Should the Philippines increase military spending and prepare for war?

Posted on By benign0 32 Comments on Should the Philippines increase military spending and prepare for war?
Should the Philippines increase military spending and prepare for war?

In the last couple of months, tension between China and the Philippines around claims of sovereignty over the Spratly Islands have escalated, punctuated most recently by the deployment of the Philippine Navy warship BRP Rajah Humabon which sailed on a “patrol” mission to the Scarborough Shoal off Zambales. The Armed Forces of the Philippines as…

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Civics, Culture, Featured, Society

What the context of the next State of the Nation Address (SONA) should be

Posted on By benign0 2 Comments on What the context of the next State of the Nation Address (SONA) should be
What the context of the next State of the Nation Address (SONA) should be

As we approach the end of the fiscal year under the administration of a man who, during his campaign, trumpeted his envisioned role as President as one of being a “fiscalizer,” the time to take stock of what has been achieved or, at least, what groundwork had been lain over the last 12 months is…

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Culture, Development, Government, Media

Social network predators: Psychopaths let loose on the Net

Posted on By benign0 11 Comments on Social network predators: Psychopaths let loose on the Net
Social network predators: Psychopaths let loose on the Net

The power of the Net and its most recent technological spawn, “social media,” to bring disparate people together to interact closely (and often intimately) is now quite well-known. What is emerging only now is how this technology-enabled acceleration in the pace with which humans form social connections and apply these connections to their personal lives…

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Lifestyle, Society, Tech Talk

Is it worth it? The Filipino’s guide to car ownership

Posted on By benign0 16 Comments on Is it worth it? The Filipino’s guide to car ownership
Is it worth it? The Filipino’s guide to car ownership

A car is usually the single biggest money pit in the average Filipino’s portfolio of assets. The value of a brand-new car depreciates by at least 20 percent as soon as they are driven out of the show room. It then proceeds to spend the rest of its useful life draining your bank account of…

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Lifestyle, Money Talks

What it means to be truly proud to be Filipino

Posted on By benign0 9 Comments on What it means to be truly proud to be Filipino
What it means to be truly proud to be Filipino

Who really wins a game, the star player or the team? Our star players — doctors, IT professionals, artists — are leaving in droves for a better life with the winning teams because they are tired of propping up (being heroes for) what essentially is the losing team. Lea Salonga, for example, is an achiever….

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Civics, Culture, Society

President Aquino’s Second State of the Nation Address (SONA) 25 July 2011

Posted on By benign0 167 Comments on President Aquino’s Second State of the Nation Address (SONA) 25 July 2011
President Aquino’s Second State of the Nation Address (SONA) 25 July 2011

Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III is due to deliver his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) to a joint Senate and House session of Congress. What is he going to say? What is he going to claim? What achievements are he planning to present to the duly-elected “representatives” of the Filipino People? Twelve…

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Government, Media, Politics

Filipinos need to work on their ego

Posted on By Ilda 188 Comments on Filipinos need to work on their ego
Filipinos need to work on their ego

The Filipino mind is Philippine society’s greatest enemy. If you read Philippine publications, watch local talk shows on TV or even just peruse other popular collective Filipino blogsites, you can pretty much tell what the national preoccupation is about. The national preoccupation is centered on the Filipino ego. To be specific, it’s all about who…

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Culture, Society

The Philippine National Debate: the cheerleaders among us as a cheerleader President leads us

Posted on By benign0 7 Comments on The Philippine National Debate: the cheerleaders among us as a cheerleader President leads us
The Philippine National Debate: the cheerleaders among us as a cheerleader President leads us

There is a big difference between being a mere cheerleader and being a true leader. Cheerleaders are able to whip up emotional fervor and lure people into spectacular but short bursts of mindless emotionally-fueled stampedes. Real leaders, on the other hand are able to sustain commitment by providing a solid foundation of substance underlying the…

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Culture, Government, Media, Politics, Society