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.

About Mong Palatino

Email: mongpalatino@gmail.com
Twitter: @mongster
FB: Raymond Palatino (Public Page)

As student and youth leader, I led the University of the Philippines Diliman Student Council (2000) and National Union of Students (2001).

I wrote a column for Tinig (Voice) web magazine before I started blogging in 2004  I was news editor of Yehey! for three years (2005-08), and columnist of UPI-Asia from 2007 to 2009. I joined the Global Voices community in 2006 and became its Southeast Asia editor in 2008. I started contributing to the ASEAN Beat of The Diplomat online magazine in 2010 up to the present. I contribute opinion pieces to Bulatlat, Manila Today, Pinoy Weekly, and New Mandala.

I represented Kabataan Partylist in the 14th and 15th Congress of the Philippines.

I was the chairman of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) Metro Manila from 2014 to 2022. I was the founding chairman of Nilad Environment Network. I was elected secretary-general of BAYAN in April 2023.

I am the Asia-Pacific regional content editor of IFEX from 2017 up to the present.

I am one of the fellows of the 2022 Asia-Pacific Region Internet Governance Forum.

Youngblood articles: Activist son, Activist lover, and Neophyte. Podcast interview about the article, listen also to the Spotify recording.

I wrote this for UP Kasarinlan: Tokhang in North Caloocan: Weaponizing Local Governance, Social Disarticulation, and Community Resistance. A version of this article was published by Vera Files: Caloocan communities rise up vs Tokhang as killings continue

How to get copies of my books:

Download my first book published by the UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino: Mga Piling Tala ng Isang Blogger Mula Kalye Hanggang Kongreso 

My second book, “Blogging the City and Spaces of Dissent in the Philippines”, is available on Lazada and Shopee. Email me directly if you want a signed copy.

Published in 2022, ‘IT is Out There: Politics and Digital Resistance in the Philippines’ is available at Popular Bookstore and the Shopee and Lazada accounts of Ibon Bookshop and Southern Voices Printing Press.

A few articles about me:

1. Blogger of the week: Mong Palatino
2. The World of Chairman Mong
3. Mong’s Moment
4. Filipino blogger-turned-legislator on role of youth and New Media in politics
5. RP’s eyes and ears in the Global Voices blog network
6. Rep. Raymond Palatino ng Kabataan
7. Mong Palatino: Mula Chairman Patungong Congressman?
8. Going Mobile: Text Messages Guide Filipino Protesters
9. From the streets to the parliament
10. A new dose of Young Blood

11. This former Philippine legislator combines law, journalism, and activism in his fight for human rights.

12. Bloggers to watch. Sydney Morning Herald

Media interviews

1. Bulatlat Live Webcast
2. On internet censorship
3. On extension of voters’ registration
4. ‘Study Now, Pay later’ program
5. Student loan
6. Telcos Overcharging Issue
7. Tuition hikes
8. Anti-Cybercrime Law (Punto por Punto)
9. Cybercrime Law Akin to Martial Law
10. Social media ethics in schools
11. Magna Carta for Internet Users
12. Hatol ng Bayan: The Youth Vote
13. Rising Cost of Education (ANC Headstart)
14. On dolphin shows
15. Walk of Shame protest vs Aquino
16. #CHexit
17. Chacha and environment (Feb 2018)

18. aestheticdistance podcast interview (May 2019)

19. WBEZ Chicaco interview

20 Press briefing, Baby River burial (October 2020)

21. EngageMedia: Internet Access and Censorship Are the Biggest Challenges in Southeast Asia (2015)

22. AlterMidya interview about our Ombudsman case against red-taggers

23. Press conference on redtagging during 2022 election

24. Reaction to Palparan TV interview, March 2022

25. CNN PH: Marcos proclamation

26. Film Weekly interview on SIM Card registration

27. Protest vs foreign military intervention (Nov 2022)

28. Interview on foreign troops (Feb 2023)

29. EDCA explainer

30. Protest vs confidential funds (Sept 2023)

31.  Techtonic podcast, ARTICLE 19 interview on SIM Card Registration Law (October 2023) 

32. Candlelight vigil for Palestine. AP report

33. Protest condemning Gaza hospital explosion. AP report

34. ANC interview on confidential funds

35. ANC interview, short version on CIF

Activities

1. Kabataan Partylist legislative advocacies
2. Budget deliberation
3. Conditional Cash Transfer press briefing
4. Joma Sison book launch
5. Sona reaction 2011
6. Quezon Hall press conference on missing UP students
7. Anti-Cybercrime Law Supreme Court Petition
8. Antipolo Tree Planting
9. Save Dolphins campaign
10. Anti-Cybercrime Law protest
11. Pork Barrel discussion, SF
12. Rally during Obama visit in the Philippines
13. National situation forum with Methodist youth

14. Speech during anti-war rally, Washington DC

15. SONA 2019 Bayan press conference

16. Terror Bill critique, June 2020

17. Bantayog ng Bayani speech during rally, August 2020, decrying the surge in extrajudicial killings

18. Indignation rally over the death of Baby River and continued incarceration of Ina Nasino, October 2020

19. Kodao interview over the death of Baby River

20. Moderating a webinar on Milk Tea Alliance

21. Panelist in the Global Voices webinar on Myanmar’s 2021 coup and resistance

22. EngageMedia Pretty Good Podcast: Freedom of Expression Online (April 2021)

23. Podcast: Duterte at the September 2021 UN General Assembly

24. Sandiwa discussion on Wakasan! movement, October 2021

25. Bloody Sunday Massacre anniversary, March 2022

26. Statement on redtagging during 2022 elections, posted by BAYAN

27. 2022 election protest, PICC

28. IndieCo episode on writing. July 2022

29. Protest during Blinken visit (August 2022)

30. UPR protest, Nov 2022

31. Rali sa harap ng NICA / NTF-ELCAC (Dec 2022)

32. Talumpati laban sa E D C A

33. Martsa ng magsasaka sa Mendiola (June 2023)

34. Talumpati sa harap ng Chinese consulate (June 2023)

35. Protesta tungkol sa NTC blocking ng website 

36. People’s Summit, June 2023

37. ‘Mahal sa Philippines’ protesta sa Mendiola

38. People’s SONA podcast

39. Oil price hike (August 2023)

40. Manila Bay reclamation podcast

41. 2024 national budget review podcast

42. On DND budget 

43. Hinggil sa pagdukot kay Jonila at Jhed, Sept 2023

44. Confidential funds 2023

45. Hustisya para kay Jude Fernandez

46. Protesta sa IMF-WB (October 2023)

47. Talumpati, protesta laban sa genocide as Palestine (Oktubre 2023)

48. Generative AI: View from civil society. VENRO webinar