Author Archives: admin

My Marian Education

By admin | April 9, 2012

Delivered on March 27, 2012 at the St. Mary’s College–Quezon City Auditorium I’m delighted and extremely honored to speak before the graduating class of 2012. Twenty years ago, I was also seated there, proud and happy that I’m about to get my elementary diploma. But I remember that I also felt sad because I will […]

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Singapore’s Populist Budget

By admin | April 8, 2012

Singapore’s ruling People’s Action Party, which has been in power since the 1950s, has been accused of populism by its critics following the presentation of the 2012 state budget. According to the opposition, the budget contains several expenditure items that reflect the desperation of the PAP to regain the trust of voters and party supporters […]

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Change the ASEAN Model

By admin | April 2, 2012

A smartphone app called ASEAN One, which translates popular business phrases into 11 languages of the Southeast Asian region, was launched last week in Bangkok. Private sector initiatives like this, which promote the concept of a Southeast Asian community, should be encouraged. Aside from ASEAN One, there are bigger projects that seek to foster unity […]

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The Power of Imagination. The Gift of Time

By admin | March 31, 2012

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 […]

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Perverse Transparency

By admin | March 22, 2012

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 […]

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Southeast Asia’s Forgotten Wars

By admin | March 19, 2012

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 […]

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Poverty and Disasters

By admin | March 6, 2012

“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 […]

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Cambodia’s Fainting Workers

By admin | February 29, 2012

Cambodia’s garment industry represents 90 percent of the country’s exports and employs more than 300,000 workers by some estimates. It survived the 2008 global financial crisis, although job losses were registered across all special economic zones. But despite its vital contribution to the local economy, the garment sector has been facing criticism that it has […]

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Relevance of Behavioral Sciences

By admin | February 25, 2012

Edited copy of my keynote speech during the 2012 National Conference on Behavioral Sciences, College of Medicine, UP Manila. The most intelligent students in the UP System are enrolled in UP Manila. I have three reasons for asserting this: First, UP’s Oblation scholars are studying here. Second, the top UPCAT passers are also based in […]

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Q&A: ICPD in the Philippines

By admin | February 20, 2012

Interview by Shira Levine A UNFPA-led dialogue of young parliamentarians convened in Krabi, Thailand in late 2011 to discuss the review process for the International Conference on Population and Development’s Programme of Action. Together they shared perspectives on what works and what doesn’t in terms of improving the lives of their constituents. With the twenty-year […]

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