“Flipping Manila”: exposing the rot in the walls

Posted by JoeAm on December 16, 2014 · 51 Comments 

Every once in a while when the kid is in school and the wife is downtown buying her way through the wet market, I grab the television remote and check out my favorite shows: (1) various senate hearings, (2) “Flipping Vegas”, and (3) some Discovery Channel survival show with two goofs trying to make their … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Philippine Government

The technocratic federated Republic of the Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on December 4, 2014 · 4 Comments 

In this blog, I seek to develop a set of understandings about how the Philippines works as a nation. Is there a way to improve the productivity of the Philippines? The blog is another case of JoeAm thinking out loud, and writing about it. A puzzlement: what kind of government is best? One puzzlement for me has … Continue reading →

Category Economy, Philippine Government, Technology/Internet

The left: why its political parties fail

Posted by JoeAm on November 23, 2014 · 66 Comments 

Thanks to reader Pinoyputi who directed me down this track when he wrote: “I wish that the leftists would grow up, use their brains and start a real Social Democratic Party of importance here.” A LITTLE MATTER OF PRESENTATION The first thing you notice about leftist parties is that they like exclamation points. It is … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics, Uncategorized

In defense of OFWs against nationalists

Posted by JoeAm on November 20, 2014 · 141 Comments 

Here is a comment that someone at Raissa Robles‘ top blog threw at me the other day during a rather laborious debate over the Laude murder and other matters: “I don’t consider myself a leader of CPM for we are pure democracy here. No kings, no elected leader, but we are lead (sic) by our … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Philippine Government

The politics of tragedy. Yolanda.

Posted by JoeAm on November 13, 2014 · 36 Comments 

“We’ll survive, with or without President Aquino – Yolanda survivors” That headline ran in the Daily Inquirer on November 9, 2014, one of hundreds of articles dealing with the Yolanda impact and recovery a year and a day later. It reflects an enduring opinion held by some who dealt with the crushing tragedy of Yolanda … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Ecology/Global Warming, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics