Duterte: The Classification Puzzle

By Edgar Lores The other day I was listening to Emmylou Harris on YouTube. The song was “Boulder to Birmingham,” Ms. Harris’ tribute to Gram Parsons who was her friend, mentor, and a duet partner. As you may know, long-married old couples often die within months of each other after one partner goes ahead. For … Continue reading →

Filed under Citizenship/Patriotism, Education, Philippine Government

What in the world is a foreigner to do?

By JoeAm As a foreigner living in the Philippines, I find myself straining to find a place to fit in. On one hand, I love the Philippines, Filipinos, the dynamic culture, the food, the sea and land adventures, and even driving in the chaos. On the other hand, the nation has become a bit of … Continue reading →

Filed under Blogging/Journalism, Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

News is getting dissembled on us

By JoeAm How do you get your news? How do you vet that it is factual and not propaganda or political pap? It is getting more and more difficult to have confidence that one is not being fed someone’s political line or vested interest. Moodys says the Philippines may be brewing a debt problem and … Continue reading →

Filed under Blogging/Journalism, Citizenship/Patriotism, Culture and Arts, Philippine Government, Technology/Internet

The Philippines is an abusive society

By JoeAm The Philippines is an abusive society, today. The abusers are the government, its paid staff and trolls, and its followers who choose threat over debate and vilification over compassion. But the abuse was evident well before President Duterte took office. He just made it official. President Aquino and his staff (Abaya, Roxas, Abas, … Continue reading →

Filed under Crime/Corruption, Culture and Arts, Economy, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

“What does China have on President Duterte?”

By JoeAm That question comes up repeatedly in my social media pages. Many Filipinos can’t comprehend a foreign policy that has the Philippines giving up it’s brilliantly fought and hard won arbitration hearing against China because “Filipinos would be slaughtered in a war”. They know, and figure the President himself knows, that such an argument … Continue reading →

Filed under China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, USA/Americans