The news article Philippines vows probe on Manila airport (March 20) reported a scam that immigration officials worked against Filipinos with tourist visas travelling to the UAE.
These forms of corruption are quite appalling. But I think the Philippine government also has a responsibility to minimise such opportunities by ensuring they issue clear guidance and communication to its citizenry on these matters.
Going to the Department of Foreign Affairs' website or even to the website of Philippine Consulate/Embassy here in the UAE, citizens are left longing for information on what exactly are the requirements, fees, processing time, etc.
Such lack of clarity and transparency in the process leaves a lot of room for miscreants who will take advantage of their fellow countrymen.
Nick Nadal, Dubai
Looking back to cowboy days
In reference to the opinion article by Alan Philps World waits in vain for US to provide leadership and clarity (March 18), how ironic that those who longed for Barack Obama after eight years of "cowboy" George W Bush now complain of The One's indecisive nature. But he does have a Nobel Peace Prize to live up to.
Maybe the US should just stay intent on doing the right thing and not care what the rest of the world thinks.
Rob Gladstone, US
Protests are about the economy
Sean McLain's opinion article The power behind Egypt's unrest (February 4) detailed the social media's role in promoting a political agenda in Egypt and Tunisia.
No, the situation is completely different - it's all about socio-economic opportunities and nothing much to do with politics.
People in the West need to understand this and not project their own hopes onto the region. They're looking at this through very different eyes and the reality is just not what they imagine.
Peter Cooper, Dubai
A real role model for today's youth
In the Money & Me column of the Personal Finances section, the story Commitment pushes filmmaker forward (March 19) featured an interview with Nayla Al Khaja, the first female film producer in the UAE who won the award for best Emirati film at the Dubai International Film Festival. We need to keep profiling role models who are real, engaging and dedicated to excellence for our youth.
Sonia Ben Jaafar, Dubai
Pakistan needs a shift in targets
The news article Outrage at release of CIA man (March 18) reported on widespread demonstrations in Pakistan against the American who killed two Pakistani men.
Pakistan deserves this shame. Instead of building friendly relations with India, it cultivated a one-point agenda of animosity over Kashmir and thus became a client state of the US, because Pakistan needed weapons to match India's without having the money to pay.
After five decades of this policy, Pakistan cannot come anywhere near India militarily, and has lost its money in purchasing US and Chinese military equipment.
My quick fix solution is to mend ties with India by forgetting Kashmir. Stop buying arms s