About this blog

By -
This blog is for short posts made on the fly. Articles published here will be broadcast only through our Twitter account.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular this week

Filipinos have a President, a real President, one that they are proud of

By -
Image
I finally feel that I need to speak up. There has been much in the press lately about newly elected Philippine President Duterte. Most of what is said focuses on his policies toward the illegal drug problem, and his direct (to put it mildly) comments to other national leaders, particularly to US leaders. The world's press responds with concern, even alarm. In the Philippines, he is immensely popular. As an American who has lived here in the Philippines for 30+ years, I think I understand why. Allow me to explain. First of all, the facts. 1) Americans almost never take culture and other cultures' viewpoints and values into consideration. Almost never. That explains nonsense foreign policy and constant misunderstanding. 2) Americans are one thing; the American government is something different. Generally speaking, Americans are liked here. Generally speaking, the American government is grossly arrogant and condescending, and is often despised because of it. 3) Other natio...
Read more

Jose Rizal never had Tagalog in mind when he encouraged us to love our own language

By -
Image
Posted by a certain Chloe Santiago on the Facebook GRP Community Group : Jose Rizal died in 1896 and Tagalog was declared the official language of the Philippine only in 1937. This can only mean that Rizal wasn't really talking about Tagalog when he made this statement: "He who does not love his own language is worse than an animal and smelly fish." Indeed. Who made the arbitrary directive to make the Tagalog dialect the "National Language" to begin with? Furthermore, why have a "National Language" when Filipinos are already proficient in the global lingua franca of commerce and scientific achievement?
Read more

To the fascist, sexist, pseudo-intellectuals who seek to silence Mocha Uson...

By -
Image
By working so, so hard just to silence Mocha Uson who shares the very same rights you do, you are becoming the very same thing you claim to hate: a fascist, sexist, pseudo-intellectual who can't even recognize oppression and censorship the way a person can't find his glasses when he's clearly holding it in his hand. You don't like her opinions? Then engage. Reply to her posts, post your own status, correct her errors, and work hard to counter her arguments. But most of all, work on ground. Arouse, mobilize, and organize. Because that's exactly what Mocha is doing outside of Facebook, something that some of you are far too lazy to do yourselves. You say you fight so hard for a functioning democracy, but you can't even acknowledge that part of a functioning democracy is having space for dissent. Shame. ---------------------- Ayrie Ching as posted on Facebook .
Read more

Leni Robredo's non-stop self-promotion: Can't wait to be President?

By -
Image
While Leni Robredo is “waiting for something to happen to the president”, she spends her time in numerous PR activities. Nothing new there, but today I saw a couple of pictures that bothered me. Here is Photo 1 , taken Aug 24, 2016 at the Jesse Robredo exhibit that was mounted in Gateway mall, a property owned by the family of Mar Roxas. Here is Photo 2 , taken Aug 29, 2016 at the launch of a Jesse Robredo book in Fully Booked BGC. What do you notice about these two photos? The design of the visuals is very reminiscent of the imagery associated with Philippine presidents. Photo 1 shows a classic “trooping of the guard” image. Photo 2 shows a book cover with a head bust that has a Philippine flag prominently displayed in the background. Does the late Jesse Robredo, as respected as he was, warrant this level of presidential imagery? Most of his political career was spent in Naga City. He occupied a national position for only about 3 years, as DILG secretary. But the w...
Read more