We beg to differ.
The facts are quite confronting. Filipinos who not just speak English but speak it well and with the right accent go places. This is the reason wealthy Filipinos spend a fortune on the best private schools to educate their kids — because those who gain mastery of this important language make the most connections with…
Since language is once again on the topic table, I’ll put out this piece that had been waiting for the right time. Filipino hostility towards English and foreign languages, as well as towards intellectualism, is not hard to see. People with such attitudes say it is a “patriotic duty” or more nationalistic action to be…
Read More “On Filipino Hatred of English, Languages and Intellectualism” »
What is the goal of the Philippines’ elite communicators and thought leaders? We are told many times by the Philippines’ so-called “social media experts” that there is a huge responsibility on our shoulders to produce and publish high-quality content that could help uplift the Philipines’ public discourse. The quality of this discourse is important because…
Read More “Should Filipino thought leaders communicate in ‘maka-masa’ style or in proper English?” »
The recent disgusting and shameful yet shameless brawl that engulfed what was intended as a friendly match between two allies (Gilas Pilipinas and the Australian team) brings us to a point of deep reflection as a nation of civilized Homo sapiens. The grave level of pikon (butthurt) and crushing tambak defeat of the “Pinoy” shooters would not…
Read More “Basketball vs Filipinos: Can genetic underdogs win international respect?” »
I wrote before about how the culture of retribution contributes to more violence in the world. It is one of the things keeping our own society backward as well. Not only in life, but in sports. People who are pro-Gilas brawl in Facebook keep raising up resbak as the justification. They say that because one…
Read More “Resbak Mentality Keeps the Philippines backward” »
A common argument I’ve been seeing directed at people who dare write about Filipino-style basketball in a critical way comes in the form of this statement… You probably don’t play basketball so you won’t understand where we are coming from. Funny that. If there is anything more bizarre than Filipino exceptionalism, it is Filipino Basketball…
Read More “Filipino pride and ego delivered NOTHING to Gilas Pilipinas” »
I noticed there was the distinct flavor of reaction to Kate’s recent post in GRP: Gilas-Aussie brawl proves basketball is a TAMBAY sport in the Philippines A lot of people seem to believe that GRP writers should not even write about sports. Even more people think GRP writers should not write about anything. Well you…
Read More “A Simple Solution For The Problem Of Trolls Who Tell You What To Write” »
I know, my colleague Ilda had an article why she believes in sports as a good thing to get into. Sports has exercise and helps develop competitive spirit, desire to grow and grit. I agree with that. Some even say, better to be into sports (at least it’s a hobby) rather than getting into drugs….
Read More “Why *Spectator* Sports is not the Hope of any Society” »