Category Archives: nation

What’s Next for Philippine Politics After Duterte’s Arrest

By admin | July 2, 2025

Written for The Diplomat Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is now in the custody of the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking a significant step forward in the pursuit of accountability and justice for the extrajudicial killings perpetrated by state forces during his bloody campaign against illegal drugs. How will Duterte’s arrest in Manila and detention […]

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Coup Plot Dismissed in the Philippines

By admin | June 30, 2025

Written for The Diplomat Retired and active officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the leadership of the House of Representatives have expressed support to Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. after former President Rodrigo Duterte called for military action against the incumbent government. The Marcos-Duterte rift might appear to be a mere […]

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What’s Old and New in the Midterm Philippine Elections?

By admin | May 16, 2025

Written for The Diplomat The Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) says that that it has received 43,033 applications for the midterm elections scheduled for May 2025. Each voter will select 12 senators, a district representative, a partylist representative, and local officials in each province, city, and municipality. A total of 18,280 elective posts will be […]

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The Politics of ‘Ayuda’ in the Philippines

By admin | May 1, 2025

Written for The Diplomat Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the 2025 national budget with a provision for the “conditional implementation” of some items, including a controversial “ayuda” (aid) program for the poor. It is unfortunate that “ayuda” has earned a negative connotation when it is an emergency lifeline that could make a difference in […]

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Sara Duterte Decries ‘Political Harassment’ Against Her Family

By admin | March 6, 2025

Written for The Diplomat Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte has described the decision to remove 75 police personnel from her security detail as “political harassment.” “Let us spare our people from all the lies. Let us call it what it is – a clear case of political harassment,” Duterte said in her four-page open letter […]

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Midterm Elections and the Prospect of Impeachment in the Philippines

By admin | February 14, 2025

Written for The Diplomat Election season has officially begun in the Philippines, with the filing of candidacies of prospective candidates for the midterm polls scheduled for May 2025. But aside from election-related activities, the prospect that Vice President Sara Duterte could face impeachment is expected to dominate the local news and political scene until the […]

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The Marcos-Duterte Rift Widens in the Philippines

By admin | January 21, 2025

Written for The Diplomat The Marcos and Duterte political families in the Philippines have been publicly criticizing each other over the past four months, threatening to further undermine the “unity government” headed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. As the two dynasties maneuver for influence, an increasing number of Filipinos are outraged that these political […]

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Filipino Jeepney Drivers Make Last Stand

By admin | December 19, 2024

Written for The Diplomat The year 2023 ended in the Philippines with several transport groups holding nationwide protests aimed at pressuring the government to reconsider its program that will lead to the phaseout of jeepneys. The jeepneys were World War II surplus vehicles of the U.S. military before they were modified and used by Filipinos […]

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‘Spirit of the Glass’: Aral ng kasaysayan at paghamon sa red-tagging

By admin | December 7, 2024

Sinulat para sa Bulatlat Matapang na tinalakay ng dula ang usapin ng red-tagging at kung bakit ito banta sa malayang palitan ng diskurso sa lipunan. Bukod sa napapanahon, malinaw, at maingat na tinilad-tilad sa dula ang mga pangkalahatan at partikular na ginagawa ng red-tagging sa komunidad at sa mga biktima nito. Kung pamilyar ang naratibo […]

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Duterte Leads ‘Prayer Rallies’ Against Charter Change

By admin | November 22, 2024

Written for The Diplomat Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has been attending “prayer rallies” in opposition to the charter change (ChaCha) planned by the government of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. On January 28, Duterte and his family joined a “prayer rally” in Davao. He attended a similar event in Cebu on February 25 and […]

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