Author Archives: admin

Indonesia and Philippines Confront Ghosts of Dictators Past

By admin | June 24, 2016

Suharto and Marcos died several years ago, but their legacy is still being debated. They were humiliated when they were ousted from power yet their names have undergone rehabilitation in recent years. It is not simply enough to resist proposals recognizing Suharto and Marcos as national heroes. The more important question that requires urgent answering […]

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Walang Kapayapaan sa Daang Matuwid

By admin | June 15, 2016

Talumpating binigkas sa rali noong 2014 State of the Nation Address Mga kababayan, si Noynoy Aquino kandidato raw para sa Nobel Peace prize. Tama ba yun? Naniniwala po ba kayo na si Aquino ay nagtataguyod ng kapayapaan sa bansa? Narinig naman po natin ang mga naunang tagapagsalita. Malinaw nilang pinaliwanag ang pananagutan ni Aquino kung […]

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Want to travel but got no cash? Keep calm and think about Kant

By admin | June 12, 2016

Written for Bulatlat Philosopher Immanuel Kant, one of the greatest minds in history, taught geography yet his knowledge of the physical world was probably based only on intuition and printed materials since he didn’t travel outside his hometown. This piece of information may be trivial but useful for those who want to debunk the corporate-sponsored […]

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How to deal with a millennial moderate Leftist

By admin | June 5, 2016

Written for Bulatlat There is a regular gathering of anti-Marcos activists which briefly unites various shades of the Left. This was impossible to organize in the mid-1990s during the ‘great split’ within the Philippine Left, but today it happens several times a year. Perhaps the passing of time inspired these fierce ideological rivals to set […]

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The Many Surprises of the 2016 Philippines Elections

By admin | May 21, 2016

There were several surprises in the election results: First, the landslide victory of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is now set to become the Philippines’ 16th president. Second, the close race between Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr and neophyte Congresswoman Leni Robredo for the vice presidency. And third, the possible entry into the senate of […]

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The return of the Marcoses

By admin | May 15, 2016

Written for New Mandala Ferdinand Marcos ruled the Philippines like a dictator for two decades until he was ousted by the ‘People Power’ uprising in 1986. Three decades later, his wife and children hold elected positions in government. Now, his eldest son and namesake is running for vice president. Many people ask, especially international observers, […]

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Transform Traffic Road Rage into Public Outrage against Imperialism, Feudalism, and Bureaucrat Capitalism

By admin | May 12, 2016

Written for Manila Today There are multiple social evils that stalk us everyday but the most familiar to all sectors and classes is the insane traffic in Metro Manila. In the past, Edsa was the only notorious symbol of road gridlock. Not anymore. Traffic has spread everywhere like the epal banners of politicians. Even secondary […]

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Thailand’s Absurd ‘Red Bowl’ Sedition Threat

By admin | May 9, 2016

Read more at The Diplomat A housewife was arrested and charged with sedition in Thailand for posting a photo of a red bowl given by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Facebook. She was released after posting a bail of 100,000 baht ($2,800). If found guilty in a military trial, she could face up to […]

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The old and the young in the Philippine revolution

By admin | May 4, 2016

Written for Bulatlat News about the 47th anniversary of the Communist Party highlighted the group’s statement about the growing strength of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao on one hand and Malacanang’s dismissal of the claim on the other. This is newsworthy but not really new. Supporters and critics of the armed Left can […]

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Behind Cambodia’s Social Media War

By admin | April 29, 2016

Over the past few weeks, there has been a focus in Cambodia on what one might call an ongoing social media war between the ruling party and its opposition. The Facebook page of the current Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, who has governed the country for more than three decades, now has more than 3 […]

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