Author Archives: admin

The ‘Occupy’ movement in the Philippines

By admin | June 11, 2018

Published by Bulatlat The global ‘Occupy’ movement emerged in the aftermath of the financial and housing crisis that destroyed jobs and displaced millions. It denounced the inequities of the present, the irrational decision to boost neoliberal policies, and the callous attitude towards the rising but preventable poverty in the world. In support of this trend, […]

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How ASEAN Strongmen Use Legal Reform to Weaken Democracy

By admin | June 2, 2018

Written for The Diplomat Proposed constitutional amendments in Cambodia and the Philippines could worsen impunity and legitimize authoritarianism in both countries. Criticized for persecuting the opposition and political dissenters, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte are now accused of imposing dictatorship through constitutional reforms. Unfortunately, tinkering with the constitution seems to […]

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Why the Philippines’ Internet Landscape Isn’t Really Free

By admin | May 24, 2018

When journalists write about Internet censorship in Southeast Asia, the Philippines is mentioned as a country where citizens and netizens enjoy media freedom. Indeed, compared to other countries in the region, the situation in the Philippines looks better when it comes to upholding free speech. Unlike in Thailand, there’s no Army Cyber Center in the […]

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Narrative of Colonialism and Resistance: The Filipino Struggle Against Imperialism

By admin | May 17, 2018

Published by Manila Today *Remarks during the June 2017 United National AntiWar Coalition assembly in Richmond, Virginia Magandang umaga sa inyong lahat. Good morning everyone. Mabuhay! Or should I say good evening because it’s already past 10 p.m. in the Philippines? I’d like to share two narratives: first, the narrative of colonialism and/or neocolonialism; and […]

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An Anti-Duterte Plot in the Philippines?

By admin | May 9, 2018

Written for The Diplomat magazine There is an alleged plot to create political destabilization in the Philippines and remove President Rodrigo Duterte from power. No less than Duterte himself exposed the conspiracy and accused the Left of conniving with the ‘yellows’ in trying to oust him as president. The ‘yellows’ refer to the political forces, […]

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The books I read in 2017

By admin | April 15, 2018

Published by Bulatlat 1. Too Much Happiness, Alice Munro. Impossible not to empathize with her strong female characters, their pursuit of fulfillment and freedom, their overcoming of various tragedies and other challenges in life. 2. How to Travel with a Salmon and Other Essays, Umberto Eco. The best parts are the funny observations of the […]

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Death is not the end: Keeping Kem Ley’s message alive

By admin | April 1, 2018

“Wipe your tears, continue your journey.” This quote was made famous by Kem Ley himself; and after his death, it has become the rallying call of his friends and supporters. While many continue to grieve, a growing number of Cambodians are stepping up to embrace his legacy of promoting grassroots activism, transparency and good governance, […]

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Pagpupugay sa Batch 2017! Nagmahal, Nagsikap, Nagtagumpay

By admin | March 26, 2018

Graduation speech, STI Meycauayan, Bulacan. Published by Bulatlat Isa pong malaking karangalan ang mapiling tagapagsalita ngayong araw na ito. Ispesyal at di malilimutan ang pagtitipong ito. Para sa mga mag-aaral, lubos ang kasiyahan dahil natapos din natin ang kolehiyo sa kabila ng maraming pinagdaanang pagsubok, hindi po ba? Para sa mga magulang, walang papantay sa […]

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Duterte’s Drug War in the Philippines: New Campaign, Old Problems

By admin | March 14, 2018

For the third time since 2016, the Philippine government has relaunched the controversial anti-drug campaign, known locally as Oplan Tokhang, amid continuing concern that the police-led operations have led to massive human rights abuses. Tokhang has long been a top priority of President Rodrigo Duterte, who vowed to eradicate illegal drugs in three to six […]

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IFEX Roundups: July, August, September 2017

By admin | March 5, 2018

Death in custody of a Nobel laureate, sentencing bloggers, and Pakistan’s UN review. Last July 2018 in the Asia-Pacific region saw the death of China’s most renowned political prisoner, harsh convictions against dissident bloggers in Vietnam, threats to encryption in Australia, concerns about PNG’s cybercrime act, the first ever review of Pakistan’s human rights record […]

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