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BS Aquino’s platform vs reality: ‘Weighed but found wanting’
Prologue: President BS Aquino’s 2010 platform of government, titled “A Social Contract with the Filipino People”, badly needs updating to keep up with the times and with reality. Thus: Our national leadership needs “transformational change.” Its ability to govern is under question. It punishes the wrongdoing only of its perceived foes. It invents new forms […]
More‘Binola nya ako’ and the discourse of trolls
If we want to know where the Internet trolls get pointers on how to make the most unintelligent, most rotten and black as pozo negro commentary, look no further than the nation’s leaders and their apologists and how they “explain” themselves to citizens. Here’s one outstanding example: “Binola nya ako”, the latest attempt of President […]
MoreA future without BS
Come to think of it, the single, most compelling argument in favor of President BS Aquino’s resignation is this: We will get rid of the biggest stumbling block and most gigantic hindrance to attaining justice and accountability. And as a big bonus, we could embark on a period of vital reforms we need as a […]
MoreFeb. 25 unity statement: We demand truth and accountability
Here is the unity statement signed by individuals and organizations inviting everyone to an interfaith prayer and symbolic human chain on Feb. 25, 3-6 pm, starting from Camp Crame EDSA Gate up to the EDSA Shrine. Feb. 25 is exactly one month after the Mamasapano incident and the 29th anniversary of the EDSA People Power uprising. We demand truth […]
MoreReal change vs loose change
Quite interestingly, diehard supporters of President BS Aquino ushered in the commemoration of the 29th anniversary of 1986 People Power uprising by rehashing the discredited “Marcos pa rin!” battlecry into an Internet trending topic #NoynoyPaRin. For a whole day, they convinced themselves that there’s no one else fit to lead the country at this time, […]
MorePast, present and future
“The President should resign,” declared a manifesto signed by a growing number of citizens from across the country. Damage control is in overdrive: But even after addressing the nation on national television, the President still failed to regain the trust of citizens outraged by the incident in Mindanao, among many outstanding issues propelling the protests.
MorePH citizen media: A quick overview
CEBU – Global Voices is now holding its Citizen Media Summit 2015 here at the Cebu Provincial Capitol, with 300 delegates from 70 countries. At a plenary panel this morning, I joined friends Fleire Castro and Ruben Licera, together with moderator Tina Pamintuan, to share views about the topic “What’s happening in Philippine citizen media?”
More#PapalVisitPH: Livestreams of Pope Francis in the Philippines
If you’re abroad or cannot go personally to any of the Papal events where Pope Francis is set to go as part of his state and pastoral visit, one option is to catch the “Pope of the Poor” via livestream. The pope will be in the Philippines on January 15-19, in a visit that carries the theme […]
More#PapalVisitPH: Jittery Aquino gov’t vs. joyful public
The BS Aquino administration is in many ways botching the single-biggest chance to tell the world that “its more fun in the Philippines. The last time a pope visited the Philippines was exactly 20 years ago. It didn’t matter that the President was a Protestant. It didn’t matter that we still didn’t have much to […]
MoreMRT-LRT fare hike: The Bayan Muna petition
Bayan Muna lawmakers Neri Javier Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate today (Jan. 6) filed a new petition at the Supreme Court seeking to stop the MRT-LRT fare increases. I’m proud to be a co-petitioner in this case, together with other commuters. The 30-page Bayan Muna pleading is a thought-provoking read. It smashes the Aquino government’s […]
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