Category Archives: nation

The Sona speeches of Macapagal and Marcos that will take you back to the future

By admin | August 31, 2014

Written for Bulatlat The annual state of the nation address is a must read for all citizens who are eager to know the president’s self-rated accomplishment report and priority programs. It is also relevant for what it fails to mention or what the president refuses to acknowledge. It is both a historical document and a […]

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Bangsamoro Peace Deal in Danger of Collapse

By admin | August 19, 2014

Written for The Diplomat The peace deal signed by the Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) could soon collapse, as the draft law that would give autonomy to Muslims in the southern part of the country has yet to be submitted to Congress. Aside from the delay, the MILF is accusing the […]

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If you really hate China, then why do you want other people to rally for you?

By admin | June 20, 2014

Publishied by Bulatlat Outsourcing may be a popular business innovation but when applied to politics it becomes an atrocious aberration. Political participation is reduced into voting since we expect mainstream parties to oversee and dominate the bureaucratic political processes. Meanwhile, more and more people are shunning political association as they opt for the convenience provided […]

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Obama in Philippines: ‘Our Goal Is Not to Contain China’

By admin | May 30, 2014

Written for The Diplomat The Philippines and the United States have signed a new defense agreement that would boost the presence of U.S. troops in the Philippines. But President Barack Obama, who arrived in Manila yesterday on a state visit, claims that the new accord is not meant to contain China. After eight rounds of […]

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The people’s decade

By admin | April 7, 2014

Written for Bulatlat If the future generation will ask us about Philippine politics during the early years of the 21st century, what should we tell them? Perhaps some historians will name it as Erap’s decade. In 1998, Joseph Estrada became the most popular Philippine president in terms of number of votes. Two years later, he […]

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Public opinion and political truth

By admin | April 2, 2014

Written for Bulatlat Public opinion has many uses but it should neither stand for truth nor should it be equated with political standpoint. Sometimes it is overrated despite its ephemerality. Consider the examples below: – Senator Miriam Santiago is the darling of the press and social media superstar who entertains the public with her intelligent […]

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Baliktanaw sa 2013 at Pamahalaan ni BS Aquino

By admin | March 24, 2014

Taong 2013 nang tuluyang nahubaran ang rehimen ni BS Aquino bilang numero unong tuta ng imperyalismo, sagad-sagaring korap, tagapagtanggol ng interes ng malaking negosyo, at inutil sa panahon ng krisis at kalamidad. Nalantad si BS Aquino bilang hasyenderong pangulo na pabaya, arogante, at kasabwat ng mga kurakot. Dahil dito, bumuhos sa lansangan ang daan-daang libong […]

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Why Rice Is Heating Up Politics in Thailand and the Philippines

By admin | March 5, 2014

Written for The Diplomat Rice is a staple food in Southeast Asia, which explains why many politicians panic when rice farmers are agitated or when consumers complain about high prices. Today, rice farmers in Thailand are protesting after the national government repeatedly failed to pay them under the rice pledging program. In the Philippines, the […]

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Waray as battlecry

By admin | February 23, 2014

Written for Bulatlat Waray, which refers to both the lingua franca and the people of Samar and Leyte, literally means nothing. It is interesting and also quite strange that this term is also used to signify nothingness. But can there be something out of nothing? Can nothing produce something? Today, the word Waray is both […]

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Has Manila Forgotten Japan’s War Atrocities?

By admin | February 8, 2014

Written for The Diplomat Several Asian nations reacted harshly when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni war shrine last month. But in Manila, which was the second most devastated Allied city during World War II, Abe’s visit almost went unnoticed. Yasukuni is Japan’s monument to honor citizens who died during the Second […]

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