Category Archives: Politics and Government

Politics and Government — rephrases the dominant narratives on politics and government as it applies to contemporary Philippine and global society.

The aim is to clarify muddled issues, mock the naked agenda of partisan interests, and offer alternative worldviews. However, IngmingAberia.com wishes to offer the disclaimer that achieving this purpose is easier said than done.

Politics and Government is a tricky topic. It flirts confrontation with bullies. It encroaches upon turfs that are inhabited by the powerful, the rich, the mighty–all of whom are closely guarded by goons. It is therefore often necessary to use alternative language when poking royalty, such as with satire and metaphor. Any attempt of this kind, however, may not always be successful.

At any rate, IngmingAberia.com will always be committed to avoid the urge of criticizing the status quo just for the sake of exposing gaps. Stakes are higher than being analysts. We take pride in having earned the reputation of the one with the plan.

IngmingAberia.com shall find itself wanting if it fails to offer alternatives, or if it stops at complaining without offering solutions.

Lessons on the Road

As a regular Metro Manila commuter since 1975, I have experienced–then and now–how millions live their lives on the road. The Mandaluyong (where I lived) to Manila (where I attended college) route took an average of forty-five minutes to an hour of travel time by jeep, one way. The Mandaluyong to Quezon City (where I… Read More »

If Rural Philippines Mattered…

In my last column, I discussed the fault lines of the Philippine economy. I feel there is need to elaborate. The essay tried to use imagery to highlight the dangers faced by an economy that is heavily dependent on private consumption and public spending for its continued expansion and growth. Private consumption is of course… Read More »

Fault lines of the Philippine economy

We greet with more than a sigh of relief the news that the Philippine economy, in terms of Gross Domestic Product, or GDP, grew by 6.2 percent in the third quarter of 2019, surprising experts who earlier braced for something less rosy after a relatively anemic 5.5 percent growth rate was recorded for the preceding… Read More »

Peacekeeping Is On The Ropes, Again

At the United Nations, questions about who is going to keep the peace resurface. As coffers dry up due to non-payment of dues by at least one-third of its member states, the UN’s ability to maintain its workforce and help keep world peace is at risk. The other day, Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the… Read More »

Even a Fool Would Know

My love for you is obvious, says an Air Supply song, that even a fool would know. The government’s resolve to clean government, kill criminality and move the country to first world status is clear as daylight, suggests the satisfaction rating surveys, that Sal Panelo’s brilliant paternosters are easily understood even when you mute the… Read More »

Stopping the Dragon

Following last week’s contention that while China now thinks it is time to pounce on its prey, like what a Komodo dragon does when it hunts for a meal, I wish to add that the strategies by which China is trying to establish regional hegemony are still evolving. Gone was reformist leader Deng Xiaoping’s advice… Read More »

Senator Jose Dira Avelino

The name of Jose Avelino is mentioned—almost invariably—with contempt. That is because he is largely remembered for this quote: “What are we in power for?” He came down in history books as the guy whose candor exposed the creepy nature of what he and his kind do for a living, which is quite apart from… Read More »

PDP Laban: A Fake Ruling Party in Agony?

For the first time since its founding in 1982, the Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, or PDP Laban, found itself swept to power when its candidate for President—Rodrigo Duterte—won by an overwhelming majority vote in 2016. But his association with the party is at best illusory; by all indication, the PDP Laban which is… Read More »

Recto’s Debt Cap Bill

Just the other day, reports came out that Senator Ralph Recto had filed a bill limiting the relative amount of national government debt at 50 percent of the gross domestic product, or GDP. This amount would include loans contracted by the private sector, such as, for example, when a private firm requires a government guarantee… Read More »

Solid work soiled by shit

Doubts on the competence of the police to conduct drug operations persist as the government’s war on drugs recently claimed the life of another innocent victim. Three-year-old Myka Ulpina, one of four persons killed in a drug-bust police operation in Rodriguez, Rizal last June 29, became one of the latest additions to a growing list… Read More »

Visualizing a People’s Congress

Two or three generations from now, public discussion on the design of a People’s Congress that will take the place of the current Senate and House of Representatives—or in whatever form they may take as a result of a possible shift to federalism—should start rolling. The need to re-model the system of representation in government… Read More »