GRPundit

In the following piece, you will find adoration, history, and at least one typo. However, nowhere in this article will you find the truth... Cory Is Dead, Get Over It. This presents me with great opportunity, as it does some frustration, to expose the constant glossing over of the Aquino dynasty. When the mainstream media mentions Tita Cory, it is always with fond memories and gyrating adjectives. When I, and millions of detractors think of her, it is with disdain because of the way Marcos was usurped and handed over to the dogs. Almost quite literally. I would venture to guess that if you are reading GRPshorts, you have an inkling that maybe, just maybe, all those people in the "power people movement" didn't really care whether Marcos was in power or not as long as they could sort of make ends meet every day. Maybe just maybe, all those jologs she ransacked from the squatter encampments didn't have a clue as to how to fix the situation but she offered herself as thei...

I was browsing the blogosphere (i don't know why i continue to use that word, it just sounds catchy) and came across this well written piece. I'd like to share it with you, the readers... Let's face it. Manila is one of the last things that comes to mind when we talk about the world's most organized cities. This metropolis of nearly 20 million (daytime population) is the stereotype of a Third World city, where there are slums everywhere and issues like garbage disposal and traffic are poorly addressed. As the country's capital, it's such a shame that we only have this to show to the world. It smacks right against the good image that the Philippines is trying to project. Urban Planning

In writing about Philippine politics and society in general, I often come across Filipinos who get offended by my "no holds barred" criticism of the country and its people. They quickly defend the mediocrity in the country by saying, " Don't be too harsh on Filipinos. It is worse in India " or whatever third world country they perceive to be in worse condition than the Philippines. I find that kind of statement so lame. It is an excuse for defending the status quo. In saying that there are countries in worse situations than ours, we congratulate ourselves for being better while doing minimal work. We therefore come across as a people who are content with inferior workmanship or what is called " pwede na yan ". Which is why we remain who we are today, a nation of braggarts and show offs living in third world conditions. Like what I said in my previous article ... Until Filipinos learn the real meaning behind the adjective word "good" in its co...

The Philippines recently received yet another "Number One in the World" distinction after the unveiling of what is purported to be the world's biggest tablets depicting the Ten Commandments. The building-sized carving of the Jewish deity's charter that was handed down to Moses in Mount Sinai back in the days of, well, biblical events has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the largest of its kind . Indeed, the scale of this worldly representation of the Word of the Lord fits the society that hosts it. The gigantic size of this now noted Filipino rendering of the Ten Commandments for me is symbolic of the monumental challenge of getting Filipinos to observe the most basic of codes articulating ethical behaviour. The words of Congressman Bernardo Vergara who represents Baguio City which hosts this edifice summarises where the thinkining underpinning this whole enterprise had gone so wrong... "This beautiful and divine edifice will serve to drive away the e...

I choose to live by choice and not chance (fatalistic thinking, a common pinoy trait)to make changes, not excuses (need i say more?) to be motivated, not manipulated (be thou not swayed at the polls, much less everyday life. Being motivated to go abroad is about the only thing pinoys have to their legacy right now) to be useful, not used (filipinos get used on a regular basis because they leave themselves open to chance, which opens the door for mediocre circumstances and thus dramatic situations. I call it being addicted to the "struggle" or self sabotage..and i think part of it stems from the trashy novelas we're all exposed to in this country) to excel, not to compete (excelling is frowned upon by crab mentality, when in fact it should be the norm with as much talent and population as we have. do not compete with others, be the standard. forget about saving hiya and set the bar high!) i choose self esteem, not pity (self esteem and confidence are different than vanity ...

Kanoy -2. An American who is considered Filipino at heart. It is a word combination of "Pinoy" (Tagalog word for Filipino), and "Kano" (Tagalog word for American) After my debut post, I would like to introduce myself to the readers, you out there who care about this country, these topics, as much as I do . I have chosen this name, not carefully, but out of experience. When you assign value to something, to someone perhaps, that value becomes its own living entity and it begins to take on its own form and shape over time. As names go, I could do much worse and Kanoy suits me just fine. It literally describes my nature as I not only wish to see, but actively participate in the drive to push this country to its greatest potential. I am American, yes.. I still get baffled by Filipino behaviors and such occasionally. I believe efficiency is the best way to conduct one's daily affairs. I cannot tolerate certain kinds of Filipino food, as in I cannot digest them witho...

Considering the various proposals to put up gigantic letters all over Taal Volcano it comes across as a bit scary that even a simple warning sign fails the simplest standards of quality...

" Why is your country so poor despite the fact that you - as a people - have the greatest potential to lord it over the rest of Southeast Asia: you're talented, you're skilled, you use English, you're creative, etc???? " -Orion Pérez D. getting "the big question" ad nauseam by Singaporeans One word: Mediocrity. Mediocrity rules everything in Da Pinas. From manufacturing "standards" to education to government on all levels, mediocrity reigns supreme. Even the entertainment is half class. I used to think it was the hot weather, but if that was the case, all of SE Asia would be in slow motion. The time for people that care is long overdue; they must come out of their foxholes, their abominable silence, and switch on the lights for the rest of the country. We must show the world that we are more than the world's maids, au pairs, teachers, and nurses. We must show we have abilities beyond singing, dancing, breeding, and acting retarded in the ...

I agree with what @paulfarol says about the blanket presumption surrounding the proposed reproductive health services articulated in the RH Bill(s) being debated in Congress which he summarised thus... RH services will 'lead' to better health for women and children, encourage 'ideal' family size - which can be 2 or more. Which puts a caveat on the the notion that passing the RH Bill will necessarily induce reduction in population growth rates (which, personally, I think is the whole point of passing such a law in a Third World country like the Philippines where every baby born subtracts rather than adds value to the economy ). However (and I might be mistaken in my interpretation here), the following, it seems, are the main pillars of Paul's argument that the RH Bill should not be passed (considering the provisions supposedly contained in it that paves the way for government procurement of contraceptive devices and the dole out of these to the Filipino multitude).....

Enough with the victim mentality, folks! Just prove your worth. This country needs fewer crybabies and more go-getters to be able to move forward. So you think someone is bullying you? Try being a blogger. I have been called "stupid" so many times just because some BOZO thinks his opinion is way better than mine. I have become thick skinned and have developed the ability to say, so what?!? I hope you do too. We can't please everybody. We'll always have detractors. Just go read the comment section of any of my articles and you will realize how nasty it can get. But life is too short to worry about what some insignificant person has to say about you and your beliefs. Only those who are not too sure about their own principles tend to get affected by their critics anyway. Double check your beliefs and find out if your convictions are strong enough to withstand any criticism that will go your way. If you have doubts, it means the principles with which you live by is just a...

Why does the Philippine President himself need to " order " the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a "probe" on the murder of Polytechnic University of the Philippines vice president for administration Augustus Cezar? Isn't that a job that law enforcement agencies do even without prompting? “We will be helping the Manila Police District in investigating the death of Cezar since we were tasked by President [Benigno "Noynoy"] Aquino to determine who were the perpetrators behind the slay of Cezar,” said NBI director Magtanggol Gatdula. Tough luck, I guess, for all the other Filipinos who had been murdered. Philippine law enforcement officials, it seems, don't act unless orders to do so are issued from the very top.

The natural beauty of the Philippines is fast dwindling. It's time we pay more attention to what we are fast losing. Even as we fail to build a great nation, let us at least succeed at not destroying our lands and seas. Save our coral reefs. Save Palawan.

According to this report , the Philippines will reduce rice imports to ZERO this year... Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- The Philippines will no longer import rice this year even after recent typhoons that damaged crops, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said in Manila today, after a meeting of the National Food Authority council. The import plan for next year will be discussed in November once an audit of the damaged crops and likely harvest for the remainder of 2011 have been completed, Alcala said. Re-visit our featured video short on the Rice Crisis of 2008 here !

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary." Steve Jobs 1955 - 2011

Thing about being in a mall in Manila is that it's such a huge investment in time and effort to get there in your car -- including parking it -- that you get into a mindset of having to make the most of your stay. This includes trying to do everything that you could conceivably do while there which, it seems, makes one more vulnerable to the powers of suggestion of all the 'buy me' messages that scream at you in bright colours and catchy jingles from every corner of the building.