Mong Palatino

Blogging about the Philippines and the Asia-Pacific since 2004

About

@mongster is a Manila-based activist, former Philippine legislator, and blogger/analyst of Asia-Pacific affairs.

Indonesia’s decision to go ahead with its plan to transfer the seat of power from Jakarta to East Kalimantan has renewed earlier debates about whether it’s also time for the Philippine government to leave Manila and look for another capital.

Like Jakarta, Manila is notorious for its swelling population and an expanding urban area grappling with limited resources. Metro Manila is constantly plagued by flooding, traffic congestion, bureaucratic corruption, and rising criminality. The capital is rapidly becoming unlivable as it struggles to survive in an economy characterized by deep inequalities, stagnant production, and backward agriculture.

Written for The Diplomat magazine

Can a New UN Resolution Stop the Killings in the Philippines?

On July 11, 2019, the United Nations Human Rights Council adopted a resolution sponsored by Iceland that calls for the promotion and protection of human rights in the Philippines. The resolution spotlighted efforts by the international community to address the human rights abuses brought about by the administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Iceland-sponsored resolution asks the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a comprehensive report about the situation in the Philippines and submit it to the UNHRC in June 2020.

Written for The Diplomat magazine

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