Why Is the Philippines A Poor Country?

Why Is the Philippines A Poor Country?

by Jon E. Royeca

(Part 13 of the “In Defense of the Filipino” series) THE usual answers to this question are because allegedly we Filipinos are indolent, thieves, corrupt, undisciplined, crab-minded, divided, and more. Let us have the real answers. Nation’s Debts. The main reason is because a large portion of our national budget goes to paying our foreign and domestic debts, instead of using it to build more roads, highways, bridges, schools, hospitals, housing units, railroads, irrigation, cable lines, and other public works; to raise the salaries

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A Reaction to Patrick Flores’ Teaching/Learning the Humanities in Other Words/Worlds

by Dennis Raymundo March 18, 2010

This particular essay on art is not looking at an artwork. Rather, it problematizes the way we think of art as an element of culture. The epigraphs by Octavio Paz and Robert Barry challenge the way we commonsensically think of art. And this is what the whole essay allows us to (re)think: Our ways of seeing art and the conditions of possibility of our gaze.

Octavio Paz’s statement on the iconic status of art objects that “command our adoration” is precisely what the essay explains as symbolic violence. Symbolic violence as the essay suggests, stems from the condition that art is produced in a society where there is hierarchy. However, it wasn’t quite clear how hierarchy is produced and reproduced in society.

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Rebyu ng Sakit ng Kalingkingan: 100 Dagli sa Edad ng Krisis ni Rolando Tolentino

by Dennis Raymundo March 18, 2010

Sa aklat niyang The Significance of Theory, inilarawan ni Terry Eagleton ang teorya: “Like small lumps in the neck, it is a symptom that all is not well (1990:26)”.

Ang mga bukol sa katawan ay hindi pirming bahagi nito. Samakatuwid, tuwing makakakita tayo ng bukol, inaasahan natin na ito’y maglalaho, o di kaya’y hahanap ng paraan upang ito ay mawala. Dahil ang pagkakaroon ng bukol ay laging isang babala na may mas malalim at peligrosong proseso na nagaganap sa ating katawan.

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Welcome to our new website

by Emanila Editor November 23, 2009

Thanks for returning!

You have just opened the new site of Philippine Studies. Among other features, our new sites features a tabbed box with “Your Say!”, “Selected Articles” and “Tags // Keywords”. Select any of these tabs and you will land on articles which are commonly searched by our members and readers.

If you scroll down a little bit, you will also be pleasantly surprised of other information that you will find in this site, like, our contributing writers, links to other related sites, and similar information.

You too can join us and support this site either as a contributing writer and a commenter. You can also help spread the word around about this site.

Note that we haven’t quite completed yet this site. There would still be new and additional features for an enjoyable and productive online experience.

Leave us a message or two to share us your thoughts.

Maraming salamat.

Magsisi ka man at huli wala nang mangyayari.

by Emanila Research April 27, 2009

English (Loose translation): There is no point blaming yourself for something that has happened in the past.

Explanation: The truth is you cannot regret something that has yet to happen. Regret is always related to a past event, action or decision. But there is no benefit in blaming oneself for things that you cannot change any longer. One has to move on.

Do you agree with the saying? What do you think of our commentary?

Huli man daw at magaling, naihahabol din.

by Romy Cayabyab April 27, 2009

English: Better late than never.

Explanation: No explanation required.

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December 7, 2009

We picked up some articles from a related site, Only in the Philippines, which may be controversial but should give our readers an additional background on this chapter of Philippine history, the Spanish American War where the Philippines… Read the rest

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December 5, 2009

There have been proposals to declare January 23 of every year as “Republic Day” to commemorate the founding of the Philippine Republic on this day in 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan. This republic lasted until March 1, 1901, when the American… Read the rest

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November 10, 2009

SINCE July 1898, the Philippine Revolutionary Government headed by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo had been safely headquartered in Malolos, Bulacan. They were anticipating the establishment of a future Philippine Republic.

Aguinaldo was holding his presidential office at the Malolos Church Convent;… Read the rest

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October 14, 2009

Jose Rizal valued learning so much that the education of Filipinos emerged from being one of the dreams of his youth to become his supreme aspiration during his adulthood.

In 1876, when he was a 15-year-old student at the Ateneo… Read the rest

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August 25, 2009

SOME claim that June 12 is not the fitting day to observe the country’s Independence Day because of a supposedly faulty passage in the document of the proclamation of Philippine independence from Spanish rule, which was signed on June 12,… Read the rest

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