looked at but not just the OVP but everyones budgets should be as clearly nitpicked as in the OVP’s this year 2024, isk. this is a good precedent more budget hearings in public so Filipinos also know how the budget works. the press needs to focus more on how the people’s money is spent, not just the drama.
Also start focusing more internationally, like the whole China vs. USA stuff in the background wasn’ t even covered by the press last week, it would’ve been the perfect opportunity to do so where and how all that plays into the PBBM vs. Inday Sara stuff. cuz Trump understands this China/Philippine/USA stuff, all as real estate.
News outlets there should start covering it as such, not as telenovela. what I wanna know now is if Ramon Tulfo is the captain of his brothers. cuz he came out as pretty anti-DU30 last week, and if his pronouncements tell us more about the Tulfo brothers going forward. i dunno.
p.s.—- I guess Ramon Tulfo licked his index finger and pointed it up to heaven to gauge the political wind. when he heard PBBM say no more witch-hunts, he probably put that finger down and said, oh shit.
As always Sir Lance, much appreciated your views these issues.
istambay, pls note that our 1987 constitution requires the sitting president to nominate a replacement for a vp who got impeached. the appointment will then be confirmed by both the house of rep and the senate. it happened sa panahon ni gloria arroyo, joseph estrada was impeached and gloria arroyo appointed teofisto guingona to be her new vice president.
different story if a sitting president is impeached, the speaker of the house is one of those next in line for succession.
Thanks KB
“It is helpful to understand that when I write an idea, it is not to sell the idea but to get reader feedback. And I appreciate yours. …
The challenge is to find a way to speak to DE voters in such a way as to get them to value their vote as worth more than 500 pesos. Anti-dynasty “hate” may be a component of that.” — JoeAm
“speak to DE by all means, just dont expect them to belly up and be immediately converts just because they’ve been spoken to. DEs are all degenerates! haha, but if you really want to be memorable and make a dent, speak to the local dynast immediately above them DEs, that’s the unspoken holly alliance … “
— ksmbahay
“I’ve been thinking about the mayoral good governance group for some time too. While I think it’s a great initiative, those cities are solidly middle class and what they’re doing can’t be replicated in majority DE municipalities. Those good governance mayors will be fine as they have the local resources to achieve most of their goals, “
— joey nguyen
“That’s an interesting approach. I think we can say that 50% of the budget ‘disappears’. That would be 52k per person per year. Or doubling the minimum wage without raising taxes. Of course, the trickle up effect would increase this even more (spending on local produce instead of Porsche and Disneyland). Fata Morgana, but it makes me smile.” — pablonasid
“I’m thinking about how much money a competent government can make to see if it amounts to more than 500 pesos per voter. Then the opposition can promise voters more cash, kinda like 20p rice, from honest government. Plus jobs. …
I’d probably use a more conservative number, but, yes, you put it in terms that are tangible, and meaningful.” — JoeAm
Joe, the items above were cut & pasted by me in no smooth manner; yet they high light in my mind the ideas/themes that could be worked on by TSOH members into a cogent proposal which in turn could be suggested for study by the putative 8-odd members of the anti-dynastic coalition that will dialogue with the good dynasts & their respective DE-populations.
This too, sonny…
Father O’Brien speaks really highly of this book…
sonny, I don’t know if you’ve watched The Young Pope (great series), but there’s a great speech germane to the above:
====
Lenny Belardo : “Knock knock!” “Knock knock!” We’re not in. Brother cardinals, from this day forward, we’re not in, no matter who’s knocking on our door. We’re in, but only for God. From this day forward, everything that was wide open is gonna be closed. Evangelization. We’ve already done it. Ecumenicalism. Been there, done that. Tolerance. Doesn’t live here anymore. It’s been evicted. It vacated the house for the new tenant, who has diametrically opposite tastes in decorating. We’ve been reaching out to others for years now. It’s time to stop! We are not going anywhere. We are here. Because, what are we? We are cement. And cement doesn’t move. We are cement without windows. So, we don’t look to the outside world. “Only the Church possesses the charisma of truth”, said St. Ignatius of Antioch. And he was right. We have no reason to look out. Instead, look over there.
[the cardinals look to the middle of the room to see a tiny door]
Lenny Belardo : What do you see? That’s the door. The only way in. Small and extremely uncomfortable. And anyone who wants to know us has to find out how to get through that door. Brother cardinals, we need to go back to being prohibited. Inaccessible and mysterious. That’s the only way we can once again become desirable. That is the only way great love stories are born. And I don’t want any more part-time believers. I want great love stories. I want fanatics for God. Because fanaticism is love. Everything else is strictly a surrogate, and it stays outside the church. With the attitudes of the last Papacy, the church won for itself great expressions of fondness from the masses. It became popular. Isn’t that wonderful, you might be thinking! We received plenty of esteem and lots of friendship. I have no idea what to do with the friendship of the whole wide world. What I want is absolute love and total devotion to God. Could that mean a Church only for the few? That’s a hypothesis, and a hypothesis isn’t the same as reality. But even this hypothesis isn’t so scandalous. I say: better to have a few that are reliable than to have a great many that are distractible and indifferent. The public squares have been jam-packed, but the hearts have been emptied of God. You can’t measure love with numbers, you can only measure it in terms of intensity. In terms of blind loyalty to the imperative. Fix that word firmly in your souls: Imperative. From this day forth, that’s what the Pope wants, that’s what the Church wants, that’s what God wants. And so the liturgy will no longer be a social engagement, it will become hard work. And sin will no longer be forgiven at will. I don’t expect any applause from you. There will be no expressions of thanks in this chapel. None from me and none from you. Courtesy and good manners are not the business of men of God. What I do expect is that you will do what I have told you to do. There is nothing outside your obedience to Pius XIII. Nothing except Hell. A Hell you may know nothing about but I do. Because I’ve built it, right behind that door: Hell. These past few days, I’ve had to build Hell for you, that’s why I’ve come to you belatedly. I know you will obey, because you’ve already figured out that this pope isn’t afraid to lose the faithful if they’re been even slightly unfaithful, and that means this Pope does not negotiate. On anything or with anyone. And this Pope cannot be blackmailed! From this day forth, the word “compromise“, has been banished from the vocabulary. I’ve just deleted it. When Jesus willingly mounted the cross, he was not making compromises. And neither am I. Amen.
====
such a great speech.
====
here’ s a dialogue:
The young pope is an orphan, you see, having been abandoned at a young age by his parents—two freethinking hippies. It is because he has lacked a mother and father that he has come to see the value of traditional authority. An exchange between him and an old cardinal is telling:
https://www.firstthings.com/article/2017/03/waiting-for-a-young-pope
My point in all this, Catholic clergy need to be hardcore again. they should be banned from eating lechon at fiestas, nor soda (soft drinks). just water and pan de sal. the Philippine Catholic good governance folks can start here.
p.s.—- and fruits and veggies. but that’s it. no more luxuries.
they eat what is offered to them. if they have eaten something they should not like eating meat on good friday which is forbidden, they can make penance later on. priests can confess to their own father confessor, and received penance for their transgression.
priests are god’s representatives on earth. if people offer their choicest and best produce to priests, it is on the premise that those are offered to god. the offerings are then accepted and blessed and shared among the populace (synod).
Maybe you’re right , kb. I just don’t like it when I see priests get greedy with lechon and soft drinks. if the offering is for God (who I think would be vegetarian by the way) then at least, just take a tiny piece. not a lot.
That’s export quality construction and design right there, kb. Mormons, they seem to be doing something right. JW’s are just annoying. you’re nice to them and they keep knocking on your door. Mormons know when to back off, but usually they send a new pair so you have to be nice to them all over again. JW’s its the same annoying crew, usually theres like 3 or 4 of them too. i’m like dudes I already talked to you just last week. stop coming here!
Terrific summary, sonny, rather like you saw a few jigsaw pieces laying around, and put them together to make a pretty picture.
The 4 of you just stuck out above the din saying, ‘we shall not go quietly into the night’ – like practicing a new kind of citizenship. Loved it!
In our classification of ABCDE divisions in Philippine society ‘C’ tier is of such a thin thickness consisting of a firm working class in the home country & the would-be applicants from the Filipino wideworld diaspora torn apart by centrifugal socio-economic forces that won’t be denied.
LC’s reply showing the priestly response of good governance helped my despondency. I wasn’t aware of such rumblings from the clergy. They take in so much on the chin. God help them!
Again Thanks for your advocacy, Joe.
Thanks for the uplifting words. Good governance seems to be emerging as a noise these days in the Philippines, much more so than anti-dynasty, so Irineo and Joey were good to press the point.
LC’s reply showing the priestly response of good governance helped my despondency. I wasn’t aware of such rumblings from the clergy.
The balancing act that Father O’Brien had to do on Negros with Donyas/Dons and B’s protecting them, then with CD’s , then with the really poor E’s was really difficult. If you’re a Filipino priest I think you’d just end up advocating for the folks you’re already familiar with. So I’m also thinking getting more non-Filipino priests just to shake thinks up. Pick the priests coming from DE’s then partner them up with EU/Anglosphere priests with similar sensibilities as Father O’Brien. i don’t know if theres a lot of lumads turned priests but include them too. all about advocacy. like lawyering, gotta increase that DE representation.
p.s. —- the key word here is advocacy.
See Uncle Sonny, you still have plenty left in your tank as far as ideas, suggestions etc and you have no reason to be discouraged in commenting here, Sorry for that, it is just a few weeks ago that I encouraged you to come back here and I am glad you did.
I’m glad I took your encouragement, Neph! Thank you. The intellectual stimulation from TSOH is what I missed during my ‘hiatus’. @Joe: the forum you created works, to state the obvious. Kudos to you. 🙂
Thanks sonny. Keep on walking. And talking tee hee.
Joe, I could be the oldest homo sapiens in this blog. A president could not say okay to the impeachment of his vice p. ’cause he could be vulnerable to be next, third in succession could be sitting duck target for the fourth in line; the fifth in line is ready , willing and able for the improbable to happen. So nice to work and snooze in the noddle house with three powerful co-equal branches to govern . . .
Popoy!
So good to be true!
Ah a slippery slope it is , Popoy. and welcome back! at this rate Jinky Luistro will be president with Maris Racal as her VP. and they’ll probably impeach her too for being in love.
Heh heh, snoozing in the noodle house is an oldie and goodie.
In the vernacular it is ” Natutulog sa pansitan”
Remember ko: “inutusang bumili ng kung ano. pero dumaan magmerienda sa pansitan. Nakatulog sa sarap ng kinain”
We have a number of ancients here, so hard to say. With age, wisdom though. Yes, the P can’t rightly advocate to dump the VP, even if it is in his best interest. By best interest, he gets to pick the new VP, it does not go by succession as if the President cannot hold office. Picking Speaker Romualdez is a no brainer if he wishes to continue the family line of succession until his eldest son is ready. I think he would not pick his sister, as one battleaxe ought not replace another, to hound him for four more years.
You’re welcome, Joe. What you said really hit home as the essence of dialogue:
“… when I write an idea, it is not to sell the idea but to get reader feedback. And I appreciate yours“
Joe has advocated time and again the domino effect of good leadership and with that good governance, it is like the push one domino and the rest follows.
I think a so called dynasty with good leaders who do good governance and not eaten by the seven deadly sins of man will be good front domino, otherwise to push a bad front domino and they will all fall down.
Joey may hate the left.
Me I have and had leftist and perhaps had communist relatives so I watch how I feel about them like I am watching how I feel about my so pro Duterte relatives in Davao they are all just a facebook or any socmed message or post away.
I really do not think any keyboard warrior can be so all hard core, numb or naive.
I wouldn’t say I hate the far left as much as I think many are rich kids who have too much time on their hands. Advocating from a position of safety is not really advocating at all; and it’s too easy for them to demand maximalist positions when many don’t really have real world experience outside of their bubbles. I also dislike their often murky intentions and entryist behavior that doesn’t seem to be to be in good faith of building up something. I really dislike that many of them seem to push others to go ahead while they sit back and don’t take the hit if things go wrong. So that’s why I don’t think the far left is very constructive to include as their goals don’t match most people’s reality.
Now fascists and authoritarians, I really hate those types.
I’m technically a leftist though, and much more left than the LP in the Philippines, and LP is also left, though more moderate/center-left. I’m probably closer to Akbayan if I were a Filipino.
You’re right though about socmed posters. It’s easy for them to raise hell online like DDS did about Mindanao secession, but in real life they are weak.
Weird synchronicity that we commented at nearly the same time.
As mentioned already, Filipinos can have strange ideological choices, like being pro-Leni and pro-Trump, one I know from FB is very anti-abortion and justifies his choice that way, he is indeed quite adamant about the US and the Philippines being different from “godless Europe” as he calls it. But I don’t see much of the Filipino defenders of Christianity and bible-thumpers as having much reflection about what they believe in, much like the Filipino Far Left often just recites slogans – exceptions like sonny among Catholics or Ninotchka Rosca the Leftist, feminist author prove the rule in a country where a lot of folks quote the Bible – or Marx – with little understanding, at least Pacquiao’s alleged justification of his affairs as not having screwed any neighbor’s wife is funny.
I mentioned before about my high school classmate who appointed me his rival, who is the son of a prominent and wealthy attorney. He had been shouting communist slogans ever since high school and now is one of the “thought leaders” seducing affluent Western GenZ into cosplay communism. The guy could not explain any of his Marx quotes. When we were both in debate club, he would launch into ad hominem when my line of argument cornered his ideological beliefs regarding communism. But what is a communist, when he can’t even reliably narrate the history of the communist movement and how it relates to the worldwide worker’s movement and the socialist movement? Or how it is closely connected to anarchist theory despite the two belief systems harboring extreme hate for each other?
Sometimes people wear their ideology like they wear clothes. When they enter into a new social group they take off the previous clothes and wear a new, fresh set. Ideology can become identity despite not knowing even the basics of that ideology. Peer pressure weeds out the variety of viewpoints even within an ideology, like the wheat being separated from the chaff, until only a purist interpretation remains. We may ask any Trumper or any DDS why they believe this or that, and most likely they can never adequately explain themselves. At that point, the ideology had become like a religion, and in religion only belief is necessary. Faith, and faith alone. Forget about good works or considering counter-narratives even if one disagrees with other narratives. And just like examples of religious extremism, a challenge is considered an existential threat to be met with overwhelming invective.
Thanks for your insights guys.
Joey’s analysis of the Far Left is based on the American situation.
He did say the Philippines is different. Where I agree with him is that some ideological positions Filipinos can have seem downright “schizophrenic”, though sometimes over there it is just going with what one’s own crowd sees as “the thing.” In practice, a lot of Filipinos don’t take ideology that seriously, often not even religion. LCPL_X’s stories of Tausugs eating pork and drinking alcohol on some occasions might indeed be true. Also, his analysis that there are fewer extremists than elsewhere is, for the most part, true due to that, I guess, and I would say that Filipino politics is not as “bipolar” as Western politics, please note that I use the psychological terms loosely.
What I liken to be “schizophrenic” thinking may also be a sign of “not that deep thinking” as well. To be fair, we Americans have an ample amount of these people too, seemingly exacerbated by social media especially during the pandemic lockdown. There are Americans who for example, love Bernie Sanders and also love Trump. To put it lightly even if it may sound harsh, the “schizophrenic” thinking is a bit naive, even childish. From my studies it appears to be a symptom of feelings of losing control of one’s own situation. No doubt the social and economic conditions of lessening stability caused by elite and billionaire capture of society worsens the conditions people face, contributing to the problematic mindset. This pushes people to the extremes politically, even if they can’t explain basic concepts of the new ideologies they espouse, and conditions one to accept authoritarian rule of a Big Daddy to solve all of one’s problems. I disagree with this mode of thinking as it removes self-responsibility in trying to change one’s agency, however small that responsibility may be.
It was in my own lifetime that I’ve observed people across numerous countries, US, UK, Italy, Philippines chiefly, have their previously stable lives they grew up under their parents be upended by globalization and human migration displacing both livihoods and ways of life. Perhaps it didn’t affect me as much as I did not have a comfortable life growing up. Having started at near rock bottom when my family lost everything, the only way was up. But I can recognize that for those who “had something,” whether that be previous American middle class lifestyles on a single income, or Filipino families in the bukid being able to support themselves through subsistence farming before the internal mass migration and OFW outflow, once those lives have hardship introduced, many feelings of resentment may arise. Families are separated by distance, friendship groups are harder to come by once one is uprooted and transplanted across distances to seek work, communities built around churches and places of worship dwindle until there are only oldies attending as the youth had moved on “to the city.” Inevitably the feelings of losing control create a backlash based on emotion and anger, bringing out the base nature of humanity. The “schizophrenitic” mentality are all the resentments jumbled up together into a big ball of internal rage even if the person may seem calm on the outside. We saw this in the Trump era of the US, Brexit in the UK, the bunga-bunga times of Berlusconi in Italy, and of course in the Philippines embodied by Dutertismo.
All along, the true culprits of society’s ills were not addressed. In the West it was resentment of globalization erasing generational jobs and factories. In the Philippines it is rule by the oligarchs and dynastic forces. People don’t know who to blame, so the base human instinct is to blame the other, or even each other. And the forces of the elites will be happy for everyone else to fight each other while they hold onto their money and power.
LCPL_X’s stories of Tausugs eating pork and drinking alcohol on some occasions might indeed be true.
One thing I know about Tausugs, Ireneo. is that they’re like pitbulls, its genetics. they want to fight. sure peace and development is good. but give those fuckers a reason to fight, however tiny they’ll always go Juramentado. Maranaos are always like , ahhhhh… i think the gov’t is strong so we’ll go with the gov’t, you know they look strong now too so we’ll go with them. and so on and so forth. Maguindanaos need a strong man all the time to point them this way and that. of course all generalizations. but that’s the reason why I told Joey I’ll not believe him about his friend even if he had video proof of him saying I prefer peace and development (cuz Joey’s the audience for that, and he’ll probably know that Joey likes peace and development). but theres the genetics angel.
Also, his analysis that there are fewer extremists than elsewhere is, for the most part, true due to that, I guess, and I would say that Filipino politics is not as “bipolar” as Western politics, please note that I use the psychological terms loosely.
And I think we all saw this when PBBM backed out, Ireneo. I saw a burglar (i’m sure i’ve told this story here before) whom barangay tanods caught and beat to a pulp. then suspect pleaded and said he had a family and kids and was just trying to put food on the table (i’m sure it was for shabu, based on lost of teeth). and so barangay tanods took him home like 2 or 3 barangays over. and they met the family and how poor they were and barangay captain ended up giving them food etc. the reconcialiation process that happens at the barangay level needs to be really studied. its truly a thin line between love and hate in the Philippines.
As to bi-polar over here, that’s just all media, Ireneo. As a Bernie guy I’m always playing referee between GOP and Dems in my family. same thing happened this yr but I got to insert PBBM and Inday Sara to which no one really followed except for the assassin threat covered in the news here. So then I pivot to Nicole Shenahan who was RFKjr.’s VP choice, who they’re now saying Elon Musk is gonna back for the governor spot in CA (if Kamala Harris goes for it). they’re both from Berkeley. then I insert Carl Jung and Plasma Consciousness. my point, is that its not bi-polar.
You just have to divert the conversation here and there, look for commonalities. but I sensed the Dems in my family are now not so sold on this whole LGBTQ+ stuff. there was a lot of agreement on that end I think. and I have LGBTQ+ folks in my family. there was some agreement too on border issues. So I’m thinking if Kamala Harris runs for governor, then Elon Musk runs Nicole Shenahan, the Dems might just vote for Nicole Shenahan. her name just recently registered on my radar,
so don’t really know much about her but she has a podcast.
“One thing I know about Tausugs, Ireneo. is that they’re like pitbulls, its genetics. they want to fight. sure peace and development is good. but give those fuckers a reason to fight, however tiny they’ll always go Juramentado. Maranaos are always like , ahhhhh… i think the gov’t is strong so we’ll go with the gov’t, you know they look strong now too so we’ll go with them.”
I guess you haven’t met that many Tausug and stayed with their families before. What you said here is what other Filipinos, mostly Bisaya, “think” Tausugs act. Tausug culture is most definitely not as you described.
Tausug culture is most definitely not as you described.
I think you’ve mistaken your honeymoon/honored guest experience as the truth, Joey.
What you said here is what other Filipinos, mostly Bisaya, “think” Tausugs act.
This is true also. But there’s reason for this, Joey. they were the ones who got raided on.
p.s. —— No one here loves Tausugs more than I do. (and Badjaos). pls don’t interpret what I’m saying as some attack.
Outside of Manila and educated Tagalog circles, I’m not a “guest of honor” white man and don’t have that experience of being treated as such. When I’m in the Philippines, I stay among the locals as if I’m a local. I do what they do, cook and eat what they eat. That is the only way to learn local culture. I find it highly disturbing that you still insist that my actual time spent among Tausugs as not giving me insight into how Tausug actually are. I’ve traveled around much of Sulu and Tawi Tawi, Cotabato, Lanao. Unless someone comes up close, I have an Asian face and they assume I’m chinoy and treat me as Pinoy. I hope you realize that all 3 main Tausug clans are actually Tausug-Chinese, mostly evidently the Tan family which adopted the Chinese surname. Rarely do Filipinos realize I’m American unless I speak.
I hope you realize that all 3 main Tausug clans are actually Tausug-Chinese, mostly evidently the Tan family which adopted the Chinese surname.
I’ve covered Chinese-Tausugs on here before, Joey. I’m more interested in the Tausugs that look Arab cuz I’m entertaining the notion that they can trace their lineage back to Yemen/Oman. If I were an Anthropologist i’d chase that thread back to Yemen using 23 and me or some shit. or maybe that study has already been done, Google now sucks cuz of pay walls.
I’m not questioning your being there, Joey, I’m questioning the way in which your interpreting the hospitality. I agree people around the world are generally hospitable, especially if they know you’re from the Land of Big PX. and you said it yourself your buddy’s a child soldier (although I wouldn’t have used that term, that’s more reserved for warlords kidnapping children to fight for them, what you have with these clan wars is more like the Montagues and the Capulets). so you can be hospitable to honored guests yet be ready to kill kill kill. the two need not be exclusive, Joey.
and i’m adding the genetic component here,
but it could also just be culture. though those Chinese have heavily inter bred with local and Arab (or Indian) strains. so genetics is still in play, eg. the bravest braves get the prettiest women. you’re breeding for violence.
Rarely do Filipinos realize I’m American unless I speak.
So you’re saying when your buddy invited you to their home, you never talked? not a peep?
The “Arab” looking Tausugs are mostly the product of recent Arab intermarriages, especially with the Saudi state funded international proselytization by the Saudi Wahhabists. The same thing happened in Indonesia, especially around Banda Aceh and in Malaysia in Malay Sabah. I was often in the region during that Saudi phase of building madrasas and witnessed the Arabification of local Islamic practices. People who I knew who never wore hijab suddenly started wearing hijab the next time I visited. But overall, Tausugs having “Arab” blood carries as much weight as many Filipinos who claim “Spanish” blood. Most Tausug have very little or no Arab blood outside of major clan families. It’s just a cultural myth wanting to associate with a “higher culture.” What next? People will claim “Indian” heritage because the Tamil Chola influence in maritime Southeast Asia back in the ancient times, or people claiming “Chinese” heritage despite not having any or little Guangdongese/Yue “Chinese” features? Let’s pick our battles brother. This has deviated into silly territory with uninformed speculation.
The “Arab” looking Tausugs are mostly the product of recent Arab intermarriages,
Not recent , Joey, cuz we’re talking about grandparents and great grandparents (in photos).
though the hijab stuff, I agree is more recent.
I think your sampling of Tausugs is limited, Joey. if your buddy also claims Arab/Indian blood (which most big names do) either moms side or dads side, ask him for old photos. you’ll see it.
Have you traveled widely in Tausug majority regions and spend much time with them? Specifically in the Tausug heartlands of Cotabato, Sulu, Tawi Tawi. I have. If you have not then I will consider what you said to be “limited” insight into their culture. Overall Tausug look like most other Bisaya, because they are part of the Bisaya umbrella. Tausugs according to the research of William Henry Scott are a branch of Butuanons who split off and converted to Islam from the Hinduism of the Rajahnate of Butuan. And no, most of the time only the Datu/rajah/sultan and higher nobility *sometimes* married into Arab trading families. Most Tausug did not.
That it was the Tausug elites who had the occasional Arab missionary or trader in their bloodlines is also what my father said. Senator Santanina Rasul was his kumare IIRC. One of his colleagues in the Tadhana project was Prof. Samuel Tan.
Yes, that’s what I was pointing out. From what I understand, ancient and middle age Filipino cultures had kinship marriages become prevalent among the elite class. So an indigenous Datu may become a Hinduized Rajahnate by making a kinship marriage with a Chola trader, and likewise a Rajah might become Islamized by making a kinship marriage with an Arab trader. It seems kinship marriages were used to either consolidate power (among indigenous elites), or to obtain power (if marrying a daughter to a more “powerful” outsider). Though “power” might not be a physical in the literal sense. It may be likely that the “power” was better trade relations, or a simple as trading up to a more “powerful” god as reflected in the perceived power of the outsider.
p.p.s. —— I’m the one saying theres Yemen/Oman connection. most of them with Arab feature will say its from Pakistan/India.
but this is the hypothesis:
Someone once told me that the old connection was to Hadramaut, which indeed is in today’s Yemen/Oman. This was in relation to Islam coming to present-day Malaysia. Mindanao was just a continuation of that wave.
Yes, I think that’s right. The Hadramaut under the Rasulid dynasty was heavily engaged in trading towards India and further east. The Rasulids ruled starting in the early 1200s, which coincides with the spread of Islam along the trade routes. Aside: the Rasulids started trading via sea routes to get around the monopoly on segments of the Silk Road trade network that other Arab groups or Central Asians held.
p.p.p.s. ———— Oman too is part of that Arabian sea maritime trade.
If you have not then I will consider what you said to be “limited” insight into their culture.
Joey, I’m giving you means from which to verify what I’m saying. You don’t have to take my word for it. but from my end, I’m saying your sampling is limited.
If your buddy also claims Arab/Indian line, then all you have to do is ask for old photos to the turn of the century. and you’ll see it.
But I agree most Tausugs look Tausug. we’re talking about verification of my claim that they can trace their line to Arab/Indian maritime trade. you can do it yourself.
Senator Santanina Rasul was his kumare IIRC.
Have you seen old photos of her family, Ireneo? can you verify Arab/Indian look?
Can’t find family pictures, but here’s a photo of her when young.
there’s also another side to this genetics stuff, in which during their raids when they returned, they picked the prettiest women to procreate with and make wives. so there’ s also an element of Spanish blood too, but then much of Spanish blood is also Arab blood so it all gets jumbled. full circles happen i’m sure.
It seems kinship marriages were used to either consolidate power (among indigenous elites), or to obtain power (if marrying a daughter to a more “powerful” outsider).
All kinship marriages are this. thru out the world. marriages for love came later. but you have to also factor in extra marital procreation and procreation thru raids– Sacagawea was this, as well as many progenies from the Comancherias late 1800s.
I tend to view Tausugs as Comanches. especially later part. in which they were open to more intermarriages, focused more on culture of resistance.
Austin and Bastrop TX are where Boring Co. and Neuralink as well as Starlink receivers/dishes manufacturing assembly are set-up. in red above map.
I fail to see how the Tausugs (and greater Moro people for that matter) are a culture of resistance. The last major Moro resistance was against the US during Moro Rebellion. They were decisively crushed with relatively few US/PS/PC casualties. Prior to Spanish colonization the Moro peoples raided other Filipinos, mostly their kinsmen the Visayans, who were settled in sedentary polities and who didn’t seem to put up much of a resistance to raids. Certainly the Moros didn’t go down to the last man fighting like the Southwest American Indians did when presented with an overwhelming opposing force. I think trying to make this connection is a fundamental mistake and is rooted more in myths than reality.
In any case I sense this thread is about to careen off a cliff and by now has little relation to the topic of this blog. I was hoping we all can have more discussion about how an opposition coalition can be developed, and trying to tie in Sara adjacent discussion doesn’t seem to help move the topic along at all. Sara will never, ever be part of an opposition coalition. The beliefs and goals of the Dutertes are diametrically opposed to the goals of good governance, the advancement of the most Filipinos as possible, and putting the Philippines on a better more stable position in the region and world.
Maranaos are the Five tribes (watch Killers of the Flower Moon):
Maguindanaos are which ever indian tribes were here during the Gold Rush in Norcal where many tribes were wiped out extinct, but for them its still before the Gold Rush, and why Inday Sara will be their saviour (sure they lived thru rubber and abaca rush, but this new coming rush will be something else, they’ll need to be more like Tausugs/Comanches):
I fail to see how the Tausugs (and greater Moro people for that matter) are a culture of resistance. The last major Moro resistance was against the US during Moro Rebellion.
You gotta fast forward to MNLF and MILF (et al), Joey.
Sara will never, ever be part of an opposition coalition.
To quote the great and wise PBBM, “never say never…”
Both the MNLF and the MILF failed to achieve any of their objectives by insurgency means. They “resisted,” at times violently. So what? There’s no good in resisting if it didn’t accomplish anything. What got peace in Bangsamoro was that the 3 main clans decided that resisting was useless and entered into negotiations with the national government. And the three clans negotiated because they saw the benefits of legitimization as well as bringing development and prosperity to the provinces under their care. Being lords over some of the most impoverished provinces in the Philippines is not really being a lord at all. That’s it. Romanticizing something that never happened doesn’t change what actually happened. Let’s get back on topic. I consider the topic of this blog article to be quite important and all this extraneous stuff fantasizing about Tausugs being Comanches doesn’t help.
So what? There’s no good in resisting if it didn’t accomplish anything.
The clans didn’t do anything, Joey. if anything ridos w/out MNLF/MILF woulda gotten everyone in Bangsamoro just status quo of the 70s variety. MNLF/MILF elevated things up above clan level. sure clans can play wasta afterwards, but w/out fighting AFP/PNP you’d not go anywhere. MNLF/MILF were the variable that changed the playing field. don’t diminish their fight. it was a good fight, Joey. don’t diminish it. you can romanticize clans too, theres room for that, but not at the expense of MNLF/MILF.
Bangsamoro is effectively run by a reformed MILF. MILF has heavy major clan leadership.
Joey, you just made my point for me. Imagine there were no MNLF and MILF.
MNLF and MILF were the mechanism to said unity. prior to them was https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muslim_Independence_Movement Matalam was powerful because he got US/Japanese weapons after WWII.
But it wasn’t until Nur Misuari then Salamat that it went above just mere clans. W/out them clans would still be mired in ridos. give credit where credit is due.
I do not agree with this statement. It seems there is a fundamental misunderstanding here of Tausug, Moro culture, and the conflict in general — no doubt due to not having actual time spent with actual Tausug/Moros in their heartland. No matter how much these “connections” gathered from skimming Google are mashed together, it still is not what happened.
I’m in a sour mood today and this sub-thread is not enjoyable to engage with. Not to mention it is distracting from the actual topic of this blog post which I think is much more important.
LCX has the title “Chief Troll” here, gained mainly from lack of judgment as to the relevance of his comments and a tendency toward dominating discussion threads. He does not accept editorial guidance and has been on my moderation list several times. I cared more when our readership was high. Now I think most just ignore him, as I do when he goes deep down the rabbit hole.
No matter how much these “connections” gathered from skimming Google are mashed together, it still is not what happened.
It’s what happened you can Wiki it. everyone can Google.
I’d also like to throw in Sultanate of Sulu into the mix here, Joey. if you don’t mind.
BOOM!!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Borneo_dispute
I say pajakkan means rent which Malaysia still technically pays to Sultanate of Sulu, sometimes withholding now and then for political reason.
thus if the common enemy cannot be PBBM at this time then follow Teddy Locsin’s position and go for Sabah again. common enemies are good for the soul.
Not to mention it is distracting from the actual topic of this blog post which I think is much more important.
Don’t blame me, Joey. it was Ireneo who mentioned me at the very start of this thread.
Though I do think all this is on topic.
It is on topic if one looks at Joey’s comment about Indonesia and Malaysia getting their act together. They do have the same base culture BUT Malaysia had Sultanates, which evolved into its mainland states, while Indonesia had Majapahit with the Javanese still ruling the country. Bangsamoro had Sultanates and now has BARMM. I wouldn’t be surprised if they get their act together better than the rest if the Philippines. UNLESS the rajahnates and datuships that the LGUs of today are manage to help reorganize the Philippine state.
This isn’t nativism. It is recognizing that the Philippine state was not originally built to serve its people. It is either avoided or used. Everything we are talking about here, most of us for around a decade, centers around that. And finding ways to make it a bit different. Finding ways to channel the power that a state can wield for people’s well-being and not just mainly the comfort of entitled cliques.
Totally agreed, Ireneo.
p.s.—– politically speaking, all Moros would’ve gone to bat for Inday Sara, Joey. that’s what I said on the other thread. I’m just saying Tausugs would’ve had boners going into battle for Inday Sara (not that that scenarios gonna happen now… ). that’s a very different mind set, Joey.