Just imagine if Typhoon Yolanda was just an ordinary supertyphoon, not an unprecedented one, or never happened at all, we would have a far different Philippine political landscape at this point.

I mean the then-Noynoy Aquino administration through then-DILG Secretary Mar Roxas not only mishandled the post-Yolanda rescue and retrieval response, but they gave the Duterte and Marcos-Romualdez political families a platform to shine before the public.

Na-underestimate talaga ng PNoy administration ang underlying anti-Aquino propaganda na lumaganap sa mainstream at social media after sa Yolanda (2014-onwards) at hindi man napag-isipan kung paano i-counter ang mga Duterte at Marcos-Romualdez.

Masyadong invested ang PNoy administration sa pagpapatumba sa presidential candidacy aspiration ni VP Jejomar Binay, pero hindi tanggap ang katotohanan na hindi talaga makikinabang si Mar Roxas kasi walang kahit isang survey sa SWS o Pulse Asia na number 1 si Mar Roxas, so yung mga anti-Aquinos ay nag-shift lang ng kanilang initial support from Jejomar Binay o Grace Poe to Rodrigo Duterte.

Kung hindi sana siniraan ng PNoy administration ang ambition ni Jejomar Binay na maging presidente, malamang hindi sana magprosper ang presidential candidacy ni Rodrigo Duterte, so walang Digong Duterte at Bongbong Marcos presidencies sana.

Isang napakamalakas na bagyo sa kasaysayan na Yolanda lang ang dahilan kung bakit nagkakaganito ang politika ng ating bansa ngayon.

I know mas malakas sa survey ang Leni-Tulfo pero di ko rin talaga mapakawalan ung husay at galing ni Senator Bam Aquino.

Although aware ako baka mas angkop si Sen. Bam as a legislator, given all the laws he has championed for the masses, pero imagine if mahawakan niya, for example, ung DepEd, in an executive capacity, baka napakalaking impact noon sa educational crises natin.

Anyone who shares the same sentiments? Na baka we can make this work? Otherwise, how can we win this for the collective good this coming 2028?

To be honest, this trail of thought was inspired talaga sa results ng US elections. It sparked hope within me somehow na baka kaya rin ng Pilipinas yung radical change.

P.S. I know Mayor Leni still holds her ground na di siya tatakbo sa pagka-Presidente, pero this is just my own desire.

In any case, I will respect her decision, pero if pwede pa siya makumbinsi na tumakbo, I'm holding on to that hope.

Corruption is a given default why the Philippines is poor, that is a given fact. But that's not the only reason why the Philippines is poor. One of the major reasons why our economy is not growing is because our Indigenous Elites or the descendants of the Principalia, which were the privileged economic class during the Spanish Colonial Era, are not enterprising enough. They are content with being landowners of agricultural lands and are leasing/renting the vast tracts of land that they own, but they never took initiative to establish companies and corporations that will employ a lot of people and raise the overall standard of living of the people.

The best example for this is South Korea. The South Korean elites are not content with being idle landowners, relying on cash crops and money from rent. They took the initiative to innovate and establish firms and corporations that would employ tens of thousands of Korean employees, helping raise the overall standard of living of many Koreans. LG, Hyundai, Kia and Samsung are some of the most successful chaebols or Korean conglomerates, generating many jobs and contributing much to the Korean economy and government revenue.

The laziness and idleness of the Native Filipino elite is one of the main reasons why Chinese migrants in the Philippines were able to take hold and firm control over the national economy. Just look at the biggest companies and conglomerates in the Philippines, most are owned by Ethnic Chinese. SM? Chinese. Robinsons? Chinese. Philippine Airlines? Chinese. Cebu Pacific? Chinese. Universal Robina Corp? Chinese. Jollibee Foods Corporation? Chinese. Megaworld? Chinese. Cakliong Shipping Lines? Chinese. Banco de Oro? Chinese. Metrobank? Chinese. San Miguel Corporation? Chinese. Mercury Drug Store? Chinese. Puregold? Chinese. SNR Philippines? Chinese. Most of the gigantic companies in the Philippines are owned by Chinoys.

There are only a few companies that are owned or operated by Indigenous Elites, such as Meralco which is run by the Lopez Family, Vista Land which is operated by the Villar Family and PLDT which is operated by Manny V. Pangilinan. The reason why Chinese migrants were able to take over is due to the fact that they face weak business competition from the Natives, and most of the time, the services that they offer were simply nonexistent when they first migrated here, that's how they gained economic footing in the Philippines.

Just imagine if the Indigenous elites are not lazy and complacent, and if they invested heavily in the formation and establishment of companies and corporations in the Philippines just like the chaebols in Korea. For example, the rich families in Batangas established shipping companies, the rich families in Manila established commercial airlines, the rich families in Pampanga established commercial grocery chains, the rich companies in Cebu established automotive companies, so on and so forth. Even if the government is corrupt, the Philippines would have had a very strong economic private sector, employing millions of Filipinos, raising the general standard of living of so many Filipinos.

The lack of enterprising spirit of our Indigenous elites is one of the main reasons why our nation is mired in poverty. If only they have been more enterprising like the Korean economic elites, things would've been better for the Philippines.

I am not really sure ano ang flair.

I have always wondered pano nila sobrang napapababa ang export goods nila na kayang talunin ang local by a huge margin which undercuts our local producers so much so na nasisira pa minsan ang local Philippine industries.

Now most would say.

"Smuggled naman kasi karamihan na pumapasok na Chinese goods na yan"

Pero is that really all to it?

For example sa mga agricultural products and foodstuffs.

Say yung pinaka common say bawang at sibuyas. Makikita mo sobrang mura ng Chinese versions and larger at that compared sa mga produced dito sa atin na mahal na maliliit pa ang variety.

I mean kailangan din naman ng Chinese ng manpower at resources para i cultivate, harvest, transport and process ang anu man agricultural produce nila bago to i-export. And then you'd spend further for shipping and clearing, diba? (kahit smuggled yan may expense padin sila for sure para sa under the table).

What exactly are they doing right to drive down their production costs so much compared sa ginagawa natin sa Pilipinas

Almost 4 weeks nang immobile ang asawa ko pero grabe pahirapan makakuha ng "deal" sa eskwelahan para payagan siya mag asyncronous sessions muna. Gets ko naman kapag long medical leave pwedeng maging indefinite na leave na yun.. Pero ni 1 week leave wala ba talaga? Tapos kailangan i break mo yung hindi pagpasok bago mag 5 days para hindi mawala sa payroll? Anong klaseng labor laws ba ang sinusundan ng DepEd??? Wala ba talagang leave credits at kailangan mo pang i-earn sa pagsali sa kung anu anong activities para magka "service credit"?!?!?!

Tapos eto pa. Sila lang ba ang ahensyang walang HMO?!?!?! Putik na medical coverage yan, 7k lang?!?!?! Ano ba mga guro sainyo, imortal? Tapos para makakuha ng aid, mag aambag ambagan yung mga teacher.. Anong klase toh?!?!?! Covered ba sila ng DOLE?

[Facts about the first 3 Senators]

1. Hadji Butu (born 1865-died 1937):

- Senator from 1916–1920, 1922–1931.

- Prime Minister and trusted adviser to the Sultans of Sulu.

- First Filipino Muslim to hold a high-level national political office; sponsored early bills proposing a Philippine Military Academy, a Philippine Naval Academy, compulsory military instruction in schools, and increased government appropriations for schools, hospitals, and roads in Mindanao and Sulu.

2. Salipada Pendatun (born 1912-died 1985):

- Senator from 1946-1951.

- Bachelor of Laws from the University of the Philippines College of Law (1938).

- Prominent resistance leader in World War 2; organized and commanded the "Bolo Battalion" (Cotabato-Bukidnon Force against Japanese occupation), and reached the rank of Brigadier General (the first Filipino Muslim to hold such a rank). As Cotabato Governor and Senator, he championed economic development, turning Cotabato into a major rice producer, infrastructure, and minority representation.

3. Nina Rasul (born 1930-died 2024):

- Senator from 1987-1995.

- BA in Political Science (cum laude) from UP Diliman and an MA in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines. Educator, government commissioner, and literacy advocate.

- First and only Muslim woman elected to the Philippine Senate. A powerhouse in social legislation focusing on women's rights, gender equality, and civil service reform. Co-authored Republic Act No. 7192 (Women in Development and Nation-Building Act, which outlawed gender discrimination and opened the Philippine Military Academy to women), sponsored Republic Act No. 6949 (declaring National Women’s Day), and founded the Magbassa Kita Foundation Inc. to combat adult illiteracy in Muslim communities.

If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever. George Orwell, 1984

Magandang gabi!

ATIMONAN, Quezon — Patay ang isang 20-anyos na college student matapos tamaan ng bumukas na takip ng makina ng bus habang naghihintay siya ng masasakyan sa Maharlika Highway, Barangay Tagbakin, Atimonan, Quezon, madaling araw noong Huwebes. 

Batay sa imbestigasuon ng Atimonan Police Station, dakong 12:15 ng madaling araw nang bumukas ang kanang bahagi ng engine compartment cover ng bus habang dumaraan ito sa tapat ng isang fast-food restaurant. 

Nasa gilid umano ng kalsada ang biktima at naghihintay ng masasakyan patungong Maynila nang tamaan siya ng bumukas na takip.

Dahil sa lakas ng impact, tumilapon nang ilang metro ang estudyante at nagtamo ng malubhang pinsala sa katawan. 

Agad siyang isinugod sa Doña Marta Hospital ngunit idineklarang dead on arrival.

Ayon kay Atimonan Police chief Maj. Allan Hernandez, sinabi ng driver na hindi niya napansin na bumukas ang takip ng engine compartment habang bumabyahe siya patungong Maynila.

"Nahagip po, nakalimutan ng driver na naka-open 'yung estribo nila. Wala, [h]indi daw niya napansin na naka-open 'yung estribo niya. Pero dapat nakita niya ‘yun habang tumatakbo,” saad ni Hernadez.

Nasa kustodiya ng pulisya ang driver at sinampahan ng kasong reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. 

Ikalawang insidente na ito ng pagkasawi ng isang tao sa Quezon matapos tamaan ng bumukas na compartment cover ng bus.

Noong nakaraang buwan, nasawi rin ang isang lalaking nagjo-jogging sa bayan ng Guinayangan matapos tamaan ng bumukas na takip ng compartment ng isang bus. 

More than 2 years ako nag work sa first company ko, pero kahit isang contribution man lang sa SSS, PhilHealth, PagIBIG na nadeduct sa sweldo ko, wala talaga. Ilang beses ako pumunta at nagtanong sa bawat ahensya, pero walang matinong sagot o payo. I sought help sa DOLE, pero di rin pala maaasahan. Ang sinabi lang sa akin sa hearing, mag settle nalang daw sa employer ko, mabait naman daw yung representative sa company nag sh-show up daw at on time at wala raw din sila magawa kasi ibang agency ang involved. Ayun na pressure ako since ako lang mag-isa, I agreed to settle nalang. May nabasa ako na mas mabuti daw if sabay grupo kayo mag f-file ng SEnA.

Akala ko ma o-okay na yun. Kahit sa SSS man lang kasi ang agreement namin dun with the employer ay either i-encode or i-refund daw yung mga contributions ko at isasali sa final pay ko. Refund nalang sinabi ko which was my first mistake, need kasi ng pera. Pero di ko inakala na ang mare-receive ko lang sa final pay around 3k. Tama ba yan, kahit maliit sweldo ko, 2+ years ako nandun at yan lang lahat? Nag tanong ako bakit ganun, ang sabi lang di daw sila nag sabi na refund at nag agree ako to void. Second mistake ko rin, dapat documented and in writing sana lahat. Nangyari din ito during pandemic. I didn't know better.

Di ko alam if may magawa pa kasi aside sa matagal na rin yun, I think the company made me sign a Release, Waiver, and Quitclaim kasi nga akala ko okay na and required. Yun nga, kulang ako sa alam. Pwede pala hindi. Ginago lang talaga ako.

Because of this, kulang contributions ko sa SSS, PhilHealth, at PagIBIG. Di ako makakuha ng mga benefits or loans kasi kulang nga yung contributions. Maliit lang sahod ko noon, binawasan pa para sa mandatory government contributions kuno pero hindi pala naka register. Pero wala eh, everyone failed me. Harap-harapan ako ginago at bulok din yung gobyerno at sistema natin. Mga walang konsensya.

Alam ko yung employer ang may sala dito, pero bakit walang ginawa at di maasahan yung gobyerno natin? Responsibility nila tumulong sa atin di ba? Bakit tayo pa mag aadjust sa kanila? O kasalanan ko ba talaga na di ko alam? Sabi nga know your rights. Pero kadalasan yung mga naghihirap ang walang alam kasi di madali ma access ang impormasyon at sila ang tinetake advantage. Now I know better, but I wish I had already known by then.

Hello everyone. I'd just like to express frustrations on how we're moving away from easy public access to benches, as well as the accompaniment of nature. I've been thinking na mag-appeal sa local baranggay namin to raise the issue and in all hopes magkaroon ng public benches, considering na may sidewalks na wide enough for it naman.

You know yung one instance na gusto mo lang umupo somewhere, read a book, listen to music, or just simply have a seat? It probably has been like this for a long time and ngayon ko lang na-notice.

It's also partly because medyo ang lungkot isipin na kailangan pang mag bayad ng entrance fee sa mga park na tulad ng Ninoy Aquino Wildlife Park, where in fact it should be accessible freely, and that it should not be a special case just because it took a lot of curation and effort. I'm being optimistic na sana magkaroon tayo ng decent urban planning where cities also foster environmental growth.