Which US presidential candidate is better for the Philippines? Clinton or Trump?

Posted by JoeAm on March 22, 2016 · 441 Comments 

This is great. I spend most of my time commenting on things Filipino, and now it’s your turn. You get to weigh in on the likely US American presidential candidates, Republican (conservative) lead candidate Donald Trump and Democratic (liberal) leader Hillary Clinton. The context is Philippine best interests. What do you think about it? To get … Continue reading →

Category China, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense, USA/Americans

EDCA is a process, not a promise

Posted by JoeAm on January 28, 2016 · 476 Comments 

What do you call an acquaintance on Twitter? A Twerp? A Tweep? Not twirp, I think, unless they are trolling. I engaged in a brief discussion there shortly after the Supreme Court declared by a 10 to 4 vote (1 abstention) that the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) is constitutional and is an agreement rather than … Continue reading →

Category China, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Philippine Government, USA/Americans

The Philippines: the path to world leadership

Posted by JoeAm on January 17, 2016 · 146 Comments 

Consider this an extension of Josephivo’s recent think piece about “The Age of a New Enlightenment”. Think of our work here as an application of the mind to the idea that the Philippines is not the scruffy, third-world wasteland portrayed by political opportunists who seek to raise themselves up by putting our nation down. The world is changing. … Continue reading →

Category China, Economy, Philippine Government, Religion, Technology/Internet

Fireworks for the New Year

Posted by JoeAm on December 28, 2015 · 296 Comments 

It is always good to start the new year with a bang, as Manila knows so well. Manila can do fireworks. So let’s put some important issues on the table, cerebral fireworks. Mind benders. To get the discussion rolling, we should look at some issues that we may not yet have found consensus on or, … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Humor/Satire, Philippine Politics, USA/Americans

China’s stealth invasion of the Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on December 3, 2015 · 212 Comments 

China is the muscular underachiever out to prove a point, behavior we would normally associate with a teen-ager, but China has been around awhile. Indeed, China displays symptoms of emotional duress born of centuries of playing second fiddle to smaller, stronger nations. Her leaders portray racial difference as racial superiority in order to get even, to compensate, … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense, USA/Americans