Dear GRP Insiders,
The COVID-19 Delta variant is now ravaging the Philippines and much of the rest of the world. The new kid on the block, Lambda, is just getting started.
This is not ending soon and the only way forward is to evolve. Key, as such, is to get behind politicians who are capable of leading a country through this imperative to evolve and transform into a society that can thrive in this new world.
Regards,
benign0
In review and in prospect
Vice President Leni Robredo continues her steep slide into irrelevance as Opposition factions battle for supremacy over the notion of a “united” opposition to the administration camp of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte. Along with Robredo's fortunes tumbles those of former Senator Antonio Trillanes whose tantrum over said unification not going the way he envisioned it ought to go revealed him to the public to be the sociopath that he had long been.
Now being backed by oligarchs associated with the pre-Duterte political narratives, agendas, and status quo, Isko Moreno is now seen to be the Yellowtard Candidate. What's to become of his candidacy given this practical kiss of death will be an interesting show that is about to play out.
Last week's blog posts
Politics
August 11, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"However, what does it say about him that he is willing to abandon the Manileños who voted for him on the basis of his promise that he will succeed where Erap failed by running for President?"
August 10, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Both Lacson and Sotto issued polite but obviously piqued statements in reaction to Robredo’s latest boo-boo. Both expressed disappointment because the proposal was shot down immediately during the meeting."
Leni Robredo is leading history’s “most stupid” Philippine Opposition down a path to oblivion
August 9, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Robredo was again playing the victim in her statement when in truth and in fact, she is actually struggling in her fight for political survival. At this rate, the Liberal Party might not even make it past October."
Media
Prime Media Holdings Inc sets Romualdez clan up for a big piece of the broadcast media pie
August 10, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Business and politics go hand-in-hand in the Philippines. Romualdez voted against the grant of a new franchise to ABS-CBN but has been actively pursuing a blocktime deal for some of ABS-CBN’s shows to air on his network."
Business
Opposition “economists” like Winnie Monsod and @JCPunongbayan FAIL Filipinos by sowing divisiveness
August 14, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"No one can afford to be an agent of divisiveness at this point but the Opposition is content with playing with the lives of Filipinos. It has been ayuda, ayuda, ayuda and not much else beyond pandering to that easy space of patay-gutom mentality."
Foreign Direct Investment in the Philippines – January through May 2021 report
August 12, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Foreign direct investment (FDI) net inflows in May 2021 was at US$429 million, a decline of 25.4 percent from US$575 million net inflows in May 2020 (Table 1).1,2 Despite this, the cumulative FDI level remained higher by 37.8 percent at US$3.5 billion net inflows..."
Society
The Yellowtard agenda is to ensure the status quo of OLIGARCH-backed colonial rule persists
August 14, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Marcos tried but failed to establish our national identity. The coming election will be an opportunity to vote for a candidate who is undoubtedly Pro-Filipino and not just a lackey of oligarchs and foreign interests."
Miracle in Tokyo on the back of strong gov’t and private sector support for our national athletes
August 11, 2021 by Benedict Exconde
"The Duterte administration’s expenditure on the national teams was significantly higher than the miniscule funds allocated to our national athletes by the administration of Benigno Aquino III..."
The COVID pandemic will not end any time soon. Time to learn a bit of mental toughness!
August 9, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Millennials are fond of discussing existential crises; theirs. Each turning point in their lives brings about one, it seems. For example, if hitting 30 wasn’t a big deal to boomers such as myself, it’s an 'existential crisis' for these weaklings."
Public service
Ping Lacson declares war on wasteful government spending and corruption
August 12, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"The newly-installed Partido Reporma Chair and declared Presidential candidate vowed to put Duque through the wringer when he comes before the Senate Committee on Finance to defend the 2022 budget of his department."
History
August 15, 2021 by Ramon Ortoll
"Marcos understood that cheap and reliable power supply was a key driver of industrialization for manufacturing. Since 1986, however, the Philippines’ energy policy has been tailored to the advantage of the oligarchs..."
Important dates
21 Aug 2021 - Anniversary of the assassination of Ninoy Aquino
30 Aug 2021 - National Press Freedom Day
01 to 08 Oct 2021 - Filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COC)