The Philippines is a lost nation, without honor

By JoeAm There are two topics in the article heading. They are connected. The Philippines is a lost nation What do nations typically try to do? They work to safeguard their citizens, make sure citizens have food, jobs, and good health, and are growing more prosperous.  In a world with conflicted interests, that “safeguard” component … Continue reading

Character in journalists

By JoeAm Facebook follower Al Hadj Bin Aday asked me when Philippine journalists would start to write like I do, which I presumed to mean directly with a touch of literary flair to align words in a way that hits meaning on the head with a #10 ball-peen hammer. I reflected on the writers that influenced my … Continue reading

“This land is your land, this land is my lan . . . oh oh . . .”

By JoeAm One of the greatest failings of all Philippine administrations from Aguinaldo to Duterte is the poor management of the nation’s glorious natural resources. The lands are among the richest on the planet for ores and fertility. The surrounding waters are seas of plenty. But the care-taking is just horrible. The poorly considered assignment … Continue reading

The holy curse of bankers

By Chemrock Shylock, the Jewish moneylender, demanded a pound of flesh from his debtor who could not repay a loan. With that, Shakespeare condemned a moniker on the Jewish community for posterity. Few are those who bother to contextualize what they read or hear. In ancient days when Jews were dispersed all over Europe, they … Continue reading

Huawei: friend or foe of the Philippines?

By JoeAm Due credit to regular contributor NHerrera for raising this issue and providing graphic exhibits and some references used herein. To set the scene for this discussion, we have to recognize that hard battle lines are shaping up globally with democracies facing off against autocratic states China and Russia. Several of those democracies have … Continue reading