The Cost of Blind Liberalization: How Low Tariffs and Weak Incentives Are Killing Philippine Industries

Posted by Karl Garcia on November 4, 2025 · 101 Comments 

By Karl Garcia I. Introduction The Philippine economy today stands at a crossroads between open-market liberalization and national economic resilience. For decades, the country has pursued low or zero tariffs, minimal industrial protection, and inconsistent investment incentives — policies rooted in the promise that free trade and market competition would drive prosperity. Instead, this experiment … Continue reading →

Category Economy, Education, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Governance, Philippine Government

Dear President Marcos, kindly don’t kiss America’s patootie

Posted by JoeAm on October 23, 2025 · 68 Comments 

Analysis and Opinion By Joe America I was highly disturbed last week by news videos showing the acting American ambassador to Manila visiting an ICI meeting. The video showed Filipinos treating this acting guy as a movie star, and the movie star enjoying his role. He should not have been there. Philippine justice is a … Continue reading →

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

Poor Filipinos should admit they’ve voted badly

Posted by JoeAm on October 13, 2025 · 46 Comments 

Analysis and Opinion By Joe America The Philippines will remain corrupt, incompetent at caring for citizens, and poor as long as poor Filipinos don’t take it upon themselves to elect honest leaders. They should stop blaming others and look at their own track record. Their 2016 choice now sits in an international jail. Are they … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Governance, Philippine Politics

A Filipino uprising

Posted by JoeAm on October 9, 2025 · 31 Comments 

Analysis and Opinion By Joe America I have a great weather app, Windy.com. It allows me to see and project storms with very high accuracy. It’s well worth the $20 annual fee for premium that has so many measurements from smog to lightning strikes that I can project the camel population in Egypt based on … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Governance, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics

The honorable, the corrupt, and the blind

Posted by JoeAm on September 18, 2025 · 60 Comments 

Analysis and Opinion By Joe America We mistakenly hold that there is only one kind of patriotism in the Philippines, the one expressed in the Constitution. But in its actual operation, in the deep state forces that drive government’s acts and the acts of people under that government, there are three. Let me identify the … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Culture and Arts, Governance, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government