Philippine social media commentary is smarter than 20 years ago, and dirtier
Analysis and Opinion
By Joe America
When I first came to the Philippines 20 years ago, engaging with others was done on blogging platforms: Riassa Robles, Ellen Tordesillas, Momblogger, Anti-Pinoy, Filipino Voices. They were popular. There was some splintering with Get Real Post and The Society of Honor breaking off from Filipino Voices. Verafiles, the effort of old-school journalist and blogger Ellen Tordesillas, remains perhaps the most dominant of early blogs, and is now centered on fact-checking.
Discussion was great in those days. Intelligent. Robust. Argumentative. MLQIII was a notable there. I learned a lot.
Facebook came on the scene around then and soon became a highly popular global channel significantly broadening and popularizing the chatter.
I worked Facebook for a number of years then dropped off, worn out by the volume of commentary, it’s emotionalism, and the relentless pushing of beliefs, rather than problem solving.
When I went back on Facebook a couple of months ago, I was struck by the high quality of a lot of commentary. Logical, insightful, grounded on facts, and articulating constructive ways forward. Wow. Philippine social and political commentary is no longer limited to 10 or 20 chatty smart people like 20:years ago. There are way more people offering intelligent analysis and insights.
Impressive. The Philippines is a smart nation, at the core. I believe that.
But much of social media is also an empty-headed, emotionalized wasteland, for me. I cannot stand click-bait headlines that thrust emotions into the topic to grab sensitive souls who are on line to get their kicks rather than teach or learn. I cannot stand the lengthy emotional stories built on pathos and empathy for animals or humans who got out of a predicament. Anecdotes can teach, I suppose. But they aren’t solving problems. It’s rather the difference between a snake oil salesman, a preacher, or a professor. Or a problem-solver.
I’m with the professor and the problem-solver.
So social media in the Philippines has two faces for me. One is brilliant and uplifting. The other is exhausting, emotionalized, irrelevant blather.
What do voters seek and get?
Yep. Emotionalized blather, which is why Sara Duterte is the lead prospect for president.
Someone needs to organize the intelligent part of social media in a pyramid scheme as powerful as DDS’ social media influencers. Nic Gabunada was a genius in setting this up.
Where are the organizers of pro-democracy genius, spreading the intelligence? I’m not seeing it.
__________________________
Cover photograph from Verafiles’ 2021 article “YEARENDER: Marcos Jr. benefited the most from election-related disinformation in 2021, Robredo was favorite target“.
The Society of Honor by Joe America 
I’m not the best person to comment regarding the state of Philippine social media, as I had largely withdrawn from social media in the late 2000s back to the real world as online spaces increasingly became an area of algorithmic control. Today online spaces are weaponized by hostile foreign actors, mainly emanating from three countries: Russia, the PRC, and to a lesser extent Iran. The first two hostile foreign actors are the relevant ones to the Philippines discourse. Russia uses the Philippines as a “test environment” to prototype different English-language attacks on the greater Western-aligned world. The PRC with its interests in regional and world hegemony has taken the Russian playbook, expanding it to target local languages via bots and paid bot-like humans. Being a cybersecurity practitioner, I occasionally contribute in these matters for an open-source intelligence organization. The term used in this area for bot and paid networks is “coordinated inauthentic behavior” or CIBs. Nic Gabunada was an operator of one such network whose ultimate benefactor is still unknown, though I may take a guess all roads lead back to China (to paraphrase the same when it comes to Russia and the MAGA network).
The societal manipulation being done by both Russia and the PRC are a national security issue for the Philippines, yet for the life of me I cannot understand why the law enforcement and investigatory agencies of the Philippines are not directed to track attack vectors more closely. Other avenues of undermining national security, such as the drug lords, POGOs, and trafficking organizations masquerading as “churches” were not sufficiently investigated and pursued by PNP and NBI until their activity became a political issue.
Who is funding disinformation networks in the Philippines? Who are the traitorous Filipino collaborators? Why is the money not being followed? We have an idea of one possible collaborator in the person of Nic Gabunada, but to this day he walks freely. Is being under active attack by the PRC in the information space not as important as what is happening in the physical space of the WPS? Arguably, for a plugged-in nation where even the poorest, illiterate Filipino has a smartphone and a load, the information space is a much more dire battlefield than even the WPS issue.
Beyond CIBs in “traditional” social media, there is also the fact that for many younger Filipinos they are being slowly brainwashed by the PRC narrative through “new generation” social media controlled by the PRC, including TikTok, the Bilibili video streaming app, RedNote, and so on. The spread of PRC propaganda on these apps is deliberate and insidious, with Filipinos blithely consuming the contents with nary a thought to ulterior intentions. I do wonder how many Filipino leaders and citizens stood by idly as the Japanese Empire swept menacingly and brutally through Southeast Asia in the early years of the Pacific Theater during WWII?
https://perryworldhouse.upenn.edu/news-and-insight/chinas-disinformation-narratives-in-the-philippines/
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/fake-accounts-drove-praise-duterte-now-target-philippine-election-2025-04-11/
https://globalnation.inquirer.net/263423/chinese-named-x-accounts-spread-fake-news-defend-dutertes-group
Three or more links puts a post into moderation.
Ah yes, I had forgotten about that. Thanks Joe.
ahem, joey, the 2nd link you posted has been proven to be conquerable, done and trounced. election 2025 is proof with bam aquino and kiko pangilinan winning their seats; leila de lima, chel diokno and their ilks got to win too. these winning candidates put their heads down and attract less of the all seeing malicious eye of sauron, the sleepless and ever watchful chat bots that were always on the lookout, sleepless and relentless.
chat bots dont vote and dont head to polling booths, voters do. candidates like bam and kiko as well as manay leila toured and travel the width and length of our country campaigning at every chance they got. and often got the backing and endorsement of big names celebs in places they went to. tirelessly walking the talk and expounding on their policies and advocacies and reiterating them time and again.
so while chatbots were incessantly screaming in cyberspace, the real voters on the ground got addressed by real candidates who answered and entertained their questions, always enlarging on their platforms, spreading good will and never wavering and never giving up despite the bad publicity they got online. they stood firm and held on to hope of winning, smiling in the face of relentless criticism. and they did not rest even after polling day, and were utterly amazed at the election result! they won! voters were indeed receptive.
there were big name losers, too. those that rely mostly on their names got trounced.
They have been hit for not joining the minority, but none of us no exactly the dynamics of governance and policy making.
Sometimes it is “if you can’t beat them join them” sometimes it is “keeping enemies closer” it is not that simple.
true, bam and kiko did not join the minority but anyone following the senate session and knows what goes on in the senate, will find that both bam and kiko sided with the minority in some aspect. policy, not personal agenda.
We are in the same frequency
I can’t measure your exact frequency but you are both definitely FM, not AM.
we locals on the ground are sometimes fly on the wall, we see things and hear things, there are things we see that cannot be unseen, things we hear that cannot be repeated.
yes, for sure, there is a reason there was a rumor-mongering law in the time of Marcos Senior. Though I suspect the Metro Manila networks in our days were more reliable than social media Maritesses today. And later the moskito press and Radyo Bandido.
Though there is an advantage in today’s Philippines were Kiko Pangilinan is able to explain to Robinhood what is missing in the implementation of the Juvenile Justice Law, where what happened in Digong’s war against Drugs is documented and will go to trial in the Hague, all that.
The crap especially foreigners or half-foreigners like me were told that there are things only Filipinos can know does not really hold water. First of all the stuff that happens in the Philippines happens in other places too, second the modern approach even Rizal had in his novels of putting “the cancer” (that was his original term) out in the open for all to see to be able to find a cure is definitely better than the pre-scientific way of many a Filipino that lead to Digong’s drug wars which in the end DID NOT WORK. But damn most of what I got from my high school and elementary batchmates about the matter was deadma.
Well, I guess you will indeed have to figure out stuff your own way, and maybe you will find out how not to totally junk K-12 and send 10 years olds back to jail. Or maybe even figure out how to control floods even if there are best practices from other countries, as water DOESN’T flow differently in any country/culture.
It is interesting that it was Joe since ten years and Joey recently who made things about the Philippines a lot clearer to me than most Filipinos have. It isn’t some sacred mystery guys. But you do things your way, I have already said most of what I wanted to say on it and don’t want to nag people. Besides we have issues to deal with over here in Europe, big ones. As Voltaire wrote, it is better for everyone to take care of their own gardens. We had rains again after a heat wave.
@Irineo
This is what Chat gpt did to one of your analysis in this thread
From idea to delivery: why EDSA’s “BRT-lite” and other big projects keep falling short — a deeper diagnosis and a practical roadmap
Executive summary (TL;DR):
EDSA’s busway proved that a dedicated bus corridor can cut chaos and slightly speed up commutes. But it is not a full Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system: technical half-measures are coupled with fragmented institutions, perverse incentives, and weak enforcement. That combination turns replicable, low-tech fixes (as seen in Jakarta, Bogotá, Curitiba) into “BRT-lite” experiments that underperform. Fixing this means pairing technical completion (stations, fares, feeders, enforcement, depots, fleet) with institutional fixes (integrated authority, clear KPIs, performance contracts, transparency, and anti-capture measures). Below I dig into what works, what failed, and a prioritized, practical roadmap to close the gap. 1) What a real BRT does — the checklist
A robust BRT is not just a painted lane. It’s a systems package that reduces variability, speeds boarding, and makes operations predictable:
These features produce measurable outcomes: travel-time savings, higher reliability, lower emissions. Tools like ITDP’s BRT SCOPE exist to quantify those benefits for planning and to make the climate/air quality case. 2) Where EDSA fell short — the anatomy of “BRT-lite”
EDSA’s busway (the so-called “carousel”) solved a painful status quo: it took the right idea and delivered partial improvements. The missing pieces turn gains into second-best outcomes:
Net effect: EDSA is better than chaos, but a long list of half-measures prevents it from delivering the full modal shift, reliability, and climate benefits a complete BRT would produce. 3) What we can learn from Jakarta / Bogotá / Curitiba
These systems are not identical and none are perfect — but they show the levers that matter:
Lesson: success is a blend of technical completeness and durable institutions (one accountable authority, long-term maintenance funding, clear contracts). 4) The deeper institutional problem (why “simple” things fail)
Technical fixes are easy to prescribe. What kills them is incentive structure:
If you want implementation, you must change incentives (accountability + reward for outcomes). 5) A prioritized, practical roadmap (what to do next — not a wish list)
Below is a short, prioritized program with actions you can start immediately and clear metrics. Phase A — Immediate, low-cost moves (0–6 months)
Phase B — Operational consolidation (6–18 months)
Phase C — Institutional & strategic reforms (18–48 months)
6) Flood projects — a parallel cautionary tale (and how it connects)
You mentioned Marcos Jr.’s audit of flood control projects — it’s instructive because the same dysfunctions show up: contractor concentration, incomplete documentation, and weak oversight. The administration’s public audit and dashboard approach (publishing projects and inviting citizen reports) is a useful transparency tool — but only a start. Effective reform requires third-party technical validation, performance bonds, and maintenance commitments tied to payment. Recent official actions and public dashboards make the governance problem visible; use that visibility to push systemic procurement and audit reforms. 7) Real political constraints — and how to navigate them
Conclusion — doable, but not without discipline
The EDSA busway shows two things: first, that Manila can create corridor interventions; second, that an unfinished approach turns wins into fragile experiments. The technical recipe for a full-BRT is straightforward, but implementing it requires political courage to change incentives, consolidate authority, and enforce rules consistently.
If you want, I can now:
Which of those would you prefer me to draft next?
Thanks Karl, all that makes a lot of sense and is in fact structured well so I was able to read it through quickly. That is where AI is a super power tool.
just reminding of this article, and I also asked ChatGPT to see if lessons from Jakarta Mikrotrans can be applied to jeepney modernization:
************
Short answer: yes—*parts* of Jakarta’s Mikrotrans are a strong, practical template for jeepney modernization, but they only work if paired with real service contracting, integrated fares, and a “just transition” for operators and drivers.
Here’s how Mikrotrans maps to the Philippines—and what to copy vs. adapt:
## What to copy (high-impact)
* **Service contracting vs. boundary/“boundary” rental.** Mikrotrans converted informal minibuses into contracted feeders paid on a **per-kilometer (gross-cost)** basis, so the public agency controls routes, schedules, and quality while operators get predictable income. This replaced daily boundary arrangements and enabled driver **wages** and uniforms.
* **Fare and payment integration.** Jakarta’s **JakLingko** gives one account/ticket across BRT/MRT/LRT and Mikrotrans, with a **time-based cap (≈3 hours)** that keeps transfers cheap and predictable; Mikrotrans feeder rides have been priced extremely low (even **Rp0** in some implementations) to encourage first/last-mile use.
* **Feederization to trunk lines.** Mikrotrans is explicitly a **feeder network** (≈80 routes as of recent documentation) extending coverage to neighborhoods and affordable-housing areas and channeling riders to BRT/MRT/LRT. That’s exactly how jeepneys can complement rail/BRT corridors.
* **Procurement/contracting playbook.** Jakarta used an **e-catalog and standardized contracts** to onboard existing angkot operators into the new model, with clear road-worthiness, service hours, and KPIs.
## What to adapt for the Philippine context
* **Align with PUVMP realities.** The Philippines already mandates **operator consolidation** (co-ops/corporations) and vehicle standards, but **financing and fair transition** remain pain points; subsidies have been raised yet called **insufficient** by labor/academics. A Mikrotrans-style gross-cost service contracting layer can de-risk revenue for small operators once consolidated.
* **Funding the contract.** Mikrotrans works because the public side funds the per-km payments (effectively subsidizing feeders). The PH would need a **dedicated, transparent service-contracting fund** (national budget + LGU shares + possible congestion/parking revenues) rather than relying mainly on farebox.
* **Labor safeguards.** Protests in both cities show that **driver pay schemes and quotas matter**. Bake in minimum wage floors, social protection, and grievance mechanisms in contracts to avoid disruptions.
* **Integrated fares first, fancy vehicles second.** Prioritize **one card/app across modes** and a **time-based fare cap** before pushing full fleet replacement; this yields immediate rider benefits and ridership growth, lowering political resistance.
## A concrete, Mikrotrans-inspired playbook for PH agencies
1. **Select pilot corridors** where jeepneys already feed MRT/LRT/BRT; redesign routes into **feeder packages** with scheduled service and stop spacing.
2. **Tender gross-cost contracts** (per-km) to consolidated jeepney co-ops for 3–5 years, with clear KPIs (on-time, km delivered, safety) and **bonus/penalty regimes**; pay the **co-op** that then wages its drivers.
3. **Launch integrated fare + payment** (single QR/NFC across modes) with a **90–180-minute cap** that makes transfers cheaper than direct point-to-point rides. Start with Metro Manila, then extend to other metros.
4. **Fund the gap.** Create a ring-fenced **Service Contracting Fund** (national + LGU + traffic pricing revenues) to cover the net cost of feeders; publish unit **₱/km** rates and audited payments. Use the PH experience with previous service-contracting rounds as a base.
5. **Stage vehicle upgrades.** Keep existing Euro-4 or well-maintained units initially under the contract, then phase to **Class II/III modern jeepneys or e-microbuses** as financing and depot/charging are ready. Use route-level TCO analyses (as Jakarta did for e-buses) before scaling.
6. **Guarantee a just transition.** Tie contract awards to **employment absorption** of incumbent drivers, standardized training, and benefits; scale subsidies/credit lines where evidence shows current levels fall short.
## Watch-outs
* **Underfunded contracts** will recreate boundary incentives under a new label—avoid by publishing km targets and on-time payments.
* **Governance fragmentation** (national vs. LGU vs. rail/BRT operators) can kill integration—Jakarta centralized fare integration under JakLingko; PH needs an empowered **integrator** across modes.
* **Public buy-in** depends on visible rider wins (short waits, easy transfers, flat fares) *before* asking operators to shoulder big debts for new vehicles.
**Bottom line:** Use Mikrotrans as the *operating model* (gross-cost contracts, integrated fares, feederization, formalized labor). In the Philippines, put money into service contracting and fare integration first; then, sequence vehicle upgrades and electrification once the operating and financial foundations are in place.
I dug deeper.
From Mikrotrans to Modern Jeepneys: a practical, staged path for a just Philippine transition
Jakarta’s Mikrotrans and its JakLingko fare-integration platform offer one of the clearest operational recipes for upgrading informal, minibus-style services into a reliable feeder network that actually serves rail and trunk corridors. The lesson is straightforward but politically subtle: fix the operating model (contracts, fares, governance, worker protections) first — then ask operators to change their vehicles. Below I lay out why Jakarta’s approach matters, how the Philippine context differs, and a concrete, sequenced playbook the Philippines can adopt to make jeepney modernization genuinely equitable, affordable, and effective.
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Five core facts to keep front-and-center
1. Jakarta integrated informal minibuses (Mikrotrans) into TransJakarta using operator contracts that pay on a per-kilometer (gross-cost) basis so the city controls routes, schedules and service quality.
2. JakLingko provides a single payment/account across modes and an integrated fare with a time-based cap (multi-hour caps to keep transfers cheap), encouraging feeder → trunk travel.
3. The Philippines’ Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) officially aims to modernize PUJs and other PUVs, and has produced approved models and procurement processes — but implementation has been uneven.
4. The Philippines piloted service contracting during COVID-19 (paying operators/drivers for service delivered), showing promise for stabilizing incomes and improving reliability — but early programs suffered from funding, administrative, and coordination weaknesses.
5. Major barriers to a just transition in the Philippines are financing (drivers/operators cannot easily shoulder new vehicle costs), fragmented governance across national agencies and LGUs, and the political salience of visible “hardware” (new vehicles) vs. invisible “software” reforms.
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Jakarta’s model — what actually worked (and why)
Jakarta treated its minibuses not as relics to be eliminated but as assets to be absorbed into a formal network. Key moves: define feeder routes, consolidate those services under contractual packages, and pay operators on a gross-cost (per-km) basis so agency budgets — not farebox luck — fund operations. That allowed TransJakarta (and its partners) to set fixed timetables, monitor performance, and require operator compliance with safety and vehicle-maintenance KPIs. Parallel to this, JakLingko created a single digital fare/account and established a multimodal fare cap so a trip using Mikrotrans + BRT/MRT/LRT is priced predictably and cheaply — incentivizing transfers and reducing fare leakage. These are not incremental tweaks; they change the risk profile of running feeder services and place system control with a public integrator rather than with ad-hoc, boundary-based arrangements.
—
The Philippine reality — promise and persistent gaps
The PUVMP is a necessary policy recognition that many PUVs are old, unsafe, and polluting; it lists approved modern PUV models and attempts to structure consolidation and financing. But on the ground, the program has met strong resistance from drivers/operators (whose livelihoods and capital access are limited), and financing vehicles remains a major hurdle. During the COVID crisis the DOTr/LTFRB rolled out a service contracting program that effectively paid drivers/operators for delivered kilometers (and in some instances guaranteed wages), demonstrating how contracting can stabilize incomes and keep services running. Early monitoring and evaluation studies showed real benefits — but also highlighted persistent problems: irregular funding disbursements, weak monitoring capacity, and governance fragmentation across agencies and LGUs. Several civil-society and academic reviews argue the PUVMP needs a stronger “just transition” design: financing windows, binding labor protections, and transparent unit rates.
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Why Jakarta’s lessons matter for the Philippines
Two elements are especially portable and high-impact:
1. Service contracting (gross-cost) de-risks operations. When the public sector pays for a defined volume of service (₱/km) and enforces KPIs, operators no longer need to chase daily fares under boundary systems. That creates room for predictable driver wages, scheduled service, and integration with trunk lines.
2. Integrated fares and time-based caps unlock rider behavior. If transfers are cheap and seamless (one card/app, capped over a window), commuters will use feeders to access rail/BRT. That raises overall ridership, which strengthens political support for further investments (including vehicles and depots).
Jakarta combined both and then sequenced vehicle upgrades rather than making new vehicles the precondition of service reform. The Philippines, by contrast, has often foregrounded hardware procurement (new e-jeepney demos, model approvals) before securing the ongoing operating subsidies and governance to sustain reliable services. That’s why many pilots stall or leave drivers and small operators exposed to debt and job loss.
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A practical, sequenced playbook (operational, not hypothetical)
Phase 0 — Political alignment & integrator creation
Mandate a regional “transport integrator” for Metro Manila (or equivalent for other metros) with authority over route packages, fare integration, and service contracting. This body should include DOTr, MMDA (or Metro-wide authority), LTFRB representation, and LGU seats to reduce turf battles. (Jakarta’s JakLingko/TransJakarta integration shows the value of a single integrator.)
Phase 1 — Deliver quick rider wins (software first)
1. Launch integrated fare + payment across target corridors (one card/app; 90–180 minute fare cap) so feeders → trunk trips cost less than separate fares. No fleet change required for this. (JakLingko’s multimodal fare cap is an example.)
2. Design and tender gross-cost feeder contracts on a corridor basis (3–5 year contracts). Package routes so consolidated co-ops can bid; pay the co-op (not individuals) and require the co-op to pay drivers a guaranteed wage with transparent payrolls. Use performance bonuses and penalties tied to on-time reliability, headways (or km delivered), and safety.
Phase 2 — Finance and just transition 3. Create a ring-fenced Service Contracting Fund (national + LGU shares + value capture streams such as parking/congestion revenue and targeted development levies). Publish unit ₱/km rates and audited payments to build trust and avoid underfunded contracts. Early service contracting pilots in the Philippines worked but were undermined by irregular funding; a ring-fenced fund prevents that.
4. Embed labor protections in contracts. Minimum wage floors, mandatory social protection contributions, mandatory absorption clauses (hire incumbent drivers where feasible), training and certification funded by the program, and grievance mechanisms. This reduces strike risk and makes the transition politically sustainable.
Phase 3 — Procurement, TCO, and staged fleet upgrades 5. Allow a staged vehicle upgrade path. Start contracts using well-maintained existing Euro-4 (or equivalent) units where safe; require fleet condition KPIs. Only move to wholesale replacement (e-jeepneys or Class II/III modern units) after transparent TCO (total cost of ownership) studies, depot/charging readiness, and confirmed financing. Jakarta’s experience shows that electrification without operating stability is fragile.
Phase 4 — Scale and institutionalize 6. Use standardized procurement documents and an e-catalog to speed onboarding and reduce rent-seeking. Publish contracts, performance data, and payments. Jakarta’s e-catalog / standardized contracts reduced negotiation friction.
7. Monitor, iterate, and expand. Use pilot corridors with high ridership and clear trunk feeders (MRT, LRT, BRT) to show quick wins (shorter waits, cheaper transfers). Use those political wins to expand service packages and finance windows.
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Sequencing and political strategy
Start where the visibility and commuter benefit are highest: feeders into busy rail/BRT corridors. Demonstrable commuter gains (less waiting, seamless transfers, predictable fares) win public support much faster than photo-ops for new vehicles. That political capital buys time to sort the harder problems: depot siting, financing instruments, and operator consolidation.
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Risks and watch-outs
Underfunded contracts: If the unit ₱/km is set too low or payments are delayed, the system collapses back into boundary games. Publish rates and payment schedules to mitigate this.
Governance fragmentation: Multiple agencies and LGUs can block integration unless the integrator has a clear mandate and budget. Jakarta’s stronger province-level coordination made integration simpler.
Operator consolidation failures: Forced, top-down consolidation without finance/technical assistance creates debt and protest. Pair consolidation with credit lines, subsidies, and phased compliance timelines.
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Conclusion — software before hardware; justice before speed
Jakarta’s Mikrotrans plus JakLingko shows that integration of fares and service contracting can transform fragmented, informal feeders into a reliable public good. The Philippines already has the policy architecture to move in that direction (PUVMP, previous service contracting pilots), but needs to re-sequence and resource reforms: build a fund, create a metropolitan integrator, prioritize fare integration and gross-cost feeder contracts, and protect workers with enforceable labor provisions. Once the operating model proves reliable, financing and scaling fleet modernization becomes both fiscally credible and socially just.
If you’d like, I can turn this into a 2-page policy brief with an executive summary, an implementation timeline, templated contract clauses (wage & absorption clauses, KPIs), and a sample budget for a pilot corridor. Which of those would be most useful next?
Thanks for this as well.
There is that old saying about winning the battle but losing the war. Too often our rules-based side is myopic in focusing on small wins while losing the bigger picture. Yes, I’m glad that the senators you mentioned won, but the fact still stands that the Duterte faction became stronger, not weaker, after the midterms.
I listened to personal stories and anecdotes from around Mindanao in the lead up to and following the midterm, and I was positively shocked at the amount of vote bribe money this time around. Something feels like there is a definite PRC connection in terms of narrative shaping and illicit money flowing into Philippine politics. While chatbots can’t vote, superficially seeming chatbots (which now post in Tagalog and Cebuano) do influence voters and would be voters who consume information superficially by pushing the sense of momentum for one side and apathy for those who oppose. If foreign coordinated inauthentic behavior campaigns can influence much more sophisticated electorates in the US, UK, France and elsewhere, it would be a mistake to think the same CIBs cannot influence a less sophisticated electorate.
The Philippines is losing the tide of battle in the information space, yet there may still be time to direct where the tide goes to mitigate the damage done. Enough Americans at the political margins ignored facts and reality in favor of confirmation bias to whatever little personal fixation they had, whether that be the culture wars or sympathizing with terrorists in wars in far away lands rather than sympathizing with the affected civilians. Those slim margins defeated a cacophonous coalition that can’t shoot straight because they argue about how to aim, and when to shoot. Meanwhile the anti-democracy side, boosted by foreign bots, goes out guns blazing with plenty of ammo, not caring about if the target is hit or not as long as they keep attacking. The Philippines should heed the warning of what came before in foreign shores at her own peril.
thanks, you are cheerful! yeah, we are no strangers to peril, we live by it and stare at it, and sometimes play huntsman with it.
and we are still here, and we are getting good at surviving, professional survivalists arent we all! we got thru floods and fire, starvation, hunger and diseases and now we might just have exported the dreaded chikungunya disease to china too! serves them right for coming too close. and we got tru earthquakes and very bad government, mismanagement and equally very bad politicians. by the way did you intentionally forget to mention that duterte the patriarch is languishing in the hague! his personal freedom suspended. could be bec minions like me dared to hit back! but never mind, our efforts are inconsequential to many.
there is a god in heaven, and if anything else, we might be granted another lifetime. my friend wants to reincarnate and come back as a rock, not rock like dwayne johnson but rock like gibraltar. I will comeback as a super model and will not get out of bed for anything less than a 100 thousands bucks! I think, karlG might comeback as a media baron and joeam as super tycoon, him having good business head. my friend sonny will probly come back as a priest! and istambayako might well be my kainuman. arlene is a snub, methink, the rest . . tyler seems to be having a forever headache, his hair is all twisted.
in the meantime, we are earthbound, to live life as we see fit. may not make for anything else but that is our life. and many thanks for pointing out to us a path that really, I am not sure I want to follow. but we will do what we can. god provides.
Let’s hope everyone can have a positive attitude as you do KB. Always need to look towards the glass half full, though that is hard to do.
Those are excellent observations. The cybercrime law is misdirected I think, toward domestic critics, not malicious acts by China, Russia, the Dutertes, etc. The pressures on disinformation are just starting to build. DDS is putting out disinformation about President Marcos so the feds are after them. Whose ox is gored seems to determine interest. Scams and crimes attached to pogos got so huge, they had to be stopped. A whole lot more can be done, for sure.
Right, there has been some movement on the issues at hand. There is only one beneficiary to the encroachment by the PRC, and that’s the Dutertes and their band of criminality. If the PRC wins the narrative war everyone else loses, including Marcos Jr. but also Philippine liberal democracy. My hope is from now until 2028 Marcos Jr. does everything possible to shore up defenses, preferably by working with those on the left who opposed his candidacy the last time around.
That’s true. The Dutertes are just China’s vehicle though. China, I would imagine, has no respect for them. Unless China enters physically, democracy is an embedded power, rather like in the US. So even with Sara Duterte as president, there would be forces at work.
The Dutertes are just useful idiots for the PRC, just like Trump is for Russia. I have a lot of hope when it comes to the Philippines, otherwise I wouldn’t have kept coming back, but I worry that the institutions in the Philippines aren’t strong enough to survive underground in the face of infiltration. There is hope watching other countries such as Hungary or Serbia which are thoroughly infiltrated by Russian influence, yet the people of those countries are finally standing up. What finally created impetus for Hungarian and Serbian people is that the economic situation became untenable, similar to the main impetus that caused the EDSA revolution.
We’ll see.
There is this Fil-Am businessman who once wondered aloud in my presence whether the Filipino is just a tabula rasa, a blank slate that adapts to this today and that tomorrow. Though I don’t subscribe to that point of view, there is little real cultural memory over there. The Polish aristocracy survived Nazis and communism, I was told, and I saw how a French- and Italian-influenced Romanian upper class had survived the brutality of Antonescu (fascist) and Ceausescu (communist) regimes.
A people that understand who they are and where their place is in the scheme of things are able to bounce back, even as I see SOME roots of the AfD in how German culture and mindset of the old kind survived underground in East Germany, but we (in West Germany) mostly know what our Republic and our 1949 Constitution stand for, even as it will be as hard as old US struggles with the Deep South, at least we (Americans and German) I guess know what it is about.
Filipinos struggle with what forthwith means. A lot of the UP crowd still are stuck with how the US legacy totally remade the Philippines, yes it did, Stanley Karnow with “In Our Image” was right, but it was because even Aguinaldo didn’t really know what he was emulating, even the ilustrados had barely scratched the surface of Western liberal thought, and as for Katipunan and First Republic, only a few like Bonifacio or Mabini actually had read Jefferson.
Oh, the old Filipino way somehow transformed and survived over the centuries, staying essentially the same even half a millenium after Magellan, as MLQ3 wrote back in March 2021, “Half a Millenium of Staying the Same”. It is like Filipino resilience has managed to survive all kinds of catastrophes, floods and all. Systemic thinking is weak there though, and resilience might not be enough as the floodwaters of history are also rising.
There are those who say that the Philippines of 1896 was lost due to US influence, but I suspect there will be less of the Philippines of 1872-2025 left after the very probably win of Sara Duterte in 2028 than after the WW2 Japanese occupation. At least during 1941-1944 there was still a generation that understood instinctively what the Philippines was about, even if they failed to articulate and pass it on well.
“there is little real cultural memory over there”
There are memories of family hardship and government nonsense, for these are lived. But there is no conceptual framing. So even revolution never comes to mind or voting for a future. Schools have taught memorization of irrelevant data, slogans that in life have little meaning (be honest … while everyone else is cheating), and obedience. So it is worse than no cultural memory. It is conceptual vacuity, and resilience over action.
Secretary Angara is better than Senator Angara I think. He’s trying to get computers into schools, but the beast is huge and the money paltry. But a few intellectuals will seep through, I suspect, and is they who will decide where the nation goes from here. There is very little organization to spread concepts that count. So what people get is Duterte tripe. Pity.
Thanks, yes exactly. The conceptual framing is weak.
People did relate well to the teleserye version of Rizal’s novels two years ago on GMA, Maria Clara at Ibarra, with the twist of a Gen Z “ikigaied” aka transported into the novel, almost like a vlogger sent into the past to report on it with a GoPro.
The teleserye “Pulang Araw” about the Japanese occupation is probably intense, I did not dare to watch it yet. Connecting the personal to the larger whole is what movies like that do, give a feel in a “feelingero” culture, and there are a few historians like Xiao Chua who can bridge the personal to conceptual aspect. And there are the likes of Vice Ganda who manage to connect jetski vacations, watter cannons and The Hague in a way even the masses get – I wonder how especially Vice would fare under a Sara Duterte regime, or whether he/she would have to flee.
My, but we live in a serial drama, the characters switching allegiances, all larger than life but wholly impotent. lol
I had considered that one of the primary enablers of the broken system the Philippines has is the large population of jobless and underemployed Filipinos. It is too easy for those Filipinos who climbed up into the middle class to become somewhat like neo-datus or at the very least, sub-datus. Normally when a country has a large population lacking meaningful work, that country would be in big trouble unless the leaders generate new jobs to occupy the people’s time. Looking at the Philippines population curve, it continually went up without commensurate development. So there is a genius in the OFW pressure release valve after all.
I also recall when I was a younger teen (perhaps pre-teen) when I thought myself as the penultimate genius, as many juvenile minded people do. Everything I did was RIGHT and everyone else was WRONG. I looked up quite a bit to my older kuya friends, only later realizing that age alone does not bring maturity of thought. Thought matures with exposure and consideration of other, new, views even if one does not adopt it. A lot of elite thought in the Philippines, even if it comes out of UP, seems to be immature and incompletely formed. There is an ever expanding collecting of fancy sounding buzz words to prove one’s moral and intellectual superiority without a care to the actual substance. Even the smallest criticism can elicit a firestorm of pride-based bashing, never mind the value or non-value of the point.
As much as I criticize the elites and wannabe elites being the problem in the Philippines, they are undeniably, paradoxically a large part to the answer. If they so choose to get off of their high horses and meet the people where they are, then build from there.
Philippine elites need to have direct contact with what is going on in the country. Leni Robredo doing that made me look up to her.
Kiko Pangilinan interacting a lot with farmers in line with his agricultural push is following a similar path.
There was the late journalist Conrado de Quiros who likened PNoy to Aragorn. He probably meant it in terms of heir to the kingdom.
What made Aragorn a great King when he took the throne was his past as Strider, walking among the people incognito.
On the ground is the greatest reality check. Especially now that Filipino lives are more apart than in the 1950s or the 1910s.
Honestly I think for most DE’s prospects and sometimes life itself is as close to rock bottom as it gets that it would not be as hard as it seems to shift a majority of the population towards good leadership. The problem perhaps is most of even the most well-intentioned Filipinos only try to solve the problem by guessing what life for a poor Filipino is like, rather than just simply going there and have conversation with the people they want to help. My journey among DE’s has been amazing fulfilling. I have learned a lot as much as I had shared new ideas to those DE’s. So that might be an idea, and a start, for Filipinos who have more agency and want to help prod the country along.
Life as a provincial DE is very close to the nearby ground, subject to the influences of friends, barangay captains, and self interest that has no social component. Others and the future carry no special weight.
Could it also be said that others and the future don’t carry weight because others and the future are usually non-existent?
Suppose urban and rural DEs are given better opportunities by their leaders, both governmental and private, it seems to me that DEs would be quite receptive.
Well, the Pink campaign in 2022 had house to house, but kb reported that it was very hard. I can imagine, because they might have thought “why are they coming to talk to us just now when they need votes”. Angat Buhay with its long-term engagement in DE communities has a better chance of building bridges.
it is probably EASIER for a foreigner to go to Philippine DEs than for a Filipino AB, as the distrust is extremely large. Even abroad, the differences in mannerisms and speech (what Bourdieau called habitus) separated even former A and high B from former low B and high C. The latter call “us” (usually with some background from or close to the Big Four) “elitists” even if our economic situation isn’t that far removed anymore, of course I am realistic, “we” have far more access to the mainstream here than “them”, which is why many from that milieu dance budots in front of Scheveningen prison in The Hague, definitely for free as to pay their daily wage would be exorbitant.
Democrats in the US are slowly waking up to the same after spending the last two decades under essentially Third Way policies catering to the educated class and expecting the working class to be permanent supporters. If there isn’t consistent engagement to a constituents’ concerns, they will start to feel taken for granted. If corrupt politicians come through to “listen,” the constituent might just vote for the corrupt politicians anyway because those politicians made an effort to engage. I’m just a bit flabbergasted at times why no other organization either copied Angat Buhay’s model, or created a new organization based off of the Angat Buhay model. Meanwhile entrenched dynasties constantly campaign and engage. Can’t win based on the goodness or even the moral correctness of a platform alone…
You’re probably right on the distrust between AB and CDE even in abroad situations where the economic gap had closed due to opportunity. Perhaps it is easier for a foreigner to approach DEs, but I think here we are still thinking in the context of a White foreigner (we are both only partially White so we only get partial points, hehe). Fully white foreigners usually get a pass, or so I observed. Even halfsies get the same pass more or less, unless they’re half Filipino… Usually I don’t get immediately identified as an “American” (there’s still the prevalent belief that Americans are all White, except for the Black Americans). I do however eat like the DEs do, sleep on a foam mattress or just the ground like DEs do, cook using salvaged wood like DEs do, and have a stronger stomach than the BINI girls. That probably helps a lot, and opens up the usual guarded fronts most DEs have, to where I can become a listener to the many stories Filipinos usually like to tell. They had often remarked that I am more pinoy than they are, which is a bit amusing.
OT: Increased US missile defenses for Philippines and plea for American firms to invest in Philippine manufacturing.
Watching this space today with Ambassador Romualdez and Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro at a trade and investment conference in Manila:
***
“When U.S. companies invest here, it’s not just about returns on capital — it’s about returns on alliance,” Romualdez told U.S. business executives at the conference. “A stronger Philippine economy means a more capable and reliable defense partner for the United States.”
“At a time when America is diversifying supply chains and rethinking global strategy, we are a natural choice – and a strategic necessity,” Romualdez said. “I ask you to carry this message to the Trump administration: `Every U.S. dollar invested in the Philippines strengthens America’s position in the Indo-Pacific.’”
***
What Amb. Romualdez said today is true, but I fear the Philippines will again make the mistake that prevents the Philippines from being a security and economic partner — an expectation that the stronger partner will do all the heavy lifting, in effect gifting the Philippines something with little effort from the Philippines government itself. If the Philippines wants to attract this investment, the Philippines needs to facilitate building transportation, import-export and energy infrastructure to do so. The Philippines is the natural choice for *the* US security and economic partner in Asia, and has always been, but the Philippines must also do its part.
https://apnews.com/article/united-states-philippines-antiship-missiles-china-sea-f38b33bd410992ec4c4264511a32d03c
The choice of Defense Secretary is important, and even Duterte got it right. Toredoro also is right for that job. In fact, I think he is the best. The greater chance of blowing it is failing to communicate with voters and getting another Duterte as President. I think the Philippines is an active partner to the US and is not simply conceding space to the US. It impressed me that after the Chinese ships collided trying to chase the Philippine Navy out of Philippine seas, the US Navy did a sail-through, freedom of navigation, to signal to China, yes, you can bully, but you are out of line. Philippines in first. US backing it up.
ps, that Romualdez statement was excellent.
I really like Sec. Teodoro and Gen. Brawner. On the military aspect of defense cooperation I think both Teodoro and Brawner are doing well. The US will continue to “forget” high-end defense articles in the Philippines after joint training, while quietly restocking the armories at EDCA bases. All great imo.
I believe Amb. Romualdez is trying to attract more manufacturing, which may not all be specifically military related, but rather economic tighter economic integration supports national security in another sense. That sense is that if Filipinos have access to more jobs that pay well, those Filipinos will be less susceptible to being influenced by either Duterte or PRC. Though my wish still stands for the Philippines to do more to build up infrastructure that would attract that manufacturing investment in the first place, rather than depending on the largesse of grants from the US, Japan or EU in order to build basic infrastructure. Possibly Filipino tycoons can be brought onboard with the proposal that their effort is patriotic and required, and they would be richly rewarded in the end by the Philippines being able to unlock more economic development.
Speaking of Filipinos on the ground on this blog.
Excluding Meta and X and fil foreigners, the unsilent readers on this blog are your truly, kb, giancarlo, madlanglupa, Arlene others partilcipate on meta and x.
While on this I am perplexed by Irineo’s you have to figure it out for your selves mantra, if you will.
Proposals, brainstorming, roadmaps, solutions to known and unknown problems which may fall on proposals
we have that.
Executions we also have that hehe.
That basketball analogy or fable or parable was stating the obvious but implementation means going beyond the obvious.
I can see that Sen Pangilinan is doing a great job of following up on how the Sagip Saka and the Juvenile whatever Act are being implemented, bridging the theoretical-practical gap, or the clean kitchen – dirty kitchen gap the Philippines has been known for.
I AM NOT ON THE GROUND to actually say much that is useful about implementation, and been away too long (over 4 decades, with my last visit literally almost 30 years ago) to fully understand what the Philippines has become NOW.
I also don’t want to be one of those expats or balikbayans that kasambahay doesn’t like, who tell people what to do from a higher pulpit, I am way too grounded (not electrically of course) for that, so I know when it is better to be more in the background than in front.
Thanks for clarifications and additional inputs
Welcome. Look, I get told by KB that there are secret matters only you over there understand, and then you come and tell me theory isn’t implementation. Well, there is a reason why I don’t know what is going on there and there is a reason why I can’t see why even simple ideas don’t get done over there.
Take EDSA busway. I first mentioned such an idea in my old blog, not feeling main character and thinking that the EDSA Busway was copied from there, but there are blueprints for doing such a thing PROPERLY from Instanbul to South America, or even in a similar culture (Indonesia) so no excuses really for that. Micha mentioned Istanbul being less crowded than Metro Manila but Jakarta is crowded and has a working BRT. Well, when it comes to flooding projects I also respect how Marcos Jr. is auditing why they did not work. There is a sense of cut the crap, no more BS at least among some in the Philippines today, at least seen from afar. Of course it might be for show yet again.
Well, it took decades for the Philippines to stop requiring birth certificates for every passport renewal, thanks to Teddy Boy Locsin, who is probably a terrible narcissist but is definitely intelligent, so why am I surprised about anything. And having passports for ten years is also best practice in nearly all countries. Maybe Joey would be able to explain to me why what seems easy to do isn’t doable there, because I don’t get it until now.
Attribute it to raw incompetence, institutionalized stupidity, rote instilled lack of imagination and problem solving. It’s Secretary Abaya designing a monster train station because too many powerful people leaned on him, its agency lackeys having no authority and no common sense so the runaround treatment is common practice, it is absolutely incompetent people all over the place.
Identifying a problem is one thing, but what will be done about the problem? Solving problems requires action. Solving problems requires asking “how?,” not “should we?” That pretty much boils down what in my opinion ails the Philippines thinking process.
In the Philippines there is too much emphasis on the “should we?” Should we have a completely different ID or clearance for this area? Why is a national ID not enough? Why is there a voter ID, postal ID, barangay ID, blah blah blah? What is the purpose of all manner of clearances like terrorism clearances, NBI clearances, barangay clearances, medical clearances and so on? Why is it that a minor error on a birth certificate takes forever to fix, and if someone has a “late registered” birth certificate they would encounter so many problems from officials who demand all paperwork to conform down to the last punctuation mark? How helpful is it when the paperwork theatre has crept into non-governmental processes when different institutions (such as educational) require medical clearances? Is it useful then, to compel a medical clearance with complete bloodwork battery, physical, fecalysis test, when there is little risk of fecal-to-mouth route disease affecting whatever the clearance is required for (like to enroll in school?). It seems to me that teaching better hygiene practices, including handwashing and less sharing of food or utensils, would have a bigger impact than a useless medical clearance. What is the purpose of anti-terrorism clearances and shutting down cellular signals that inconvenience everyone rather than actually investigating and pursuing terrorism cases? Paperwork to holders of power whether in Philippine government, at the bank, or even at an electronics store (lol) is like a child’s blanket that provides comfort and safety to those who demand paperworks, while Filipinos are forced to abide by a system no one understands, not even the officials who meticulously mandate it.
Same goes for project planning in the Philippines. Notice how when the Philippines tries to go at it alone there are countless studies, a multitude of plans, minor risks blown up to appear on the same magnitude as major risks, ultimately nothing getting done while funding gets drained, somewhere. The only successful projects in the Philippines are usually when the project is planned, designed, and overseen by the foreign development aid partner. What is the point then of having all these Filipino engineers for example? In the West engineers are usually reserved and serious individuals, while in the Philippines I’ve noticed engineers act like rockstars, focusing more on being OA than applied work.
But all these endemic problems have a possible fix. There are enough educated people in the Philippines to demand change, and create change. My criticism is too often, they use their education to elevate themselves to neo-datus rather than to be helpful. Those who are earnest and want to help become jaded and eventually withdraw or migrate.
From my consulting days, I know that a company that asks for countless studies has a decisionmaking problem upstairs. As someone who has done business process consulting as well (though mostly about the tools for it) companies with too many procedures and red tape I know tend to have too much blame game at the middle levels.
Well, even Philippine social media “discourse” is often about finding a culprit, so why are we surprised at such a culture in the Philippines?
I asked ChatGPT BTW about studies commissioned by the Philippine government about traffic in Metro Manila since the 1960s and got THIS:
****************
Short answer: at least 10 major, government-commissioned transport/traffic studies for Metro Manila since the 1960s.
Here are the landmark ones commonly cited by government and JICA documents:
UTSMMA – Urban Transport Study in the Manila Metropolitan Area (1973).
Open JICA Report
MMETROPLAN – Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (1976–1977).
Open JICA Report
MMUTIP – Metro Manila Urban Transportation Improvement Project (1981).
Open JICA Report
JUMSUT – Metro Manila Transportation Planning Study (1981–1984).
Open JICA Report
MMUSTRAP – Metro Manila Urban Transportation Strategy Planning Project (1982–1985).
Open JICA Report
MMUTDP – Metro Manila Urban Transport Development Plan (1991).
Open JICA Report
MMUESS – Metro Manila Urban Expressway System Study (1993).
Open JICA Report
MMUTIS – Metro Manila Urban Transportation Integration Study (1996–1999).
Open JICA Report
“Roadmap for Transport Infrastructure Development for Metro Manila and Its Surrounding Areas” (the JICA “Dream Plan,” 2014).
Open JICA Report
depdev.gov.ph
MUCEP – MMUTIS Update and Enhancement Project / Capacity Development on Transportation Planning & Database Management (2011–2015).
Open JICA Report
Notes:
The MMUTIS final report itself lists most of the pre-1999 studies above in its “Historical Context,” confirming they were official studies undertaken for the government.
Open JICA Report
Post-1999 efforts like the 2014 JICA Roadmap and MUCEP (2011–2015) were likewise carried out at the Philippine government’s request.
Since you’ve been in Big Corporate longer than I have, you may recall the golden era when business process planning was quite methodological using analysis heavy systems such as Waterfall. Around the time I got into the game Waterfall started breaking down as engineers, analysts, and other technical people started being outsourced rather than being cultivated in-house. Middle managers became risk-adverse and preferred to over emphasize the risks rather than RISK MITIGATION as an excuse to either can projects or outsource responsibility. Well outsourcing turned out great for me during my consulting career, but not great for organizations that stagnated. Iterative methodologies like Agile were a reaction to the stagnation, though Agile started to become misused as well by middle managers who essentially became resource managers focusing more on on trend buzz words rather than getting projects done.
Well, that kind of sounds like how the Philippines is governed. Exaggerate risks, outsource responsibility, get outside help from foreign aid then claim credit for it, or just ignore it altogether “because we are poor.” Recall the Nutribun project of your younger days how Imelda Marcos claimed total credit for, even going as far as re-bagging the US donated flour into Marcos Sr. administration flour bags. A nation being run by middle managers. A few weeks ago a couple of DDS friends in Cebu were attacking Marcos Jr. for supposedly screwing up Manila flood management. Just yesterday they are the ones now flooded out with Mandaue City being under neck-deep water along with substantial flooding in Cebu City proper and Lapu-Lapu City. Will be interesting to see who those friends blame.
Like you said in your other comment, the reality of how the natural laws are not different in the Philippines as it is anywhere else in the world. It’s not really rocket science when people thousands of years ago already figured it out, and those ancients started off only having access to wooden shovels and adzes to solve things like irrigation, flood control, or building roads, even megastructures like pyramids. The insistence on inventing a new “Filipino way” to do things in the Philippines is infuriating. Smart people learn by learning from other smart people who came before them. There aren’t that many times in human history where a person came along and invented a transformational new way to think or do something. Progress is iterative. But progress requires a move into action. Well maybe Philippine leaders don’t actually want progress, because the status quo works out great for them.
Re blame, I wonder if the old practice of photographing shoplifters that get caught in the Philippines with ridiculous piles of stuff they NEVER could have seriously tried to shoplift or even carry out by themselves still exists or existed in times when you visited there. The often cited 11th and 12th Philippine commandments of “don’t get caught” and “if caught don’t admit” are corrolaries to that. There is no culture of accountability, just one of blame over there.
Re insisting on the Filipino way, that might be a relic of the Great Man theories the ilustrados were influenced by. I consider the idea that original inventions by a people point to their “genius” wrong, though it can indicate an innovative culture. It could be however just as important to be close to where ideas are exchanged. Maybe it isn’t chance that the Australian aborigines, the most isolated human population since they arrived there, invented but little, while the first civilizations grew where three continents meet. There are theories that lack of horses led to pre-Columbian civilizations of the USA not inventing wheels or iron, as war was always on foot unlike in the ancient Middle East, think Assyrian chariots. But yes, Filipino pride needs a shot of pragmatism for sure.
Malls and stores still display “caught” shoplifter photos prominently. A couple of acquaintances are guards; they relayed something along the lines of the culprit photos being a bit staged with the extra stuff as a way to discourage other shoplifters. Of course that discouragement doesn’t work if one really wanted to shoplift.
A bit interesting when one gets into the Australian aborigines or the furthest extent of the Polynesians. Their cultures came initially with advanced technology (for the time), including advanced rice culture techniques, but as time goes on in isolation the warrior culture became more emphasized to the detriment of everything else. They lost their advanced knowledge and essentially collapsed back to tribalism. The furthest Polynesian outposts collapsed altogether, dying out. Of course Australian aborigines and Polynesians descended originally from Austronesians and Melanesians, so provide a cautionary tale when one considers that the pre-Spanish Philippines cultures were quite warrior-centric.
Pre-Spanish American cultures were quite advanced given its isolation. Even the Plains Indian cultures were very organized into confederations with strong diplomatic relations and cultural exchange. As for the lack of horses or chariots, I don’t think Mesoamerica would’ve been very conducive to horses to begin with even if they had access to modern horses (horses had died out in the Americas during the last ice age due to pressures from human hunting). Instead, the very advanced Mesoamerican empires used camelids such as alpacas and llamas to traverse the mountainous empires, similar to the Arab and North African use of Arabian and African camels. While they did not have iron weapons, it was observed by the Spanish that the native obsidian swords were sharp enough to cleave a horse’s neck clean through with little effort similar to a zweihänder two-handed sword.
Here’s something I observed being around a lot of Fil-Ams growing up. Like many young people, young Fil-Ams usually latch on strongly superficially to new ideas or trends that they had just learned. They inhabit those new spaces with great gusto, yet rarely scratch that deep beneath the surface in understanding. Well, that sounds like most young people regardless of culture, but I did notice Fil-Ams adopting new ideas, cultures, or what have you much more intensely than others. I had thought the behavior was due to being ashamed of one’s own culture, or perhaps an unsureness about the way they thought. Usually those Fil-Ams grew out of that youthfulness as they had access to other points of view around them here in the US. When I first read about the Katipunan, I had a sense that most of the leaders were quite naive, boastful showmen. The Katipunan leaders who “matured” and started to take a more realistic view, like Bonafacio and Luna, were killed by their own ally. Aguinaldo strikes me as a teen who grew up in relative comfort who never really grew up. Well it’s a problem when the Philippine mythos is centered around these individuals. It’s a limiting factor. Rival to me may have been young and idealistic, but he was always quite realistic for his age.
Luna’s modern equivalent could be Trillanes. Passionate but sometimes going off the rails with it. Trillanes won’t get killed but has gotten sidelined a bit.
Isko Moreno is definitely NOT Bonifacio even if he played the role in a movie. He is an example of how the teenage action hero culture isn’t doing any good.
Robin Padilla is the most ridiculous example of that kind of culture. He would fit into LCPL_X’s “comedic Don Quixote” description.
Senator Sotto is the only one who still wears a moustache worthy of an illustrado. He does seem mature in the present Senate.
Aguinaldo based on how he did politics was I guess a prototype Chiz Escudero. Someone capable of dealing very deviously.
Terrific characterizations. Perfect fits.
about medical clearance, employers want job applicants to have medical clearance to ensure applicants are fit and healthy and can do the job required, not be off sick often or be on sick leave regularly, and be paid sick leave. else productivity suffers and profits nosedive.
as well, those with AIDS and HIV positive must 1st undergo treatment before they can work; untreated, they may pose serious health risk in the workplace and community. there are notifiable diseases like tuberculosis that mandate treatment. those with active TB are not allowed to work, but have to stay home until fully recovered. treatment is free.
nbi clearance is required for people working at schools to root out pedos and sex fiends. they are not allowed to work with children, and have to stay within certain distance from schools. nbi clearance is renewable every 2yrs.
those traveling overseas are also required to have medical clearance, have all their vaccinations in order and their medications updated specially if they are going to high risk countries. they are also asked to present police clearance, or nbi clearance. those that have served jail sentence for more than 12months or have criminal convictions are generally not allowed to travel overseas. they are not given visa. diplomatic staff may be exempt.
A medical clearance is usually unnecessary for a job. It’s not like people don’t come to work sick and coughing on all their coworkers (they do) after they nabbed the job. If a worker is incompetent or unproductive, the worker can simply be fired.
AIDS and HIV aren’t easily transmitted outside of bodily fluids, usually of the sex related or blood kind, so it is most likely not a problem. It isn’t a problem in the West. I have a coworker who has been HIV positive for a decade, and there’s no issue there to have in person interaction.
Well yes, TB is much more dangerous and treatment is free at the barangay clinic via common antibiotics. Still seems to me to be more logical to take care of this by encouraging people to get their periodic medical checkups.
Here in the US despite my college education, I had never been asked by an employer to show my degree. Most employers don’t even ask for my certifications (they just trust the applicant). Suppose an applicant did BS their resume/CV and got hired, well it would be apparent they aren’t fit for the job and can be fired soon enough. When I worked for companies in other countries, I was never asked for a medical certification, degree, or professional certification either. I’m just saying that a lot of these IDs and clearances are a waste of time. There are other ways to figure out if the person meets certain requirements that are more effective even if that person is falsifying the requirements.
nah, employers here in philippines are not good in reading or judging by sight the health of a job applicant. many job applicants are quite good in hiding their ailments both physical and mental, but once they undressed and are laid bare during medical exam, their blood test, urine results, X-ray results as well as psyche test where applicable, are all available, those that dont meet the criteria of fit and healthy are passed over. coz if hired, they cannot just be fired without giving them severance pay, or giving them reference to help them find another job. if employers are taken to court for unfair dismissal, that could have been easily avoided had employers been very deligent at the recruitment process.
that is how employers these days root out online job applications by AI, job applicants have to be seen physically, tested, interviewed and asked questions and must passed required medicals. when asked, some of the answers given by applicants are glaringly quite different from their online answers.
seemingly there is a glut of AI online job applications, applicants who dont want to meet or undergo the employer’s criteria need not apply.
ps our airline pilots and flight crew have to pass medicals and psyche test regularly. same with hospital staff. we are also quite strict with wait staff like those serving in restaurants, and because they work in close proximity of people both young and old every workday, wait staff must pass all their medicals to make sure they dont pass on diseases like hep b.
IDs and clearances maybe unnecessary to you, but in philippines they are requirements. until someone finds a better way, both IDs and clearances stay.
What I’m saying is the excessive requirements in the Philippines themselves are unnecessary, and are a form of red tape contributing to the malaise.
In the severance pay example, severance pay is inapplicable in most cases as an employer likely can create a “just cause.” Even if the employer does give severance pay, the separation benefit is 1 month pay per year of service, it is only applicable after a minimum of one year’s service. I’ve had many Filipinos ask me for legal advice despite me not being a barred attorney, but I can read the law, and I tell them in cases where they feel entitled to severance pay is “don’t bother” except in egregious cases where the affected person has hard evidence of wrongdoing by the employer. People can have intense feelings of being entitled to something, but if they had an ability to do something about it, they would be consulting an actual barred attorney, not me, which is indicative of what their next step should be (move on).
Well the reason why insane requirements exist in the Philippines is exactly because most Filipinos generally don’t have agency or don’t know how to access their agency. Because any sane, logical person even if uneducated would think “this is ridiculous.” Most people would understand that a ship’s crew, flight crew, ship’s captain or airplane pilot need to be qualified for a very specific job where they are responsible for the passengers and cargo that cannot usually escape if there is danger. I hardly think such onerous requirements are necessary for a fast food crew or for going to school.
I can tell you how it is in Germany which has a reputation for bureacracy compared to the USA, no criminal record clearances needed for jobs EXCEPT those with security relevance, the old medical examination for people working in anything related to food was replaced by a mandatory briefing every two years on how to handle stuff related to food in a sanitary manner, and medical exams are NOT required for most jobs and even asking applicants about health is legally prohibited.
As for employees not being able to perform, there is a six-month probationary period over here, long enough to weed out those not able to do their job properly. No need for an employer to know how they manage to inspite of possible health issues. For safety relevant occupations, there are rules like for instance truck drivers over 50 must renew their license regularly including mandatory eyesight tests as that CAN deteriorate from that age onwards.
Pilots will for sure have their own stringent requirements, globally even. When I was once, long ago, being considered for a sales job (I don’t think I would be a good salesman so I wonder what they saw) the IT startup owners asked me if I was good at drinking, as in the 1990s drinking with clients was part of the job. But even Germany that many investors even now complain about has streamlined its jungle of requirements since the 1990s.
Ha, so what was your answer?LOL
That even highly bureacratic Germany (something already noted by Mark Twain, as well as our long words) has managed to streamline paperwork to what is needed. And since the 1990s, there actually has been a push for service orientation in the bureacracy is something I would add. The days of the Kaiser when imperial officials sat way above the subject (not citizen) and yelled at them are mostly over, even as one still found holdovers of that mentality until the late 1980s.
Thanks for the idea about an article.
Bureaucracy replaces local potentates and minor lords in a centralized state, which is what I recall reading about in the Prussian state model which was inherited by the German Empire to modern Germany. The goal of a meritocratic bureaucracy is the standardization and organization of the state into a more rational, logical, rules-based process that citizens can understand and operate within.
When a state becomes weaker the bureaucracy can provide a semblance of stability, though under duress bureaucracy can also become onerous. The early sociologist Max Weber noted that a bureaucracy that had lost direction due to a weak state had potential to become a threat to individual freedoms and liberty, putting citizens into an impersonal, dispassionate “iron cage” of rules-based, rationalized control. Max Weber developed his theories during late Prussia, German Empire, to the early Weimar Republic.
Well the kicker in the Philippines is central state control is weak AND the often impersonal, dispassionate bureaucratic demands force Filipinos into an arbitrary rules-based and irrational form of control. In effect those who demand adherence to irrational requirements are like local potentates or minor lords that bureaucracy is supposed to replace.
I don’t think it’s for show which is why Marcoleta is having apoplexy.
dear me! marcoleta is already saying investigating flood control is going to be challenging. really, since he is head of blue ribbon committee, he has better show his mettle and not be big complainer. not be wuss.
Yes, that’s the irony, a Constitutionally undisciplined senator is given a job requiring discipline. The Senate is not a serious body I think.
what until you hear their excuses why sara has to travel quite often overseas, apparently concerned about the well being of the filipino diaspora abroad. it is part of vp job, kuno, to be there for them.
yeah right, and what we are hearing on the ground is that sara is already busy campaigning and ensuring she will get the most, if not all, of ofws overseas votes come 2028 presidential election! she has already put herself out there, unabated and unopposed. her visits to the hague are just props.
Two people close to my dad have been often criticized here one watyor the other they are my brat mates from PMA Class 59.
They are former Senator Trillanes and Formrr Secretary Abaya.
I just tey to be reasonable in.my comments and even if I want to go full blast biased sn go in defensive mode I just watch my words but not to say that I am Mr. Objective, no, far from it.
I have no reason to be defensive at all.
Heck even Sec Aguirre whom I still look up to because I rediscovered how close he was with my father when he eulogized him.
But make no mistake, my deference is personal but again, if he did wrong, who.am I to say he did nothing wrong. But no one can make me abhor someone.
This time it is Joey’s comments I deep dived ..
Chatgpt interpreted OA as over-anslysis and not over-acting
From Studies to Structures: Breaking the Paralysis of Planning in the Philippines
When the Philippines tries to “go it alone” the pattern is depressingly familiar: endless feasibility studies, overlapping plans, alarmist risk matrices, and a pile of blueprints that never leave the shelf. Money is spent. Momentum dies. The rare successes are usually those shepherded by foreign development partners — not because Filipinos lack talent, but because those partners bring uncompromising discipline: conditional funding, strict procurement rules, independent supervision, and a culture of enforceable timelines. The question this raises is blunt: why does Filipino professional capacity so often fail to turn plans into concrete outcomes?This is not just a technical failure. It is a failure of incentives, institutions, and culture.
Diagnosis: OA, neo-datus, and the politics of planning“OA” — over-analysis — is not merely intellectual curiosity. In the Philippine context it becomes a defensive ritual: generate more reports to justify inaction or delay. Minor uncertainties are inflated until taking any risk looks irresponsible. Planning becomes a performance intended to signal competence rather than produce results.Layered onto this is a social dynamic I call the neo-datu syndrome: education becomes a ladder to status and patronage rather than a commitment to public service. Diplomas confer access to networks, not accountability. Professionals who might champion execution either get co-opted into privilege or — if they remain earnest — they burn out and leave, feeding a vicious cycle of brain drain and moral desertion.Finally, the institutional framework around public projects is weak: procurement rules are complex but enforceable accountability is inconsistent; procurement often rewards lowest-price or politically connected bidders rather than demonstrated capacity and track record; monitoring and sanctions are irregular. These gaps create space where plans proliferate but delivery fails.Why foreign-led projects succeed — and what to borrowForeign development partners succeed not because of exotic technical superiority but because they align incentives with outcomes. Their tools are simple and replicable:Conditional disbursements linked to deliverables.Independent technical supervision and timely audits.Clear contract performance guarantees (retentions, bonds).Transparent procurement and public tracking.Expertise transfer as a contractual obligation, not an afterthought.These are not proprietary tricks. They are governance mechanics that can be localized.A practical reform agendaFixing this is both cultural and technical. Below is a compact, actionable agenda that policymakers, professional bodies, and civic actors can adopt — starting with pilots.
1. Make execution measurable
Every major public project must have a short, public “execution card”: milestones, budget tranches, KPIs (on-time, on-budget, quality), and independent progress verification. Publish the card on a public dashboard that updates monthly.
2. Shift financial incentives to results
Use disbursement-linked financing: payments released only when verified milestones are achieved. Require performance bonds and holdbacks that are released after independent certification of quality.
3. Reform procurement to reward capacity
Include technical track records, lifecycle cost, and quality assurance as scored criteria — not just bid price. Use prequalification for complex projects and enforce penalties for non-performance.
4. Institutionalize independent oversight
Create or empower independent project monitoring units with audit powers and the authority to halt disbursements. Civil society and academic partners should be given statutory roles in selected projects as co-monitors.
5. Professionalize public-sector engineering careers
Create meritocratic career paths for engineers in government with competitive compensation, clear advancement tied to delivery performance, and protected tenure for well-performing technical staff.
6. Reform professional culture through ethics and accountabilityProfessional associations should make ethics, community service, and demonstrable project delivery central to recognition and continuing professional development (CPD). Celebrate builders, not just credential-bearers.
7. Use pilots as proof
Start with a handful of fast-track pilot projects at city or provincial level (e.g., a flood-control scheme, a 10–20 km road, a municipal water system) that implement the full package of reforms — from disbursement-linked financing to independent oversight and public dashboards. Let success speak.
8. Tap the diaspora as mentors, not escape valves
Rather than simply lamenting brain drain, create structured short-term fellowships for diaspora engineers and managers to mentor local teams and embed best-practice project management.
9. Strengthen civic technology and transparency
Build simple, mobile-friendly project trackers and open procurement portals. Transparent data reduces space for capture and invites constructive citizen scrutiny.
10. Reward humility and deliveryIntroduce awards, public recognition, and media programs that highlight projects completed on time, on budget, and at agreed quality. Change the prestige signals: celebrate builders, not posturers.
Conclusion: From status to serviceThe Philippines already has the raw ingredients for change: skilled engineers, bright analysts, and civic energy. What is missing are institutions and incentives that convert talent into built, working infrastructure. Culture matters — prestige that rewards talk and status will always outcompete the quieter, harder practice of getting things done — but culture can be nudged by rules, incentives, and examples.Begin small, measure everything, and make delivery the highest honor. That is how planning stops being an industry and becomes a tool: a disciplined route from idea to impact. If Filipino professionals reclaim execution as the real benchmark of excellence, the country will not lack for talent — only for the courage to use it.
I love that concluding paragraph. Positive and a challenge to leaders.
Me too Joe and I agree.
Thanks Karl for this.
To clarify, when I say the Philippines has a penchant of trying to do something the Filipino way rather than adopting pieces of best practices, I mean the leaders are the ones making that mistake. The studies themselves as collected and created by those Filipino experts who are thus commissioned for the task are usually excellent.
The roadblock to any society progressing, even in Europe, the US, or the collective “Western-aligned world,” are the elites. Leaders usually come from the elites, after all. Sometimes there are instances of elites having a more expansive view, usually based on some sort of moral framing, but in most cases the elites need to be pressured by their constituents to act.
Since the revolutionary awakening of the Philippines until the present day, there is a dearth of expansive minded leaders, who face little upwards pressure from constituents, therefore the Philippines has progressed little. There are outlier episodes, usually caused by extreme societal shock, that provide an opportunity to completely remake Philippine society, but at each turn the opportunity was squandered. Examples of the periods of opportunity can be:
1.) When the US took the Philippines as a possession and stabilized the Philippines into its rough modern form (elites immediately clamored for independence without thinking about *what comes after* independence).
2.) The failure of pan-Asianists and pro-Japanese elites who were complicit to the devastation caused by the Empire of Japan in WWII created another opportunity after the war when the US again invested huge sums of money (the moral leadership of the WWII generation could not overcome regional rivalries and endemic corruption of the old dynasties, leading to Marcos Sr., who claimed he could fix everything).
3.) The hope that EDSA provided of a clean slate new beginning started failing, well before the Asian Financial Crisis, which is usually blamed instead (new dynasties and old dynasties alike figured out a way to co-opt the spirit of EDSA to consolidate regional power again).
I encourage everyone to read Prof. Stefan Dercon’s excellent 2022 book, Gambling on Development: Why Some Countries Win and Others Lose. The book was an eye opener for me after years of frustration on this topic as pertaining to the Philippines. Filipino elites consistently kept choosing the options that caused a country to “lose” in the scenarios Prof. Dercon laid out in his book. And kept choosing the WRONG options then DOUBLING DOWN, since even before the revolutionary fervor went “kinetic” with the first battle against the Spanish.
Even if my replies are one liners, I do read your comments. That is what I told Irineo before when he invested a lot on his reply to me then I answer with OK or something to that effect.
Thanks.
I get you, and appreciate you Karl. I just type super fast 😅
So does Irineo
Thanks Joey for listing the three missed opportunities. Though in 1) there was Quezon who actually was able to overshadow the more radical nationalists like Ricarte, Sandiko and even Osmena (whom he eventually coopted as VP in 1935) but Quezon due to the war left little true legacy except via the presence of his family. That influence faded somewhat when his wife, daughter and son-in-law (Felipe Buencamino) were murdered by the Hukbalahap.
Still, his daughter Nini Avancena was treated quite gingerly even by Marcos Sr. during Martial Law as she remained an authority by herself. Re 2) the lack of legacy of Quezon probably already started with the spat between Osmena and Roxas, his two “lieutenants” just after WW2.
Re 3) I felt relieved when I visited the Philippines just some months after EDSA but already saw the warning signs of overconfidence. When “Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo” came out and plays lauded Cory’s legacy, I thought damn do Filipinos think life is a musical with a happy end? Of course it is NOT that way. Probably the Local Government Code and the many OIC local officials Cory appointed in exchange for support (see Binay, Duterte) sowed the seeds of what is today. I recall my visit in 1995 (my last Philippine visit so far) when people were overconfident as many already had cellphones, new malls were all over the place etc. etc. – many were saying the Philippines would be one of the Next Asian Tigers and that is when a DFA man sneered to me that “they still bike a lot in Vietnam”.
You did mention that the elites could already be satisfied with how they live and I tend to CONCUR. (like in Catch me if you Can, the movie)
https://x.com/wilburryan/status/1956983289807544440 just look at this video of luxury cars belonging to a rich Filipino family that apparently has earned money from flood control projects. I live in Munich, one of Europe’s richest cities, and even for here that is WOW. OK, people like that create jobs in Germany hehe, even for workers who drive small cars to BMW or Mercedes plants. The thing is, they have everything the rich here have. Well, I am definitely NOT rich at all. What I do value here is that I can walk in nearly all places in Munich even at night and in most places in Berlin (even places where cars like those could have been vandalized some years ago ) during the day. As the classic MasterCard ad goes, some things are priceless.
I do wonder how history might have been different if both FDR and Quezon had not croaked suddenly before they finished building out their respective projects. Though in the US FDR’s New Deal took a lot longer to dismantle than what happened to the Philippines.
I recall in 1998 during a visit I had asked a then-acquaintance-now-friend older Filipino (who was a teen participant in EDSA) what would happen if stuff started to go sideways as there were warning signs that the Asian Financial Crisis opened up. His reply was “we will just have another People Power.” I told him that wouldn’t it be tiring to keep having revolutions rather than at least trying to fix the problems at the earliest time? He gave no answer. Today he’s a DDS.
I had also heard and read that Cory Aquino appointing local new-dynasty heads to gain support against older dynasties had been a big mistake, which contributed to the Philippine’s current dynastic entrenchment. I was too young to know much about the Philippines at the time, but why didn’t Cory Aquino appoint more educated people from among the EDSA leaders? Perhaps, as I was told before (not sure if true) that there was a worry that the Philippine military was not fully on board, though also did not oppose, so Cory Aquino felt she needed to recruit in effect local political warlords to consolidate power from its shaky situation.
Actually now thinking about these elites flashing their cars and luxury things reminds me of how things the way they are actually work out great for these elite families. I’m sure a whole lot of them have slightly less rich relatives who live in Ayala Alabang who see themselves as “middle class” rather than “filthy rich.” When value can be extracted from a less educated population by keeping them down, while having all manner of servants and “helpers” on the cheap, who wouldn’t want to not live like a king? My closest friend is a Fil-Hong Konger whose family has a huge compound in one of the nicer developments in Parañaque. She legitimately did not understand that her life was quite exquisite as I suppose she was brought up to be thankful and humble. The first time she visited the US, I had driven her and her then-fiance around, and the first thing she asked me was “you’re so kind to let your driver have a day off.” She has no idea that outside of the Philippines, people usually just drive themselves, even rich people.
I am still in many ways the senyorito that I was when I left the Philippines aged 17 in 1982. I hadn’t made my bed by myself EVER before that age, for instance. When I started working at McDonald’s at 18 to help finance my German driver’s license, I messed up a lot as I was NOT used to manual work. I wonder how the present condo dwellers put together their IKEA furniture, as I struggled at the start when putting that together, though I learned a lot from those years.
When I visited the Philippines in 1986, I bought a cigarette from a vendor on EDSA at a red light and had him light it up, that was how it was back then, but it shocked me that my high school batchmate (son of a high government official) didn’t start the car slowly when the sidewalk vendor was still lighting my cigarette. The poor man ran after us with his Zippo, I looked at my batchmate but he just stared forward.
Another incident I witnessed was when eating goto (a masa food that had become “in” back then among the monied people) and drinking beer with some batchmates. One (a son of a politician) arrived in his Pajero, and while backing up nearly ran over a man pushing his kariton along a street in Quezon City, who jumped aside. I noticed it, but NOBODY ELSE from our group looked up, looked in the poor man’s direction or anything.
And considering how many of “us” are to “them”, is it surprising that it is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for “them” to trust “us”?
Everything about the way any of us talk and act might remind the masa of bad things. And of course the risk of a misunderstanding with them at close range is HUGE and might be something one can’t easily get out of.
One more afterthought, maybe those who become neodatus also become that because that is the only behavior that is expected by the masses from a privileged person, and real helping is seen by most as manipulative unless it comes from a foreigner, as in non-Filipino of whatever color?
I suppose it would be hard to connect with DE’s if one does not try. When two groups are so different there are opportunities for misunderstanding, but on the reverse there are also opportunities for understanding.
My personal approach is one of openness and willingness to listen, but most of all I set strong boundaries. The strong boundaries are necessary as just like how DE’s may see those “above” them as manipulative, they might also try to manipulate someone who comes across as kind. I still get money requests, even from people who should know better (got one just earlier today). I just sidestep and listen to their problem, then suggest a solution.
I also find that a helping hand and working side by side with someone is useful anywhere, and is applicable in the Philippines too. For example rather than telling a kalamansi farmer “you should build an irrigation system,” I taught them how to build a simple irrigation system, then built it with them. When I look at the work of Leni Robredo and her Angat Buhay volunteers, I think “wow, I had been doing some of this stuff over the years.” Paul had shared with us some of his own projects as well as a community leader. While Paul is obviously Caucasian, I’m not depending on the angle (char) and sometimes get mistaken as a part-pinoy (the “are you sure your mother is not a pure Filipina?” still throws me off even now), which might be an ice breaker I suppose. Amusing the locals by climbing the coconut tree, knowing how to dig for kamote, entertaining the children helps too. I’m not that shy or worried about getting my hands dirty. I rarely ever gave money or pricey things aside for my ex-partner’s family back then, or for special occasions to a friend such as for a wedding.
There’s that saying that the only limit to possibility is a lack of imagination. Perhaps the reason why so many D’s and lower C’s strive to become neo-datus when they “made it” is due to lack of imagination for something more. A limit by thinking within rather than outside of the current system. Some AB’s who migrated told me that they were glad to get away from the boasting culture of so many AB’s. I just said, wait until they encounter how much more extreme boasting culture is among DE’s. Of course, every family started at the bottom, somewhere in the past so it’s natural that some habits are retained though morphed. A lot of these neo-datus are quite greedy and selfish people in my estimation. Well I guess just like the datus of old, the ruthless usually are able to climb to the top. I just think it’s much better for there to be a government policy to raise the baseline with opportunity so people don’t feel such a need to be so ruthless. The current baseline is quite low… no where to go but up.
our premier urban planner his ideas get more adapted and implemented abroad than his home country
Thanks, Karl…very interesting interview w/ Architect Palafox.
Welcome.
I still think AI is not unlike when the TV was called the idiot box, so long as it is used correctly and responsively, AI won’t turn you into an idiot.
Here is how AI rewrote Irineo and my joint article. No we were not in a joint session when we wrote the original.
Got it. I’ll give the article a rewrite that keeps its emotional punch but makes it clearer, better structured, and more solution-oriented. Here’s a suggested revision: How Can the Philippines Get Out of the Mud?
The Philippines has often been described as a nation stuck in the mud—sometimes rising, sometimes sinking, but never quite breaking free. The “mud” is not just literal floods or muddy shantytowns; it symbolizes poverty, corruption, weak governance, and the endless cycle of setbacks that trap millions of Filipinos. The Reality of the Mud
In Metro Manila, shiny gated villages stand beside sprawling informal settlements—cardboard homes patched with tarpaulin, perched on riverbanks or along walls of luxury enclaves. When heavy rains fall, the poor wade through waist-deep floodwaters, while the wealthy retreat into dry comfort. This stark divide captures our national predicament: one foot in modernity, another in decay.
We have embraced malls, condos, and smartphones, but we remain unable to provide basic necessities like clean water, affordable housing, or reliable transport. The contrast is glaring, and it reveals how modernization without inclusivity only deepens inequality. Why We Stay Stuck
The mud is not an accident. It is the outcome of choices—both by leaders and by society at large.
Governance failure: Corruption, dynasties, and patronage politics prevent long-term planning. Projects often serve private gain rather than public good.
Weak institutions: Laws are written but not enforced. Agencies overlap but do not coordinate.
Culture of short-term fixes: Quick relief—dole-outs, populist promises, cosmetic infrastructure—is favored over structural reform.
Neglect of the vulnerable: Urban poor communities, indigenous groups, and rural farmers are excluded from the benefits of “progress.”
These patterns keep us sinking back whenever we try to move forward. Paths Out of the Mud
Escaping the mud requires both vision and persistence. It will not be solved overnight, but history shows that societies can transform when they combine strong institutions with cultural renewal. The Philippines can start with:
Governance Reform – Strengthen institutions by curbing dynasties, enforcing accountability, and investing in professionalized civil service.
Inclusive Development – Prioritize housing, healthcare, education, and transport that serve the poor and middle class, not just elites.
Community Empowerment – Support cooperatives, grassroots organizations, and participatory governance so citizens feel ownership of change.
Climate and Disaster Resilience – Invest in flood control, sustainable urban planning, and renewable energy to prepare for the future.
Cultural Renewal – Shift from fatalism and dependency to responsibility and solidarity, recognizing that citizenship is active, not passive.
A Call to Courage
The mud will not disappear on its own. Waiting for a savior or blaming outsiders only deepens the trap. What the Philippines needs is collective courage—to demand better governance, to take responsibility as citizens, and to refuse the easy comforts of resignation.
Other nations once mired in poverty—South Korea, Vietnam, even our ASEAN neighbors—have shown that it is possible to rise. The Philippines can do the same, but only if we stop wading aimlessly and begin building firmly on solid ground.
The mud is real, but it need not define us. We can choose to rise.
👉 This rewrite keeps the poetic imagery of “mud” but makes it more explicit, structures the argument clearly (Problem → Causes → Solutions → Call to Action), and adds actionable pathways.
Would you like me to keep this short and punchy for an op-ed style, or longer and more detailed with data and comparisons (closer to a policy brief)?
I asked chatgpt to expand the analysis by asking for additional points to consider.
Perfect. Let’s take the rewrite as the foundation, then expand it into a deeper analysis + solutions paper—something that goes beyond lamentation into diagnosis, lessons from peers, and strategic pathways.
Here’s an expanded version:
—
How Can the Philippines Get Out of the Mud?
From Stagnation to Sustainable Progress
The Philippines is often described as being “stuck in the mud.” This mud is more than a metaphor for floods in low-lying communities—it represents the persistent poverty, weak governance, and inequality that prevent the nation from realizing its full potential. Despite periods of growth and bursts of optimism, progress is repeatedly stalled, leaving millions of Filipinos struggling to survive rather than thrive.
—
I. Understanding the “Mud”
The Philippines’ stagnation stems from intertwined factors:
1. Weak Governance and Political Capture
Political dynasties dominate policymaking, prioritizing family power over national interest.
Institutions are underfunded, under-enforced, or deliberately weakened to allow patronage politics.
2. Inequality and Exclusion
Urban poor settlements grow beside luxury enclaves, reflecting the divide between progress and neglect.
Rural areas remain underdeveloped, with poor access to markets, infrastructure, and social services.
3. Short-Termism
Projects are designed to win votes, not to last. Populist promises overshadow structural reforms.
Disaster response is reactive; prevention and resilience are rarely prioritized.
4. Cultural and Social Factors
A tendency toward fatalism and dependence on “strong leaders” undermines civic responsibility.
The educational system often reinforces conformity rather than critical, civic-minded thinking.
—
II. Lessons from Peers
Other nations once mired in poverty have shown that transformation is possible:
Vietnam: From war-torn state to manufacturing hub through education reform, land redistribution, and foreign investment.
South Korea: Invested heavily in universal education, rural development, and state-led industrialization.
Indonesia: After Suharto, strengthened democratic institutions and gradually decentralized governance, giving local communities more power.
Singapore: Built meritocratic governance and transparent institutions as the backbone of development.
Each of these countries demonstrates that consistent governance reform, inclusive policies, and long-term vision are the ingredients to escape the mud.
—
III. Pathways Out of the Mud
Here are key strategic solutions to consider:
1. Governance and Institutions
Anti-Dynasty & Campaign Finance Reform – Enforce existing constitutional mandates to reduce dynastic monopoly.
Professionalized Bureaucracy – Shift from patronage-based hiring to merit-based systems.
Decentralization with Accountability – Empower local governments but pair with strict transparency and citizen oversight.
2. Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development
Agricultural Modernization – Invest in irrigation, farm-to-market roads, digital platforms, and farmer cooperatives.
Blue Economy – Harness fisheries, coastal resources, and maritime trade sustainably.
SME Empowerment – Reduce reliance on big conglomerates by supporting small and medium enterprises with credit access and digital tools.
3. Education and Human Capital
Curriculum Reform – Emphasize critical thinking, civic education, STEM, and green skills.
Lifelong Learning – Upskill workers for automation, AI, and renewable energy industries.
Equity in Education – Ensure rural and poor communities have equal access to quality schools and digital infrastructure.
4. Resilience and Climate Adaptation
Flood Control and Urban Planning – Modernize drainage systems, relocate settlements from danger zones, and enforce zoning laws.
Renewable Energy Transition – Reduce dependence on imported coal and oil.
Disaster-Resilient Housing – Promote low-cost, climate-adapted housing designs.
5. Civic Culture and Social Renewal
Promote Civic Responsibility – Strengthen programs that cultivate accountability, volunteerism, and community solidarity.
Combat Disinformation – Invest in media literacy to strengthen democracy.
Gender Equality and Inclusion – Recognize women, indigenous groups, and marginalized sectors as key agents of development.
—
IV. Additional Points to Consider
Diaspora Engagement: Filipino workers abroad are not just remittance senders—they can be mobilized as investors, innovators, and educators.
Maritime and Geostrategic Positioning: Leverage the Philippines’ location for trade, shipping, and renewable ocean resources, while protecting sovereignty.
Digital Transformation: Use e-governance, fintech, and digital platforms to leapfrog traditional inefficiencies.
Public-Private Partnerships with Accountability: Harness private capital for infrastructure but demand ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards.
—
V. A Call to Collective Courage
Escaping the mud is not just about better leaders—it is about better citizens. Without civic responsibility, reforms will sink back into old patterns. With it, even imperfect systems can gradually improve.
The Philippines must decide whether to remain trapped in cycles of short-term gain and long-term stagnation, or to build a society based on inclusivity, resilience, and shared responsibility.
The mud is real. But it does not have to be permanent.
—
👉 This expanded essay combines:
Clear diagnosis (why PH is stuck),
Comparative lessons (what others did right),
Strategic solutions (governance, economy, education, resilience, culture),
Additional points (diaspora, maritime economy, digitalization, ESG),
Call to action (citizenship and courage).
Would you like me to push this further into a polished “policy white paper style” with data, citations, and structured recommendations—or keep it in this reflective/essayistic but analytical style?
Too often I hear even educated Filipinos talk about some grand future for the Philippines, then become discouraged because it seems too hard especially with the nonsense thrown up in front of Filipinos on a daily basis.
To escape the mud one must stop standing in the mud. A lot of stuff in life can be solved by simply moving forward continuously even with only a hazy goal, rather than standing still or walking in circles. Humans are not blessed with the best eyesight by our Creator. Even the haziest goals in the distance become more clear as one approaches. But that would require one to have resolve to walk towards that goal. If one gets tired one may rest, but then get up and keep walking. Life is a series of consecutive and concurrent goals. Can’t get there or anywhere without moving forward.
Excellent analysis and suggestions. But first you have to overcome any real or imagined paralysis and traps
Paralysis is a manifestation of fear. Worrying about unseen traps can cause one to fall into an obvious, exposed trap.
The antidote to fear is action.
Many of our greatest heroes were ordinary men (or women). I had the opportunity to meet a few Medal of Honor recipients during my lifetime (one is my high school classmate). What made them heroes is that though they were afraid in the presence of fear, they overcame fear in that moment by simple yet extraordinary action.
Courage is not foolhardiness, but rather the ability to face fears through action.
Flight or fight. But if you can’t fly or fight when you are paralyzed or frozen with fear or analysis paralysis
It is no secret that we still think that talking about the problem and debating it to a stalemate in Congress or similar forums will make our line agencies accomplish a lot.
But not discussing creates a mess too like that DPWH flyovers that was built on the alignment of LRT 1 in Cavite.
Now they are debating it once more.
We end up debating till kingdom come.
The budget is more fast track now unlike before ot takes almost a year. Reenacted budgets were a common place back then.
There is value in continuing to try. Trying and failing is still action, and is better than not trying at all. So there is no shame in failing, as long as after one tends to the bumps and scrapes, get up and try again.
That I believe in and agree with fully.
I may have one of those who always complain about implementation.
If projects are unsolicited or vendor driven
More blind leading the blind possibilities
But if an agency is not vendor driven more chances of success
But the vendor is part of the problem if they are proposing something that they themselves no nothing about like a reseller selling a proto type.
And that is just an example.
Updating another past article is also pertinent.
Got it — thanks for clarifying! By “fill in the blanks,” you mean adding points and dimensions the original article missed, then rewriting the whole essay in a more expanded, polished, and forward-looking way.
Here’s a rewritten and enhanced version of “Getting the Philippines to What It Can Be”: Getting the Philippines to What It Can Be
The Philippines is often described as a resilient nation. It has endured centuries of colonization, natural disasters, authoritarianism, corruption, and poverty. Yet despite its endurance, resilience has not translated into wisdom. If every mistake counted as wisdom, then Filipinos should already be the wisest people in Asia. Instead, history shows that the nation has survived—but has not always learned.
The question, then, is not whether the Philippines can survive. It already has, and continues to. The real question is: how can it redirect its energy, its history, and its identity toward finally becoming what it can be? Lessons from History and Culture
The Philippines sits at a unique crossroads of civilizations. Hindu, Buddhist, Chinese, Arab, and Spanish influences have shaped its culture, language, and values. Yet too often, Filipinos see their history only through the lens of colonization, forgetting that before foreign powers arrived, there were thriving communities with governance systems, trade networks, and cultural sophistication.
As Alejandro Roces once said, the Philippines is “a nation in search of its identity.” This search is not about romanticizing the past, but about integrating lessons from both pre-colonial strength and post-colonial struggles. Filipino identity should not be defined by conquest or victimhood, but by the creative capacity to adapt, merge influences, and innovate. The Missing Pieces
The Philippines today remains far from its full potential because key dimensions of development have been left out of its national project. These are the “blanks” that need to be filled:
Growth has been concentrated in Metro Manila and a few urban centers, while provinces lag behind. The “Imperial Manila” phenomenon leaves regions underdeveloped. True progress requires decentralization—empowering local governments, developing regional industries, and ensuring that economic benefits reach the poorest households.
The current education system rewards memorization over creativity, conformity over critical thinking. A 21st-century Philippines must invest in universal access to quality education—digitized, modernized, and rooted in global standards—while also teaching Filipino values of bayanihan (community) and malasakit (compassion). Education must empower students to be innovators, not just employees.
Dynastic politics and patronage continue to choke reforms. The Philippines cannot become what it should be without building strong, transparent institutions. Rule of law, an impartial judiciary, and a merit-based civil service are not luxuries—they are necessities.
As one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries, the Philippines cannot afford business-as-usual. Rising seas threaten coastal communities, while stronger typhoons devastate agriculture and infrastructure. National development must be anchored in sustainability—disaster resilience, renewable energy, green jobs, and protection of marine and forest ecosystems.
A nation of islands cannot ignore the sea. Yet maritime development has been neglected—from fisheries and shipbuilding to naval defense and marine resource management. The Philippines’ future lies in embracing its maritime identity as both an economic driver and a matter of sovereignty.
Filipino society suffers from deep mistrust between classes, regions, and political factions. A fragmented society cannot build a common future. Building trust requires consistent community engagement, honest leadership, and platforms that bridge divides instead of deepening them.
A Roadmap Toward What We Can Be
To redirect its future, the Philippines must reimagine its development strategy:
Conclusion: Becoming What We Can Be
The Philippines has all the raw materials of a great nation: a strategic location, abundant natural resources, and one of the most talented and adaptable populations in the world. What it lacks is not potential, but direction.
The time has come to stop being a nation that survives and start becoming a nation that thrives. This requires courage to break from old patterns, humility to learn from mistakes, and vision to imagine a future beyond the cycles of dependency and dysfunction.
The Philippines can be more than resilient. It can be wise, prosperous, and just. It can be a nation that finally lives up to what it truly can be.
👉 Would you like me to also add in concrete case studies or data points (like seafarer remittances, BPO growth, typhoon losses, or educational rankings) so the essay feels more evidence-based, or would you prefer it stays more as a visionary commentary?
Filipinos will live on hundreds of years from now regardless, perhaps with something quite similar to the present status quo. The next step in evolution is finding a way to harness the potential of a people. I hope planners and implementers will take it one step at a time, but keep moving forward. I guess the AI ingested a lot of buzz words from a more elite view. Just bring jobs to the people, then move from there.
My interjection to the discussions on clearances and others. Again AI assisted
Got it — you want proposals on how the Philippines can complete this “circuitous maze” of bureaucracy and inefficiency, particularly around red tape, strict-but-unimplemented laws (like procurement rules), excessive clearances in employment, and failed streamlining attempts.
Here’s a structured set of proposals:
Proposals for Completing the Circuitous Maze in the Philippines
1. Radical Simplification of Bureaucratic Processes
2. Procurement Reform and Enforcement
3. Streamlining Employment Entry and Exit
4. Accountability for Streamlining Failures
5. Cultural and Behavioral Shift
6. Learning from Best Practices
✅ Bottom line: The Philippines doesn’t lack laws or “reforms on paper.” The maze persists because of implementation failure, weak accountability, and a culture of control rather than trust. Breaking the cycle requires digital-first governance, strict timelines, public transparency, and sanctions for non-compliance.
Do you want me to draft this as a policy paper proposal (formal, structured) or as a commentary/critique piece (frank, like your style with JoeAm articles)?
Filipino thinkers should consider this — red tape in another explaining is the creation of loci of power around the one who wields authority over the red tape in question (IDs, clearances, permits). Of course some form of IDs, clearances, and permits may be necessary for an orderly society to show identity of person or the permission to do something, but at which point does the process no longer facilitate order but creates DISORDER? What initially starts as legitimate processes, once complicated beyond recognition, tempt each level of loci of power to engage in corruption.
Another interjection on the Discssions
You’re asking whether multi-year contract obligations are already being utilized in the Philippines for large infrastructure and defense projects—and if so, how extensively. The answer is an emphatic yes: they are actively employed across both sectors, under clearly defined legal frameworks.
Defense Sector: Multi-Year Contracting Is Established Legal Foundations
Real-World Applications
Infrastructure Sector: Multi-Year Engagements Are Widespread Legal Frameworks
Project Examples
Summary: How Widely Are Multi-Year Obligations Used? Sector Legal Basis & Mechanism Examples & Scope Defense RA 7898, RA 10349, RA 12024; DBM’s MYOA/MYON/OFOA Frigate acquisitions, fighter jet procurement, PBL/logistics deals Infrastructure DPWH procurement order, NEDA planning, DBM LoC & MYCA Inter-island bridges, mass transit systems, PPP infrastructure
Extent of Use:
Bottom Line
Yes, multi-year contract obligations are well-established and actively utilized in both major infrastructure and defense projects in the Philippines. These practices are deeply embedded in legislation, budgetary mechanism (via DBM), and project implementation across the government. The scale is substantial, spanning national defense modernization worth billions of dollars and infrastructure overlays reaching trillions of pesos.
Let me know if you’d like a deep dive into a specific project or law!
I’m not an expert here, but just thinking along the lines of simple logic the Philippines should build an *affordable* military modernization that provides a credible defense until the full force of US Pacific Forces can arrive. Major focus should shift to building out infrastructure (roads, bridges, modern inter-island RORO ferry services, energy plants).
Better infrastructure is a national interest and should be seen as such. In the US, Canada and many European countries the civilian infrastructure which is funded or subsidized by the national government have heavy influence to military requirements. For example, the US Interstate Highway System supports the rapid transport of military materiel, personnel in the case of invasion on the US homeland. In the Philippines problems are usually seen as separate issues rather than interconnected issues. Need to take a step back and look at the bigger picture and how pieces fit together, and how each piece can be progressed and in which order.
I have mentioned licensed production time snd again when my guide was just Google, now with AI, I realised that my proposals is out there in the open just unseen because no one is looking or focused on other concerns.
Licensed manufacturing in the Philippines is practiced across several sectors — defense, automotive, IT/electronics, pharmaceuticals, and consumer goods — but the approaches and challenges vary a lot depending on regulation, foreign investment laws, and industrial capacity. Here’s a breakdown:
1. Defense Industry
2. Automotive Industry
3. IT & Electronics
4. Pharmaceuticals & Consumer Goods
5. Cross-Cutting Features
👉 In short:
Would you like me to compare PH’s licensed manufacturing practices with regional peers (like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam) so you see where we’re ahead or behind? That might give a sharper sense of how wide it’s being practiced.
So next steps should be apparent — build the transportation infrastructure, export facilities, then attract contract manufacturing. Proceed to licensed manufacturing after a sufficient skilled labor force is built up. Finally, open the possibility for indigenous products.
OT (or not?) – there was another food fight in the National Village, involving Harry Roque.
https://x.com/arthur_vee/status/1957090031790665753 I haven’t looked at the video in full, but as we know from the BINI street food issue, Filipino food is nearly holy and no joking matter!
“For the benefit of the rumourmongers or ‘tsimosas’ in the vernacular, this was taken on a different angle to provide some objectivity on this interesting exchanges between the warring factions of the DDS.
If in the end ‘all is well that ends well’, we ask the following questions:
1) What is the difference between Humba and Pininyahang Adobo, Tagalog Adobo, and Ilokanong Adobo?
2) Isn’t Harry Roque suffering from diabetes mellitus and therefore eating high fatty foods and sugar content is not in keeping with his health requirements? Does he have a ‘companion’ this time to help prepare his medications and other needs?
3) Is Humba one of the favourite dishes of the former President Duterte? Can VP Sara or anyone with access to him able to bring in his favourite dishes in line with following his choices or preferences food? And how are they controlling his diet knowing of his high risk for neurocardiovascular occurrences?
4) What pain medications may have been prescribed to control the former President’s chronically standing pain or was Fentanyl retained on a higher dose?
5) Why was Senator Robin Padilla seen eating barbecue along with them at the Hague during his visit, and the meat used was believed to be from pork cuttings? Is he a practicing Muslim or not?
6) Will Senator Bato dela Rosa, the EJK policy implementor; and Senator Bong Go, the ‘Bagman’ receive the same level of lively entertainment when they finally arrive at the Hague? Will they hire Harry Roque if his Schengen visa still allow him to stay in EU and no Interpol Red Notice?”
As an amateur cook familiar with world cuisine, I would say that humba is distinct from pininyahang adobo, Tagalog adobo, and Ilokanong adobo. The others have some Hokkien influences, but remind me more of the Malay or even Polynesian cuisine. Humba is closer to what Hokkien settlers infused into Visayan cuisine, down to the use of ngohiong.
There is a Vietnamese dish, thịt kho tàu, that is quite similar to humba:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caramelized_pork_and_eggs
Thịt kho tàu is associated with fishermen (tàu = boat). Tàu can also mean “Chinese” in general (as opposed to “Hoa” or “Hán”), but more specifically to Vietnamese-Chinese of Hokkien origin who fled the Ming Empire rump state during the Qing advance. The Ming Empire rump state had retreated to the area of Fujian, the homeland of the Hokkien. Many of the Ming dynasty refugees were fishermen as they had access to boats to escape down the coastline.
Actually thịt kho tàu is almost indistinguishable from humba.
Now I will await bashing by Cebuanos who say humba is their own invented dish.