Author Archives: admin

What Does It Means to be ‘Pro-China’ in the Philippines?

By admin | June 11, 2026

Written for The Diplomat Philippine lawmakers have hurled accusations against some of their colleagues for allegedly taking a pro-China stand on the issue of the South China Sea. China’s repeated harassment of Filipino fisherfolk will continue make the “pro-China” label a potent political weapon to demonize those who are critical of the decision of the […]

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Binhi at agos ng paglaya

By admin | June 2, 2026

Sinulat para sa Bulatlat *Rebyu sa librong “Binhi ng Paglaya” ni Amanda Socorro Lacaba Echanis Hindi madali para sa mga political detainee o poldet ang matagumpay na paggiit ng karapatang makapagbasa at makapagsulat sa loob ng piitan kaya marapat itanghal ang publikasyon ng aklat ni Amanda Socorro Lacaba Echanis. Higit na mahirap ang lumikha ng […]

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Disunity Within the Philippines’ First Family

By admin | May 31, 2026

Written for The Diplomat After the collapse of the political alliance between the Marcos and Duterte families in the Philippines, it seems that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. now has to contend with the fallout from his elder sister Senator Imee Marcos’ decision to team up with Vice President Sara Duterte in denouncing the shortcomings […]

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IFEX Asia brief: January and March 2025

By admin | May 29, 2026

January 2025. Asia’s jailed journalists, internet shutdowns, cybersecurity laws, and proposals on media freedom. China, Myanmar, and Vietnam are among the most notorious jailers of journalists in the world. Internet shutdowns undermine India’s economy and the people’s right to information. New laws threaten to further erode digital rights in Myanmar and Pakistan. How can Asia’s […]

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UN Rapporteur Highlights Continuing Restrictions of Civic Space 

By admin | May 19, 2026

Written for The Diplomat A United Nations special rapporteur report highlighted the continuing civic space restrictions in the Philippines under President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s government, which marks its third year in office this month. Khan’s report confirmed the severe restrictions imposed by the previous Duterte government, which led to the curtailment of civil liberties. The Marcos government has […]

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Rodrigo Duterte’s Other Crimes in the Philippines

By admin | April 19, 2026

Written for The Diplomat Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now under the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC), where he has been accused of crimes against humanity related to his government’s brutal “war on drugs,” known locally as “Tokhang.” Duterte’s arrest agitated his supporters, who organized protest assemblies and flooded social media with […]

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Meta changes the rules: IFEX members respond

By admin | March 29, 2026

Written for IFEX IFEX network members are sharing their insights into how Meta’s overhauling of its content moderation policies could impact users around the world. The response to Mark Zuckerberg’s announcement about changes to Meta’s content moderation policies, including ending its contracts with fact-checkers in the United States, was swift. Here, we pull together the […]

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Midterm Election Results Reflected the Country’s Political Polarization

By admin | February 28, 2026

Written for The Diplomat The results of the recently concluded midterm national and local elections reflected the increasing polarization in Philippine politics. This was evident in the Senate, where no single party or bloc dominated the competition. The coalition led by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and the camp of Vice President Sara Duterte won five candidates […]

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IFEX Asia-Pacific brief: October, November, December 2024

By admin | January 23, 2026

October 2024. Bangladesh in transition, internet unfreedom in Myanmar and China, and the state of Pacific media. Bangladesh interim authorities urged to uphold media freedom, Myanmar and China tied with having the world’s worst environment for internet freedom, journalists harassed and attacked across Asia, and a Pacific media group marks a milestone. Read more. November […]

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Reflections after a prison visit

By admin | December 31, 2025

Published by Bulatlat No one enters and leaves a jail facility in the Philippines without being outraged by the conditions of inmates, the slow pace of the justice system, and the arrogant indifference of those who could do something to address these problems. It is a trip into the underbelly of the system that identifies […]

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