Weekly Brief
President Bongbong Marcos's 2023 SONA focuses on investing at the macro and less on doling out ayuda at the micro.
In review and in prospect
The recently-concluded State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Bongbong Marcos did not leave much for the Opposition to quibble over. This is specially considering that they came to the event armed with their traditional rhetoric of Martial Law Crybabyism and their tired old “plight of the poor” trope and not much else.
Much of what Marcos reported to the people revolved around macro fundamentals. This is a level of reporting that fits that of a Chief Executive. In this regard, President Marcos resisted the easy path of pandering to the little “grassroots” issues that invoke Filipinos’ heritage of smallness. Instead, his SONA invited all to behold the bigger picture that frames his vision for the nation.
Capitalisation, after all, is key to sustainable growth. Resources cannot be channeled into dole outs — the ayuda the communists and bleeding hearts habitually screech about in their “activist” circuses — and be expected to deliver sustainable value for Philippine society. Rather than doled out, resources are best invested in building infrastructure, inducing innovation, and accumulating social capital off which the productivity gains these enable and the national brand equity these create serve as the true foundations of the nation's wealth and prosperity.
Last week's blog posts
July 23, 2023 by Ramon Ortoll
"AUKUS, the trilateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the US, is set to become the region’s equivalent of Western Europe’s North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO). The other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will not allow this..."
July 22, 2023 by benign0
"Mere stunts won’t win back the nation the Yellowtard-Communist Axis lost over three consecutive election years. The traditional Opposition need to come up with compelling content to fill Filipinos’ timelines and ditch the old Martial Law Crybaby rhetoric..."
July 22, 2023 by Ramon Ortoll
"I had high expectations of Marcos. The hope was that since he had seen what happened since 1986, he’d knew exactly what needed to be done to put the country on the right path again. Instead, there is the Maharlika sovereign fund and the pivot to the US..."
Impending ICC Arrest Warrant Derails Inday Sara Duterte Carpio’s Presidential Ambition
July 21, 2023 by Oman
"That’s just the allegations involving the killing of people. We haven’t even gotten into the allegations involving her supposed connection to other crimes like smuggling, swindling, and corrupt practices."
Recent moves by former President Rodrigo Duterte a possible play for the 2025 elections
July 19, 2023 by Ramon Ortoll
"It’s his last hurrah. If he feels compelled to get back at Marcos for what is now the second slight over the Sara and Martin tiff then he will make his move but not to the point of destablizing the Marcos administration."
Inday Sara Duterte, Political Idolatry, and the Delayed Evolution of Philippine Politics
July 19, 2023 by Oman
"Inday Sarah, because of her power over loyal followers, can and has operated beyond the bounds of this system — which is the very reason why the International Criminal Court is subjecting her to an investigation of crimes against humanity."
ICC to Issue Warrant of Arrest for Vice President Inday Zimmerman Duterte Carpio
July 18, 2023 by Oman
"The inclusion of Sara Duterte-Carpio’s name in the ICC investigation is particularly significant. As a former mayor of Davao City, she held a position of authority and influence during the alleged extrajudicial killings."
Inday Sara: A Lousy VP, A Lousy Education Secretary, and A Lousy Anti Terrorism Talking Head
July 17, 2023 by Oman
"Right then and there is a sign that Inday Sara is mixing up her role as Education Secretary with being Co Vice Chair of the NTF ELCAC, an organization that is primarily a mi"litary undertaking in the guise of the stupidly coined 'Whole of Nation' approach."