All posts by Pol Pinoy

PHILIPPINE POLITICS: VP RUNNING MATE LENI ROBREDO IS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE MAR ROXAS’ WORST NIGHTMARE

Roxas, left, and Robredo
Roxas, left, and Robredo

CEBU CITY, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – When former Interior Secretary Mar Roxas chose Congresswoman Leni Robredo to be his vice presidential running mate for the 2016 Philippine presidential elections, he thought he hit the jackpot. Robredo  is a poster child for the Aquino administration’s daang matuwid (straight path) battle cry under its anti-corruption campaign.

But boy, was Roxas wrong.

In her public statements, Robredo only speaks the truth, like when she acknowledged that the Aquino administration hasn’t done enough to solve the country’s mass transportation problems. Incidentally, Roxas was President Aquino’s Transportation Secretary from 2011-2012.

Then yesterday, during a speech before students at the University of Cebu, Robredo was asked about same-sex marriage. She said that people should be able to choose whom to love and that denying marriage to same-sex couples is a violation of human rights.

Now, that sharply contrasts with Roxas’ view.  When previously asked about the same issue, Roxas’ reply was ‘hindi ko ma-imagine.’.  (I cannot imagine).

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Well, we can’t imagine either that Roxas will be president. But we can see Robredo being vice president.  After all, Filipino voters can cross party lines when voting for either president or vice president.

For the best in election coverage, stick to The Adobo Chronicles!

FACEBOOK CONNECTS FRIENDS AND FAMILY, BUT ALSO DIVIDES THEM

imageSAN FRANCISCO, California (The Adobo Chronicles) – Social media is supposed to connect you up with friends and family and create a loving and supportive network through the Internet.  But alas, Facebook also divides and separates friends and family, especially when it comes to politics.

Ever wondered who among your Facebook friends like Donald Trump, or Ted Cruz, or Bernie Sanders, or Hillary Clinton? Hell, even George Bush or Dick Cheney?

If you are Filipino, do you know who among your friends support which presidential candidate: Mar Roxas, Rodrigo Duterte, Grace Poe, Jejomar Binay or Miriam Defensor-Santiago?

Easy. Thanks to Facebook’s brilliant algorithms and database.

All you need to do is log on to your Facebook account, and in the search box, type in: “My Facebook friends who like (fill in the blanks).”  The results may or may not surprise you, but we know of netizens who have unfriended people because of what their search revealed.

Technology has its ups, but also downs. And politics can be divisive.

PHILIPPINES: STREET VENDORS BANNED FROM SELLING BALUT AND CHICKEN FEET

imageMANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – Vendors seem to be under attack in some countries in Asia.

The government of Singapore recently announced that beginning in 2017, vendors will no longer to able to display cigarettes in their stalls. The new law is aimed at preventing young kids from taking up smoking. All too often, young people are exposed to this unhealthy addiction through point-of-sale displays of cigarettes.

Following Singapore’s lead, Philippine President NoyNoy Aquino, upon the joint recommendation of the Health and Tourism Departments, issued an executive order banning the display and sale of chicken feet by sidewalk vendors.  Fried chicken feet, similar to those served in Chinese dim sum, is a popular and inexpensive street food in the country.

The same executive order prohibits eating balut (boiled duck embryo) in public. It may still be sold by street vendors but can only be consumed in the privacy of people’s homes.

In issuing the order, Aquino said he hopes that the ban will not only improve the health of Filipinos but also boost tourism by creating a better Philippine image in the eyes of foreign visitors who can not stand the sight of chicken feet and balut.

The order is in keeping with the administration’s mantra of daang matuwid (street, uhm, straight path).