A Business Graduate's Reviewing History Blog

Gemini AI Art Some time ago, I wrote an essay that Filipinos can expect to lose more money betting that people will vote wisely . It's time for the truth,  and the  inconvenient truth hurts now, doesn't it? I had Gemini AI create this new AI art of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. and Atty. Maria Leonor "Leni" S. Gerona-Robredo, at the casino, just to make a point. Sure, Bongbong shook hands with Leni in Sorsogon as a step for political reconcilation . However, such events should be considered more like random variables, such as getting your ball to land on a certain color and a specific number in a game of roulette.  Let's define what a gamble means. The Cambridge Dictionary defines gamble as: to do something that involves risks that might result in loss of money or failure, hoping to get money or achieve success: The gamble of whether your candidate wins or not, because popularity is fickle It's effortless to say, "It's not rea...

Angat Buhay September 21 can always fill the mind with some thoughts. For Filipinos, it's the commemoration of when the late strongman, Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr., declared martial law , seemingly out of a whim . Martial law is still legal in the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines , provided that it has been studied accordingly by the legislature, whether or not it can be approved. For example, former president Rodrigo R. Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao when the Mautes attacked. Now, the rally against corruption in itself isn't inherently wrong . People need to do some peaceful protests , and it doesn't seem that the people were engaging in degrading behavior . Sometimes, we need to have a peaceful protest to be able to make a difference, as was what the late Martin Luther King Jr. did, to secure black rights , and how female rights activists fought to secure equal rights for men and women, such as Susan B. Anthony . Now, we need to think about how one must loo...

Still defending the 1987 Constitution? Some time ago, I wrote asking about the current vice president,  Sara Duterte-Carpio's impeachment . I tagged a certain someone, and all he did was hurl more insults at my face. Eventually, that certain someone blocked me. A recent development of impeachment against Sara herself. What's really not too surprising is that the Supreme Court of the Philippines deemed the move unconstitutional . Still a problem of who runs the system than the system itself?! The lower house of Congress had impeached Duterte in February, accusing her of misusing public funds, amassing unusual wealth and threatening to kill Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr , the First Lady, and the House Speaker. The problem with the impeachment trial is that it's really cumbersome . Who can remember the impeachment proceedings done against former president Joseph Marcelo Ejercito aka Joseph "Erap" Estrada ? Who can remember the impeachment trial against th...

Philippine Japanese Journal Some advocates against charter change often cite that some countries have an older constitution. One example is the USA. The other example, surprise for some, myself included, is Japan. Some may say that a new constitution isn't needed because some countries have an older constitution. However, reading through the Constitution of Japan and comparing it with the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines , one can think about quality over quantity. The Philippines had changed its constitution from 1935, to 1973 (which I believe was illegal), and the 1987 version (which sprang out of a desperate need). I recommend reading both links that I just sent, to understand my point! Can a shorter vs. longer constitution be the reason? As I read both, the Constitution of Japan is  surprisingly  not-so-complicated. The Constitution of Japan would only be composed of  16 pages  (printed on short bond paper). Meanwhile, the 1987 Constitution of the Philippine...

ABS CBN News Happy 100th birthday, Mahathir Mohamad! It's something that not so many people live up to 100, or more. The late Fidel V. Ramos passed away on July 31, 2022, at the age of 94. Ramos's advanced age may be the reason why the Omicron variant (which isn't supposedly fatal) ended his life. I'm posting this image of Ramos and Mahathir for one reason--Ramos wanted charter change back in the 1990s. However, plenty of anti-charter change commercials came in, the late Raul Roco said we only need a change in people, and we have Hilario G. Davide Jr. (who's in his late 80s but still active), and the idea that having a president who will rule for more than six years, is supposedly scary. Please, have they even thought that the late Pol Pot ruled Cambodia for just four years, but carried millions of deaths , that would make the late Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.'s 20-year reign  look tame (read here )? I've read posts on Facebook saying the Philippines just needs l...

Some people on Facebook are posting, "No to parliamentary system because we had it during Marcos' time." For the nth time, do I need to keep pointing out the facts that we never had a real parliamentary system? As for those anti-reform advocates who say, "The parliamentary system will worsen the Philippines", I would like to ask, "How is the Sara Duterte impeachment going?" The complaints were passed last December 2024 and again, I would like to ask in Tagalog, "How's the Sara Duterte impeachment going"?  If we look at the definition, the Encyclopedia Britannica gives this definition of impeachment: impeachment, in common law, a proceeding instituted by a legislative body to address serious misconduct by a public official . In Great Britain the House of Commons serves as prosecutor and the House of Lords as judge in an impeachment proceeding. In the federal government of the United States, the House of Representatives institutes impeachm...

There's no questions asked that fat political dynastes are problematic . Some people say, "No need to change/amend the constitution, just pass the anti-dynasty law." Well, it's really stupid when you've got netizens who are still fixated over political dynasties (for the sake of it) than what gave birth to the fat dynasties (which are indeed, problematic). However, a lot of Filipinos are obsessed with the idea, "It's not the system, it's the people!" Come on, basic psychology tells us that the system tells us what to do. An outdated operating system will be a huge disadvantage, sooner or later.  The first problem has to do with passing the anti-dynasty bill, but the one wrote the idea is still from a political dynasty It's crazy to say, "No to political dynasties." while supporting Jose Manuel "Chel" Diokno and Paolo Benigno A. Aquino-- both members of political dynasties! Don't tell me that Bam couldn't be part of...

Two days ago, I voted during the Midterm Elections . Of course, I'm not allowed to post my ballot online. I'll address people who believe the nation is "healing" because Atty. Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan and Paolo Benigno "Bam" A. Aquino have won the senatorial race. Okay, congratulations to Kiko and Bam for winning. The nuisance candidate Apollo C. Quiboloy had lost the elections, thankfully. Some say that success is but a step-by-step process. However, you can be taking the wrong steps. To say that the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines is the "best in the world", has made us ignore Article XVII , and even think that the Filipino First Policy is good. Here's a screenshot I took from Butthurt Philippines' Facebook page. Is it really "healing" for the country as claimed by this person, whose name I blocked out? I usually block out the names of people who are private citizens, to protect their identity. However, I may...