@mongster is a Manila-based activist, former Philippine legislator, and blogger/analyst of Asia-Pacific affairs.
I was speaker in four graduations this year. Excerpts of my speech…. If there is more powerful achievement than education, it is imagination. You are college diploma holders and you are officially recognized by the community as educated individuals. But it doesn’t mean your mind is only reserved for strictly academic and technical matters. It’s […]
Promoting transparency is the preferred technique of politicians and their apologists today. If an official wants to be politically-correct, he must be optically-correct as well. Behold the rise of politico-techies! Before, a politician must learn how to hold a smiling baby while posing before the cameras. Today, he must instantly tweet the incident. Governance requires […]
Written for The Diplomat For tourists, Southeast Asia conjures visions of exotic islands in places like Phuket, Bali, and Boracay. For investors, it’s a relatively safe destination, where their capital can flourish in global cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok. Its ancient history is preserved at Angkor Wat, its rich biodiversity is visible in […]
“God may send hurricanes, but their consequences are not God-given” – Winston James According to a government think-tank, 34.6 percent of households experienced job and asset losses during typhoons in 2011. Almost 70 percent suffered a reduction in income while 45 percent complained of rising expenses immediately after the onslaught of a typhoon. Floods mean […]
