Opinion 3/7/16 (Philippines, telecommunication system, youth, freedom, economy, presidential elections, GDP)
The Freeman's Lastimosa: "Kaguliyang sa numero"
Naproblema ang pipila nako ka higala nga may magsige og panawag ug text sa ilang mobile phones nga maningil sa utang o mangaway nila. Dihang nireklamo sa mga kompaniya sa telepono, gipasabot sila nga posibleng ang mga tawag para sa mga kanhi tag-iya sa ilang mga numero. Tungod tingali sa kabarato sa SIM cards, nga mahimo kang mag-ilis-ilis kada semana, mahimong nahutdan na ang mga telco sa mga numero nga gidestino sa National Telecommunications Commission nila. Dako ang kahigayonan nga ang karaang mga numero nga wa na gamita maoy ilang gipamaligya ngadto sa bag-ong subscribers. [kinatibuk-ang lindog]
The Inquirer "The Millenials"
In the entirety of their young lives, the millennials have known only of the dysfunctional brand of democracy that has allowed corruption to thrive in the government. They feel frustration and hopelessness because of the unending voices of discord that expose corruption and incompetence among public officials. But what the youth fail to appreciate is that their ability to listen to these voices of dissent and discord is the priceless reward earned through the shedding of the blood of our martyrs during martial law and the risking of millions of lives during Edsa I. Members of this young generation wake up every day taking for granted that they can freely criticize their politicians and equally hear others mock and scorn government officials.
They get out of bed every day taking for granted that this right to freely criticize the government is as natural as the right to breathe. [full text]
The Inquirer "Inequality, debt and tax injustice"
ONE of the most cynical projections on how the Philippine economy will fare in 2016 was made by a Bank of the Philippines economist who predicted that the country would grow by 6.2 percent “on the back of election spending,” particularly in the first half of the year. This view was echoed by the Department of Finance, analysts at Standard Chartered Bank, Sun Life of Canada Philippines and business leaders with the added calculation that election spending will add 1 percent to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). What is dumbfounding about this shared prediction by mainstream economists and business persons is that what to common sense passes as a cruel joke is being touted as a scientific and serious analyses that Filipinos should be proud of. [full text]
