Category Archives: election

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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Presidential hopefuls in the Philippines

By admin | April 5, 2016

Written for New Mandala On 9 May, an estimated 54 million Filipinos will vote for a new president. Campaigning starts today, with the new president taking office on 30 June. There are five major contenders in the race — Mar Roxas, Jojo Binay, Grace Poe, Miriam Santiago, and Rodrigo Duterte. With the eventual winner serving […]

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7 Things to Know About the 2016 Philippine Elections

By admin | February 13, 2016

Written for The Diplomat 1. The Contest: The Philippine elections are scheduled for May 9, 2016. Filipinos will vote for a new president, vice president, 12 senators, one district representative, one party list representative, and provincial/city/municipal officials. The winning president has six years to lead the country but he/she cannot run again for reelection since […]

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Philippines Must Protect Internally Displaced Persons, Warns UN Expert

By admin | October 3, 2015

Written for The Diplomat A few days after Philippine President Benigno Aquino III enumerated the achievements of his government during his final state of the nation address, a UN expert issued a report which highlighted the deplorable conditions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in various parts of the country. United Nations Special Rapporteur on the […]

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Malaysia’s Election “Tsunami”

By admin | May 28, 2013

Written for The Diplomat The word “tsunami” became politically controversial in the aftermath of Malaysia’s 13th General Election on May 5, which saw the ruling Barisan Nasional (BN) receiving a fresh mandate to lead the country, albeit with reduced votes and fewer parliamentary seats. BN has ruled Malaysia since the 1950s, making it one of […]

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Big Brother Obama

By admin | October 10, 2012

Published by the CNN The Obama phenomenon that swept the world in 2008 didn’t end that year. Well, at least in the Philippines anyway, where it continued to inspire my compatriots to look for national leaders in the Obama mold. Indeed, the 2010 Philippine presidential election was quite surreal, what with all the candidates presenting […]

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Poverty and elections

By admin | June 15, 2010

The poor are glamorized victims during elections. They become VIPs – Very Imporant Poor – as candidates try to woo their support. Election then becomes a contest between politicians offering the best pro-poor platform. But platforms are not enough. Often the winners are those who distributed cash gifts and other small value items. During elections, […]

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From womb to tomb

By admin | June 2, 2010

Local politicians often complain about the duties they are expected to accomplish as public servants. Professor Alex Brillantes explains the situation at the local level: ‘For many people, local governments ARE the government. They are the frontline, the firing line. People go to them for help, advice and assistance from womb to tomb.’ And as […]

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McElections

By admin | May 30, 2010

Part 1: Senate Race – A Virtual Campaign Part 2: Burgers, Fries, Coke, and Politicians Part 3: Opinion Polls – “A Science without a Scientist” Remember Ramon Magsaysay’s famous line – “Can we defend it in Plaza Miranda?” There was a time when politicians were capable and willing to engage in public debates, often in […]

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Last Philippine President?

By admin | May 26, 2010

Written for The Diplomat…. Barring any unforeseen events or extra-legal surprises over the coming days and weeks, Sen. Benigno Simeon ‘Noynoy’ Cojuangco Aquino III of the Liberal Party will likely be proclaimed the next president of the Republic of the Philippines. Noynoy topped the exit polls and unofficial canvassing of the May 10 elections and, […]

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