Monthly Archives: September 2010

Grading Noynoy’s Excellent Adventure: Maybe He Should Ask for a Re-sit

Posted on September 29, 2010 by bkritz

Shortly before Noynoy’s Excellent Adventure in the US, I took the opportunity to speculate on what the outcomes of his first state visit might be, and whether those might be good or bad signs for the Philippines’ near-term prospects. That the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 36 Comments

Why is the Catholic Church so against jueteng?

Posted on September 25, 2010 by benign0

I’m starting to wonder about this whole witch-hunt going on for the lords of jueteng (a lucrative illegal numbers game popular in the Philippines). Recently, a retired Catholic bishop called out the names of a number of folk supposedly in … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Lifestyle, Religion | Tagged , , | 49 Comments

Mr President, someone in your administration has to go

Posted on September 24, 2010 by ilda

Something occurred to me while I was watching footage of President Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy) eating a hotdog sandwich in New York City. I thought that perhaps P-Noy would be better off joining the circus. P-Noy is very good at talking … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Lifestyle | Tagged , , , , | 100 Comments

First IIRC report on hostage crisis: some facts read like fiction

Posted on September 23, 2010 by ilda

There was not much about the first report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) regarding the August 23, 2010 Rizal Park Hostage-taking incident that we didn’t already know or suspected. The report did give us specifics and an … Continue reading →

Posted in Civics, Government, Media | Tagged , , , , | 53 Comments

Wasted lessons: The IIRC report on the Mendoza hostage massacre

Posted on September 21, 2010 by benign0

For me, the recently released report of the Incident Investigation and Review Committee (IIRC) headed by Justice Secretary Leila de Lima spelled out culpability at the operational level — breakdown in the chain of command, non-performance and lack of prudence … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Featured, Government | Tagged , , , | 29 Comments

Senator Antonio Trillanes and Rolando Mendoza: more alike than different

Posted on September 19, 2010 by benign0

Popular blogger and “reporter” Ellen Tordesillas is at it again, drumming up support for her fallen “hero” mutineers which she lumped together into the category of mga sundalong lumaban kay Gloria Arroyo (“soldiers who battled [former President] Gloria Arroyo”). That … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Media | Tagged , , | 45 Comments

The so-called Philippine “Elite”: failure of leadership

Posted on September 17, 2010 by ilda

There is something wrong with some of our country’s so-called “thinking” elite. They don’t use their heads sometimes. They are supposed to guide the members of the public down the right path but much of what they say makes any … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Government | Tagged , , | 189 Comments

Philippine Media: Knocked off their lofty pedestal by their own greediness

Posted on September 15, 2010 by benign0

Isn’t it so ironic now how roles have been reversed. The once mightily self-righteous Philippine Media now stands before the “representatives” of the people, head bowed and lined up as one of the three chumps (the police and Malacanang being … Continue reading →

Posted in Featured, Media | Tagged , , , , | 42 Comments

Filipino tragedies: Is incompetence in our cultural DNA?

Posted on September 13, 2010 by ilda

The recent hostage tragedy in Manila on the 23rd of August 2010 involving now deceased former Philippine National Police officer Rolando Mendoza and eight now dead Chinese tourists triggered an outpouring of mixed emotions that included sorrow and remorse both … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Development, Government | 128 Comments

The Bus Hostage Crisis: A Failure of Filipino Culture

Posted on September 11, 2010 by ChinoFern

The Manila Bus Hostage Incident/Massacre was no isolated incident. It was an effect of everything our culture stands for. Our Filipino values, our system, our beliefs and of course, our corruption, all played into the event. Continue reading →

Posted in Culture | 78 Comments