Philippines

source: "Kim Atienza" https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1312428153587360&set=pcb.1312428223587353

The only better time to judge for what they are is once they finish their office.

source: https://x.com/leahnavarro/status/1949706320619405578

The orange bastard thinks Junior is one and the same, except Junior is more of a Marcos family nerd of sorts, while his sister Imee is now also his archenemy and allied to Duterte, and happens to inherit much more of her father's egomania.

Nonetheless, they are both successful beneficiaries of mass disinformation and hatred. The thing is, however, in terms of political stability the Philippines now seems a lot milder compared to the mounting ongoing oppression in the US.

source: https://bsky.app/profile/nycsouthpaw.bsky.social/post/3luob4ojgr22n

“WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a new 19% tariff rate for goods from the Philippines after what he called a "beautiful visit" by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to the White House, saying U.S. goods would pay zero tariffs.”

Not to sound pessimistic but I’m [anxiously] anticipating the price increase of Goldilocks goods stateside. Hopefully, I’m wrong…

Artwork ain't mine -- credited to Clavework Graphics.

Manny Pacquiao's fight against Mario Barrios is scheduled for July 19, 2025, at 8 PM ET. The event will take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

ATK’s recipe calls for 8 bone-in chicken thighs, I used drumsticks because that’s what I had. I used 2 bay leaves instead of 4 because the ones I have were big (LAXMI brand from India). Instead of using 3/4 cup cider vinegar, I used fresh squeezed calamansi and 1/2 of a lemon to make 3/4 cup.

Traditionally, Filipino chicken adobo requires Datu Puti® vinegar and Silver Swan® soy sauce. At least that’s what my grandmother used to tell us. I used Kikkoman because of its lighter and slightly sweet flavor. Also, that’s what I grew up with.

Depending on what region you explore in the Philippines and which families you meet, there’s always a variation of that Filipino chicken adobo. My aunt makes it with chicken feet for the collagen and my uncle adds muscovado sugar when he makes adobong baboy.

Unlike my grandmother, ATK’s recipe is very forgiving. Does your family have a special way of making the national dish of the Philippines?

Recipe Source: America’s Test Kitchen 20th Anniversary TV Show Cookbook, page 130

The Calamansi…

The citrusy calamansi is native to the Philippines and parts of Asia. This particular calamansi plant has been thriving in the eastern US for decades and even bears fruit in the winter. How so? It’s in a pot next to a big window and never leaves home past September. It’s flowers have an intoxicating aroma reminiscent of another Philippine native- the sampaguita.

Currently, this beautiful plant is on vacation at my friend’s front porch as I repaint my living room walls. In exchange for caring for the calamansi plant, my friend was gifted with fruits and made her own calamansi juice albeit heavy-handed with the sugar. She has used it to top off her pancit and received many likes on her social media accounts for the calamansi photos she posted.

If you would like to learn more about the calamansi plant, Wikipedia has a page dedicated to this Philippine native.

Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters step up digital smear campaigns against opponents, using AI-generated content, after his ICC arrest.

All mainstream political forces in the Philippines have, to some extent, deployed AI technologies to boost their agendas. The latest OpenAI Safety Report revealed that Comm&Sense, a Manila-based tech firm, used AI for a campaign using thousands of pro‑Marcos Jr and anti‑Duterte comments across Facebook and TikTok.

For me, it's SB19 and Until Then.

SB19 learned what they could from the Korean system and took its own Filipino-based identity. They're an example of what Filipinos can do if they study and learn the best parts of foreigners and apply what is sensible to our needs. Frankly, they're more talented than BTS because SB19 can release a larger variety of music.

The storytelling in Until Then (on hold because I don't have time) is impressive up to where I am now (midway? slightly into the second half?) and has a similar polish and quality as visual novels like Steins;Gate and Clannad. The VN format fits perfectly in a Filipino context because Filipinos can create great stories and VNs are not capital-intensive to release.

At least ganun ako dati, and I struggle on it from time to time.

Madalas na sabihin na Filipinos have an inferiority complex. Rather, we tend to have simultaneous superiority and inferiority complexes. Or to rephrase, we tend to see ourselves or the country as main characters.

The inferiority complex is reality shattering the initial feelings of superiority or exceptionalism. Napaisip na ako, why are we so engrossed with comparing ourselves with our geographic neighbors? Bakit gutom tayo sa validation?

May point ang looking outside the country to find what needs to be improved within. Ang problema lang, naliligaw ang rason kung bakit gusto natin umasenso ang Pilipinas. I admire the drive, kaso lang, madalas, gusto lang natin na gumanda ang Pilipinas para lang masabi unironically "Pilipinas Numbawan!".

To me, eto ang obvious na reason kung bakit tayo obsessed na ikumpara sarili natin sa iba.

Tama nga na instead, we should compare us to ourselves in the past. Are we better than our past selves? Dapat, gusto natin umunlad ang Pilipinas kasi gusto natin sumaya ang buhay ng kapwa Pilipino.