Putting some order to Boracay

Posted by JoeAm on March 26, 2018 · 93 Comments 

By Joe America Boracay has become a political potato, hot to the touch. I’ve not aligned with any view because I think it is not as simple as people are making it. I’d like to organize my own thinking. Out loud. Here. You can then offer additional insights and information in the discussion that follows. … Continue reading →

Category China, Economy, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

Aquino’s doberman and Arroyo’s rottweiler

Posted by chemrock on March 12, 2018 · 81 Comments 

By Chemrock A rabid Arroyo apologist recently wrote a scathing attack on Chief Justice Sereno and called her Aquino’s doberman. It was a dog walk outing for a frumpy grumpy misanthrope of all things Aquino who figured a corrupt-Arroyo regime, of which he played a role, should still be running the country. (Aquino’s ‘Doberman’ in … Continue reading →

Category Blogging/Journalism, Crime/Corruption, Economy, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics, Uncategorized

You cannot separate the economic from the political (the return of the cowardly technocrats)

Posted by JoeAm on March 5, 2018 · 78 Comments 

By Andrew Lim During the presidential campaign of 2016, then candidate Duterte uttered a pledge to revive the country’s steel industry if elected. This blog, along with others were vocal and unanmious: it did not make economic sense at all, with global steel prices dropping. Not helping Duterte was the fact that one of his … Continue reading →

Category China, Economy, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

Closing down Rappler – Opening up Pandora’s box

Posted by chemrock on January 22, 2018 · 78 Comments 

By Chemrock The Securities and Exchange Commission ordered the closure of Rappler, a private limited corporation running an online news platform, on grounds that it breached the no-foreign ownership rules for media. Early news pointed to SEC’s decision being predicated on some Philippines Depository Receipts (PDR) issued by Rappler to foreign investors, thus subjecting the company … Continue reading →

Category Blogging/Journalism, Economy, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics, Uncategorized

Ten-point plan for a first-world Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on January 4, 2018 · 127 Comments 

By Joe America This is The Society of Honor’s ten-point plan that targets raising the Philippines to first-world status in 25 years. It is an imaginary set of steps that is imaginary only because today’s leaders appear to lack the will to implement it, or something like it: Stop the killings and excessive PNP force; restore due … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government