Face Reality

Are PALAKASAN SYSTEM and PADRINO MENTALITY alike? Well almost.

The Padrino system, or patronage in Filipino culture and politics, is the value system where one gains favor, promotion, or political appointment through family affiliation (nepotism) or friendship (cronyism), as opposed to one's merit.

Palakasan system is a Tagalog word that means the assertion of personal interest via lakas while subtly bypassing prescribed rules and procedures in line with "delicadeza." “Lakas means power or strength and "delicadeza" means a refusal to be vulgar or crass in exercising power.

Money is power. In the Philippines, if you don't want to queue and get wilted in a long line, money can help you find the easiest route ... and the right connections.

Comic Relief

The image made me smile ... malapropism at its best. It is a misunderstanding or confusion of a word with another word that sounds similar.

In the image ... the words or phrases were taken out of context. If words are used out of context, only a small part of what was originally written or said is reported, resulting in unclear and ambiguous meanings that need to be totally understood. It means something different ... and distorts the intended meaning.

In this example, there are 5 meanings of fine.
1. Fine - great, exceptional, outstanding
2. Fine - things are okay or acceptable
3. Fine - all is well, all right
4. Fine - penalty, punishment
5. Fine - powdery, small particles

If the word or phrase is taken out of context ... then an amalgam of confusion ensues.