Malaysia’s Kangkung Meme

By admin | February 5, 2014

Written for The Diplomat

Kangkung, or water spinach, has been trending in Malaysia since last week after Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak cited it as an example of a commodity that has become less expensive over the course of his administration.

Najib was responding to protests against rising prices caused by the government’s decision to cut subsidies. During the New Year celebration, thousands joined a street parade in Kuala Lumpur to denounce the increase in prices of basic goods and services such as petrol, sugar, and toll fees.

Najib complained that the government is often blamed for rising prices – but ignored when prices go down.

“When the prices come down, why are there no praises for the government? When it goes up, the government gets the blame. This is unfair because [such issues are determined by] the weather condition,” Najib said in Bahasa.

Then, he highlighted kangkung’s cheap price in the market: “I read in the newspaper that some prices have come down. Kangkung prices once went up and now it is down.”

This remark ignited an uproarious public reaction. It unleashed a kangkung meme which quickly went viral on social media. Najib’s enemies used it to criticize the government’s economic policies, in particular the slashing of subsidies for sensitive consumer goods. They painted Najib as a clueless leader and insensitive to the worsening situation of the poor.

In a subsequent speech, Najib was unapologetic for his kangkung remark. He clarified that he merely used the green vegetable as an example to explain the economic principle of supply and demand. He also added that kangkung and sotong (squid) are his favorite foods.

But Najib was reminded by critics that people are not complaining against price increases in all products but only those which are subject to government regulation or price controls such as petrol, sugar and toll rates. They added that no one is blaming Najib for the fluctuating price of kangkung, the humble vegetable of the masses.

It is also misleading to use kangkung as a price index of consumer products since households spend a paltry 2 percent of their monthly budget on buying vegetables.

Indeed, Najib could have used better examples to assure the public that food prices have remained stable. But the humorous reaction to his kangkung gaffe could be a reflection too of the rising public dissatisfaction with Najib and the ruling party, which has been in power since the late 1950s.

Perhaps ordinary Malaysians, burdened with economic difficulties such as high prices and depressed wages, were simply expressing their frustration through humor. Instead of being sympathetic, Najib appeared to be mocking the plight of his constituents when he delivered his now infamous kangkung remark.

Thanks to the kangkung-loving Najib, the opposition now has a symbol to rally more Malaysians against the government. If the Bersih (clean) election reform movement has the color yellow for its symbol, perhaps the Reduce Cost of Living Movement (Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup) or Turun could further popularize the green leafy vegetable as a new protest icon. Kangkung is rich with meaning: it’s cool because it’s green; and it can represent all Malaysians because it grows nearly everywhere in the country.

Why the Media are Angry in Malaysia

Written for The Diplomat

Malaysian journalists have recently joined ranks and formed an informal coalition called Gerakan Media Marah (Geramm), or Angry Media Movement, after the government suspended a weekly magazine for allegedly violating its publication permit.

Geramm spearheaded political action in Kuala Lumpur last January 4, which was dubbed the “red pencil” protest because journalists who joined the activity carried red pencils, breaking them in half to symbolize the continuing and worsening censorship in Malaysia.

The protest was triggered by the indefinite suspension of The Heat magazine last December, despite the lack of a clear explanation as to why the Ministry of Home Affairs came up with the decision. The order reportedly took effect even if the magazine publisher has yet to reply to the show-cause letter issued by the ministry.

Many believe that the magazine was suspended because it made the mistake of publishing a story last November about the spending habits of Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.

Some of Najib’s expenses, such as utility bills in his official residence, have been questioned in parliament. Meanwhile, the First Lady recently figured in a controversy after she used a government aircraft to attend a conference in another country.

It appears that The Heat editors have already met officials of the Home Affairs and they have expressed willingness to cooperate with the ministry to resolve the issue. But for Geramm, the suspension of the magazine was a serious threat to media freedom which should be vigorously denounced.

Instead of simply focusing on the suspension issue, the red pencil protest also covered other media-related issues such as censorship, harassment of journalists and ethics.

“The red pencil represents journalists who were injured and a culture of control by the powers that be. Listen to the breaking sound. That is the suffering of journalists and the media when it is broken,” explained Fathi Aris Omar, spokesman of Geramm and editor of online media site Malaysiakini.

Geramm forwarded eight demands to the government, which naturally included the withdrawal of the suspension of The Heat weekly and that it should be allowed to operate as normal. Then it asked for a thorough investigation of the violence inflicted by the police against media practitioners during the Bersih (clean) rally in 2012. Bersih was a broad election reform movement that was able to gather hundreds of thousands in the streets prior to the 13th General Elections.

One of those who supported the Geramm-led protest was Bersih founder Ambiga Sreenavasan.

Geramm is also calling for the abolition of the publication permit that is made mandatory under the 1984 Printing Presses and Publications Act (PPPA). This is the law cited by the government when it suspended The Heat. This specific demand was supported by Christopher Leong, president of the Malaysian Bar, who described the PPPA law as “an archaic piece of legislation that no longer holds any relevance in a modern democracy.”

“The Act has been used and abused to influence, bully, intimidate, threaten and punish the press. Such legislative and governmental control of the press, including licensing regimes, should end,” Leong added.

In addition, Geramm is asking the government and political parties to allow all media practitioners to cover government events and to be given access to public buildings for news gathering purposes. Geramm also wants the government to “apologize to media practitioners for any breach of media freedom and rights.”

But Geramm’s last two demands are directed to media groups which included the reminder to “practice good journalistic ethics and give balanced and fair reporting to all,” as well as to “uphold the spirit of press freedom and human rights.”

Geramm hinted that the red pencil protest might not be the first and last time that journalists will unite and take to the streets to push for greater media freedom in the country. This should serve as a warning to the government because it means that the lifting of the questionable suspension of The Heat weekly might not be enough to dampen the political heat caused by the rising anger of Malaysian journalists. In other words, the only way forward for Malaysia is to free The Heat and more importantly, free the media.

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Inspiring stories of 2013

By admin | January 23, 2014

Written for Bulatlat

Despite the calamities that brought unprecedented devastation in the country, there were several inspiring stories in 2013 that gave much needed joy and hope to many Filipinos. They were moral boosters at a time when tragedies seem to overwhelm our islands. Hopefully, the future will not simply remember 2013 as a terribly bad year because of the natural and man-made disasters that hit country. We must make sure that the next generation will also not forget our volunteer heroes and the multitudes which comprised the historic gathering at Luneta.

1. Megan Young’s victory as Miss World was special to Filipinos because it made the Philippines the third country in the world after Brazil and Venezuela to win all four major beauty pageants: Miss Universe, Miss International, Miss Earth and Miss World. Last year’s Miss Supranational and Miss International also came from the Philippines. Interestingly, an online travel magazine listed Quezon City in Metro Manila as one of the cities with the world’s handsome men. (Note: the author is a resident of Quezon City). Kidding aside, 2013 was the year when Filipinos dominated global beauty contests and surveys on good looking people.

2. Pacquiao made the global headlines again after winning the WBO international welterweight title when he beat Mexican-American Brandon Rios in Macau. It was a convincing comeback fight for Pacquiao whose last victory was more than two years ago. Through this win, Pacquiao effectively dismissed all talks of retirement. His celebration was cut short when tax authorities garnished some of his bank accounts because of a tax evasion issue. Nevertheless, his boxing victory uplifted the spirits of many especially those living in disaster-hit provinces in the Visayas.

3. My Husband’s Lover became equally controversial and popular because it dared to portray gay characters in a different and respectful way. Who would have thought that it’s possible to seriously and intelligently discuss LGBT issues in a mainstream teleserye on prime time TV?

4. The global Yolanda (Haiyan) relief effort was truly inspiring. Media groups provided extensive coverage of the disaster, UN agencies facilitated the entry of emergency supplies, and global aid organizations were immediately on the field assisting typhoon survivors. Foreign governments also deployed humanitarian teams which helped in the transporting of relief goods and other supplies. But there were other acts of kindness which also warmed the hearts of Filipinos such as the two girls who sold lemonade drinks in California for the benefit of Yolanda victims, the six-year old Japanese pre-schooler who donated his piggybank savings to the relief drive, and Hollywood and sports celebrities who spearheaded various charity activities.

5. The country was battered by deadly disasters in 2013 but fortunately there was no shortage of Bayanihan spirit among Filipinos. This was most evident in the aftermath of Yolanda when Filipinos from all walks of life contributed and volunteered in the relief and rehabilitation efforts. Perhaps the most poignant gesture was the arrival of typhoon Pablo victims in Leyte to extend solidarity to Yolanda refugees. Pablo was the world’s deadliest disaster of 2012 which hit the southern Mindanao region.

6. Pope Francis had many insightful things to say about the sad state of affairs in the world. He admonished the blind worship of the market, the avarice of the financial elite, and the narrow thinking of many church leaders. He vowed to build a church of the poor and seemed to be leading by example as he continued to reject several privileges which are traditionally accorded to the leader of the Catholic world. His advice on what to do with the corrupt (‘Tie corrupt to a rock and throw them into the sea’) should be applied in the Philippines, the largest Catholic-dominated nation in Asia.

7. Yeb Sano, the Philippine government’s lead negotiator at the Warsaw climate talks, became the voice of many poor nations which have been demanding the ratification of more effective global pollution controls. Aside from delivering a well-applauded speech at the UN conference, he initiated a fasting protest to highlight the harsh impact of climate change on small island nations. He narrated the ordeal of thousands of Filipinos in the Yolanda-hit provinces to advance and gather support for his demand for climate justice.

8. The August 26 anti-corruption ‘Million People March’ turned out to be the biggest rally during the administration of BS Aquino. But more importantly, it rendered visible the seething disgust felt by the masses against corrupt politicians and the pork barrel system. It was an idea which was first proposed in the social media but quickly became a powerful political movement. It proved that Filipinos are still ready to uphold the legacy of People Power to bring fundamental change in society

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Protests Greet New Year in Southeast Asia

By admin | January 18, 2014

Written for The Diplomat

Southeast Asia was rocked by street protests during the first week of the new year – a troubling preview of the unfolding political and economic crisis gripping many countries in the region. In Malaysia, consumers rallied against the looming price hikes in petrol, sugar and other basic products. In Cambodia, garment workers conducted a nationwide strike to push their demand for a pay hike. In Thailand, anti-government protesters are preparing to “shut down” Bangkok in the next few days.

If Bersih (clean) was the battle cry of election reform advocates in Malaysia in the past two years, Turun (down) was the rallying call of protesters who joined the annual New Year countdown at Dataran Merdeka park in Kuala Lumpur and used the occasion to denounce the rising cost of living in the country.

The action was organized mainly by students belonging to the Reduce Cost of Living Movement (Gerakan Turun Kos Sara Hidup) in response to the decision of the Malaysian government to cut fuel and sugar subsidies, making these products more expensive. In addition, price hikes are also expected in electricity tariffs, assessment rates for Kuala Lumpur properties, public transport fees and toll rates for highways.

Perhaps in anticipation of negative consumer reaction, the government announced that it will implement 11 austerity measures to prove that it is serious about rationalizing public spending. But this move didn’t satisfy protesters, who still proceeded with the Turun action.

For writer Zurairi AR, the successful Turun rally provided activists with an important lesson on how to effectively solicit the support of ordinary Malaysians. “The issues most dear to the people and capable of spurring massive turnouts are about civil liberties and bread-and-butter issues,” he said. “Turun was about the falling value of money in our wallets, and just like the others they attracted people from all walks of life.”

Meanwhile in Cambodia, tens of thousands of garment workers participated in a nationwide strike to press the government to raise the monthly minimum wage to $160 dollars. The current minimum wage is only $80 dollars, but the labor council is only willing to grant a $15 dollar hike in basic pay. As protests intensified, the government agreed to raise the minimum wage by another $5.

The garment sector is a $5 billion dollar export industry in Cambodia which employs more than 600,000 workers. Many of the leading clothing brands in the world get their supply from Cambodia, which has one of the lowest minimum wage rates in the Asia-Pacific.

Workers got the support of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party which vowed to raise wages to $160 if it is able to assume power in the country. “If the minimum wage is not raised to $160 immediately, rising food prices and living expenses will make it impossible for garment workers to address their basic needs, and strikes that have plagued the garment sector lately will continue,” read a statement on the party’s official website.

The opposition has been holding daily protests at the Phnom Penh Freedom Park to push for the ouster of the incumbent government which has been accused of manipulating last year’s election results. Prime Minister Hun Sen has been in power in the past three decades although his party lost many seats in the polls. The opposition has boycotted the parliament sessions even though it has 55 seats.

The strike of garment workers and the opposition rally produced the biggest street demonstration in Cambodia in recent decades. Unfortunately, these twin protests also unleashed the brutal fangs of state terror when the government ordered a crackdown of the strike and the removal of the opposition’s protest camp

Four workers were killed and dozens were injured after police and military clashed with striking garment workers in the industrial area of Phnom Penh. Human rights group Licadho described the crackdown as the “worst state violence against civilians to hit Cambodia in fifteen years.”

After the violent dispersal of the strike, the government proceeded to ban the political opposition from staging more rallies in the country’s capital. Even the gathering of two persons in the streets has been reportedly prohibited.

If the Cambodian opposition is already reeling from the recent political clampdown, the opposition forces in Thailand meanwhile are still preparing for their planned occupation of the capital city Bangkok before the end of the month in their bid to topple the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. They are still firm in their decision to boycott the February elections as they call for the replacement of the elected government with a so-called “People’s Council” which would supposedly lead the country into a period of transition.

Perhaps Thai protesters can take a cue from their counterparts in Malaysia and Cambodia, where economic issues like price hikes and labor rights are loudly articulated even if the main concern of the opposition is initially focused on election and political issues. In other words, it isn’t enough for protesters to hate the Shinawatra family – whose party has never lost in the polls despite being linked to numerous corruption scandals. It means anti-government protests must also aggressively tackle the economic hardships experienced by ordinary Thais.

So 2014 has started with a loud bang in Southeast Asia. These protests are expected to snowball into bigger movements in the next few months, especially if troubled governments can’t or won’t find peaceful resolutions to the crises.

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‘Wrecking Ball’ and other objects that made news in 2013

By admin | January 14, 2014

Written for Bulatlat

1. Martilyo. Robbers belonging to the ‘Martilyo Gang’ used a hammer and crowbar to rob jewelry shops in SM North Edsa, the grandmother of all supermalls in the country. Because of this incident which happened during the Christmas shopping rush, hammers cannot be sold anymore in malls and police has banned the wearing of caps and sunglasses inside shopping centers. SM should revise its jingle: We’ve got it all for you, except hammers.

2. Payong. Mayor Junjun Binay drew controversy after he reportedly berated Dasmarinas guards for blocking his security convoy. Even more controversial was the umbrella used by his aide even if there was no rain and it was evening. Many quickly remembered how a former Supreme Court Chief Justice used to hold umbrellas for former First Lady Imelda Marcos during Martial Law. Interestingly, only few mentioned Bro Mike Velarde and his ‘baliktarin ang payong’ preaching.

3. Precinct Count Optical Scan or PCOS. The undisputed star of the 2010 automated elections somewhat lost its magic in this year’s midterm polls. Hundreds of PCOS machines experienced technical glitches, errors, and malfunctions which put into question the credibility and reliability of the voting technology used by the government. But since PCOS machines are now owned by the government, there is a high probability that these will still be deployed in the 2016 presidential elections. Goodbye dagdag-bawas, hello automated cheating.

4. Relief packs. Since it has been a year of deadly natural disasters, relief distribution became the new normal in the Philippine islands. Repacking centers sprouted in urban centers. But partisan politics and incompetent leadership slowed down the distribution of relief goods. Naturally, there were epal relief packs and some volunteers even complained that foreign donations were being rebranded as government relief goods. Because of Yolanda, we now know that the government uses this standard in filling a relief pack for a family of five: 6 kilograms of rice, 8 sachets of coffee, 8 packs of instant noodles, 3 cans of sardines, 3 cans of corned beef. Hindi pa dito kasama ang tsinelas na pinamimigay diumano ni Korina Sanchez.

5. Fake SARO. After the outing of fake NGOs and foundations allegedly owned by pork operator Janet Napoles, authorities are now probing the so-called ‘fake SAROs’ produced by the SARO gang inside the Department of Budget and Management. SARO refers to Special Allotment Release Order which the DBM issues to agencies if a public project is initially approved. Pork projects need the SARO to process the release of cash, billions of which have been pocketed already by Napoles and porky politicians. Of course the SARO gang must be made accountable. But were there really ‘Fake SAROs’ or was DBM merely trying to exculpate itself from the pork scam?

6. Bulletproof vest. Pork whistleblowers will be remembered for their testimony and the bulletproof vests they wore during senate hearings. Napoles too also donned the police garb in the senate although she refused to talk about the pork scam.

7. Bathtub filled with cash. According to her former aide, Napoles stored cash in a bath tub. To understand the meaning of this, look inside your wallet and check if it’s filled with cash. Then google an image of a bath tub.

8. Selfies and shirties. Selfie is more than just word of the year. It has become the mainstream though annoying way of presenting oneself to the world. For many, selfies are expressions of creativity and individuality. But for others, they are meaningless portraits of vanity and selfishness. A recent trend was the everyday wearing of Yolanda volunteer shirts. They are shirties or walking selfies.

9. Plastic and eco-bag. In the past, environment protection is equated with tree planting activities. Today, local governments showcase their support for the green advocacy by implementing ‘ban plastic’ ordinances. The semi-demise of the plastic led to the rise of the eco-bag. Suddenly, we have become smart and green consumers while companies self-praised their green initiatives. But typhoons Pablo and Yolanda reminded us that saving the environment should be more than just token reforms and changing our lifestyles.

10. CCTV. It did not simply grab the headlines, CCTV has become THE news. The CCTV medium has become the message. It is actually a glorified and overrated solution to petty and even heinous street crimes. In fact, city mayors wanted to install CCTVs in all public areas and business establishments. Scary that we find pleasure in imposing technological controls in our lives. It seems not enough that NSA agents are snooping on our phone conversations since we still demand more surveillance cameras in order to feel safe in our communities. Forget privacy and democratic space, CCTV is here to stay.

11. Wrecking Ball. I fear that the future generation will remember 2013 as the year when the world was scandalized by ‘Wrecking Ball’ – the song, the music video, and most especially the artist. Perhaps we might have reacted differently if the singer was not former teenybopper Miley Cyrus. For me, the iconic wrecking ball in the music video symbolized the violence that Filipinos suffered in the past year. It stands for the demolition orders, development aggression projects, order of battle lists, and unsafe habitats that killed and displaced Filipinos in their own lands. Exacerbating the problem is the arrogance, insensitivity, elitism and irritating ineptitude of the BS Aquino government. All things considered, the BS Aquino government was the biggest wrecking ball of the year.

12. Apps. Life was simpler in the olden days. Phones were used for calling, then texting, and they were notoriously effective alarm clocks. But phones have become smartphones and mobile internet has altered the way we live and interact with others. Apps dominate our lives everyday and they control how we view and understand the world. Many claim that there is an app for everything. But if we want change, we need the ultimate app: Uprising!

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Southeast Asia in 2013: Disasters and Election Protests

By admin | January 12, 2014

Written for The Diplomat

Southeast Asia experienced numerous disasters in 2013: oil spills, dengue outbreaks, earthquakes, bus crashes, and massive floods. But the two biggest were the trans-boundary haze pollution that affected Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia; and super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), which wrought devastation in the central part of the Philippines.

The haze was caused by forest fires in Indonesia, but it had a greater effect on the lives of Singaporeans and Malaysians, although residents of Riau in west Indonesia, ground zero for the airborne pollution, must have suffered the most since they had to deal with both the forest fires and the haze.

Because of the failure to punish palm plantation companies that were mainly responsible for the burning of forests, the haze has become an annual plague in the three neighboring countries. But the haze last June seemed to be the worst in recent years, causing air pollution indexes to soar to record levels in both Singapore and Malaysia.

In an unprecedented move, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono apologized to Singapore and Malaysia and accepted his country’s responsibility for causing the haze. However, his apology came after some of his subordinates created an uproar when they belittled the suffering of their neighbors.

Luckily for the Philippines, it was spared the black haze. But the haze would have seemed a minor inconvenience compared with the hellish impact of super typhoon Haiyan, which battered the Eastern Visayas region of the Philippines.

Haiyan was the strongest storm in the world in 2013, and the fourth strongest to make landfall in history. It caused a tsunami-like storm surge that instantly killed thousands. As of this writing, more than 6,000 have died, but the fatalities could be higher as relief workers continue to work through the debris in many villages.

In an instant, several towns in Samar and Leyte provinces were reduced to wasteland. Survivors lost their homes and livelihoods and many are in fact still sheltered in makeshift evacuation centers. There were complaints about the slow delivery of relief, and the government of President Benigno Aquino III was accused of being inept and inefficient in providing adequate assistance to typhoon victims.

The disaster highlighted the rapid degradation of the environment as well as the vulnerability of small island nations like the Philippines to the harsh impact of climate change.

Another catastrophe – this one man-made – was the widespread irregularities that marred the elections in Malaysia and Cambodia. Naturally, it ignited a maelstrom of protests in both countries.

In Malaysia, hundreds of thousands gathered in Kuala Lumpur, the country’s capital, to protest the outcome of the election that gave the administration coalition a slim majority. “Black 505” refers to the May 5 General Election that was tainted by allegations that the ruling coalition committed massive electoral fraud to remain in power. The ruling party, which has been in power since the 1950s, lost the popular vote but still retained a majority of parliament seats. The series of protests, which spread to other provinces, was also referred to as the “Malaysian Tsunami.”

In Cambodia, tens of thousands participated in numerous assemblies, marches and camp-ins organized by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party since September to protest the alleged manipulation of electoral results by the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. The ruling party won a slim majority after it took 68 seats compared to the opposition’s 55 seats. It was the ruling party’s worst electoral performance since 1998.

The opposition is still actively and successfully mobilizing people in the streets. The daily protests at Phnom Penh’s freedom park have greatly undermined the popularity of Prime Minister Hun Sen. In the past few days, thousands of garment workers have joined these rallies after the opposition expressed support for the nationwide strike organized by garment unions, which have been demanding a 100 percent increase in the monthly minimum wage of workers.

Meanwhile, the current political crisis in Thailand can also be linked to the low credibility of the electoral process. After weeks of being besieged by provocative street rallies, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra announced that the parliament would be dissolved to make way for an election in February. Curiously, the opposition have said they will boycott the polls and instead have called for the creation of an unelected People’s Council.

Perhaps the opposition Democrat Party, which last won a nationwide election two decades ago, is only desperate to return to power, which explains its aggressiveness in pursing reform through unconstitutional and even undemocratic means. But it is not entirely wrong in its analysis that the electoral exercise has been undermined by corruption. Indeed, it is quite difficult to accept the voting outcome and equate it with the will of the people when it has been tainted by money politics. Hence, the Bangkok rallies can also be seen as a protest against the flawed electoral system.

As 2013 draws to a close, it’s important to remember the painful lessons from Southeast Asia’s experience with the haze and Haiyan on one hand, and the various election-related protests on the other.

The haze will return in 2014 if no regional effort is made to prevent forest fires in Sumatra. In the case of the Philippines, the aid that quickly poured into the country from across the globe must be used to enhance the country’s disaster resiliency and to rehabilitate the typhoon-ravaged towns.

As for governments accused of electoral cheating, the way forward is to substantially overhaul election laws and respect the reasonable demand to probe allegations of election manipulation.

Let us hope that 2014 will be a year with fewer disasters, both natural and man-made.

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‘We Should Legalize Everything’ and other shocking sound bites of 2013

By admin | January 10, 2014

Written for Bulatlat

2013 was a calamitous year for the Philippines – earthquakes, strong typhoons, bus crashes, corruption scandals. The reactions of various newsmakers to these disasters have revealed a lot of things about the fundamental flaws in governance, and in particular the inability of President BS Aquino to govern properly and decisively. Let us review some of these popular sound bites which seemed at first to be irrelevant one-liners. Actually, many of these airtime and print fillers exposed the bankruptcy of the ruling order.

1. We should legalize everything…You have to remember: we have to be very careful because you are a Romualdez and the president is an Aquino. Secretary Mar Roxas reportedly uttered these infamous words during a meeting with Tacloban Mayor Alfred Romualdez a few days after super typhoon Yolanda hit the country.

2. But you did not die, right? BS Aquino’s reply to a businessman who was complaining about the breakdown of law and order in post-Yolanda Tacloban.

3. The issue here is whether the funds were misused or not. I hope the public will listen to our explanation that we did not pocket everything. Senate President Franklin Drilon should have said it in Filipino: Hindi namin binulsa lahat.

4. I can buy you, your friends, and this club! TV host Anne Curtis delivered the secret mantra of politicians and the filthy rich.

5. If I’m the president, I will declare a revolution. I will rebel against my own government. Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s response to the suggestion for him to run for president. He is the same mayor who advised investors to pay NPA revolutionary taxes.

6. Tanda, Sexy, Pogi. Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada, Bong Revilla.

7. We all here are victims of a flawed system, which is so ingrained and that has been institutionalized. An excerpt from Senator Jinggoy’s privilege speech which exposed the Disbursement Acceleration Program.

8. Oh there you are. Let me take a good look at you. Senator Miriam Santiago’s opening line after seeing alleged pork operator Janet Napoles in a senate hearing.

9. Tell the truth before the senators affected have you assassinated. Senator Miriam’s advice to Napoles.

10. Sinabi ng Senadora na ako ay may asim pa. Nagpapasalamat ako sa kanyang sinabi, pero ikinalulungkot kong sabihin hindi ako naasiman sa kanya. Believe it or not, these words were said in a privilege speech by former Senate President Enrile.

11. Pork Barrel King. The tag given by labor group Kilusang Mayo Uno to BS Aquino.

12. Ang pera kong ginarnish ng BIR ay hindi po nakaw at hindi po PDAF o DAP, ito po ay galing sa lahat ng suntok, bugbog, pawis at dugo na tiniis ko sa boxing. Sarangani legislator and boxing champion Manny Pacquiao hits back at the Bureau of Internal Revenue for freezing some of his bank accounts.

13. Kung ihihiwalay naman yung Maguindanao figures, hindi naman talaga tayo ‘yung lalabas na [most dangerous place for journalists]. Hindi naman ganun kaseryoso o kalala ‘yung problemang ‘yun. Apparently for presidential spokesman (and former activist) Sonny Coloma, the 24 cases of media killings in the past three years are not yet alarming.

14. Bahala na si Lord sa inyo, busy ako. BS Aquino is obviously affected by the dramatic drop in his public trust ratings and he blamed everybody especially critics and fault-finding reporters except himself and his team.

15. It is time to abolish the PDAF. Victory for the people when the president was forced to give up the PDAF. But half the battle is not yet won because the bigger presidential pork is still retained in the budget law.

16. Itong si Anderson Cooper, sabi wala daw government presence sa Tacloban. Mukhang hindi niya alam ang sinasabi niya. Veteran reporter Korina Sanchez criticized a CNN report on the slow delivery of relief in typhoon-hit provinces in Eastern Visayas.

17. Ms Sanchez is welcome to go there (Tacloban) and I would urge her to go there. I don’t know if she has but her husband’s the Interior minister. I’m sure he can arrange a flight. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper replies to Korina.

18. Basta ‘wag lang manghihingi sa amin ang mga tao! Bacoor Representative Lani Mercado-Revilla’s position regarding the proposed abolition of pork barrel.

19. I don’t think that anybody, even the most criminal politician, can be that hard-hearted and close his eyes to this calamity so I can only surmise that they don’t know what to do. Director Peque Gallaga accuses the BS Aquino govenrment of impotence and incompetence.

20. Sana pala hindi na namin kayo tinawagan. Okay po, salamat po, wala po akong nakuha sa inyo. Arnold Clavio’s controversial interview with one of the lawyers of Napoles.

21. Yung composition kanina, nakita natin yung pagdagsa ng mga tae… sorry po… ng mga tao. GMA-7 reporter Jiggy Manicad’s blooper during a live reporting in Ayala.

22. Kilala mo ba ako? Makati Mayor Junjun Binay reportedly asked this question to security guards who stopped his convoy at Dasmarinas Village.

23. I think God was somewhere else when the typhoon hit. Davao Mayor Duterte’s reaction upon seeing the devastation wrought by typhoon Yolanda in Leyte.

24. There is no more Eastern Samar province. Rep. Ben Evardone’s assessment of the typhoon damage in his district.

25. Why should we leave our own home? Nobody will be sent to the Philippines. Sabah is our home. Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram responds to BS Aquino who wants the sultan’s armed followers in Lahad Datu to go home to the Philippines.

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East Timor-Australia Spying Scandal

By admin | December 31, 2013

Written for The Diplomat

It seems Australia likes to spy on its neighbors. After Indonesia, it is East Timor’s turn to criticize Australia for alleged espionage targeting its leaders.

Australia is accused of conducting an operation that targeted East Timor’s Cabinet when the two countries were negotiating a gas treaty in 2004. After learning about the spying, the East Timor government wants to revoke a deal worth billions of dollars that it signed with Australia, claiming that the latter had illegally obtained intelligence to gain advantage during the negotiations. The petition is now lodged at The Hague.

Things became more heated early this month when the Australia Security Intelligence Office raided the Canberra office of the lawyer who is representing East Timor in the case. Australia said it merely acted to defend its national security but East Timor is now demanding the return of the documents seized in the law office.

The spying revelation elicited a strong response from Timorese leaders. Former East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta criticized Australia’s hypocrisy: “Australia likes to lecture Timor-Leste and other countries about transparency and integrity in public life. Well, this has not been a very good example of transparency and honesty.”

“When you try to listen in to phone conversations of the president of Indonesia, a friendly country, or his own wife, or when you spy on a friendly neighbor like Timor-Leste which Australia helped to free in 1999 and which Australia claimed to be a friend, well it really undermines 10 years of our relationship,” Ramos-Horta added, referring to Australia’s spying activities in Indonesia which sparked a separate diplomatic row last month.

It has actually been a very challenging two-month period for Australian diplomats in Southeast Asia: they have either had to explain or deny the various spying allegations involving their government and a number of countries in the region. Aside from Indonesia and East Timor, the Malaysian government also summoned its Australian envoy about the reported intelligence sharing network maintained by the United States in the region, which included the posting of espionage equipment inside the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur. Apparently, Australia is a major player in this U.S.-led surveillance network, which monitors communication signals in the Asia-Pacific.

East Timor citizens immediately held a peaceful protest outside the Australian Embassy in Dili to condemn Australia’s illegal spying operations. The protesters also identified Australia Aid as an “espionage agent;” its aid work in 2004 was purportedly used as a cover to tap the phones of East Timor leaders.

The issue also highlighted the continuing controversy over Australia’s “occupation” of the Timor Sea.

“Australia has been stealing the oil and gas from the Timor Sea, in an area which belongs to Timor-Leste under international legal principles. Sadly, Australia has shown its manner and its greed to make our small and poor country in this region lose our resources and sovereignty,” said the Movement Against the Occupation of the Timor Sea.

It’s unlikely that Australia will issue a formal apology in relation to the East Timor espionage, in the same way that it refused to express remorse over the leaked surveillance report involving Indonesia. But Australia should rethink its stance, as failure to act on this matter will only antagonize what were once friendly neighbors.

Mandela Remembered in Southeast Asia

Written for The Diplomat

Southeast Asian nations joined the world in mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s anti-apartheid hero and first black president. Mandela is remembered in the region as a freedom fighter and the most popular endorser of batik, a traditional Indonesian fabric.

Following his release from jail in 1990, Mandela visited Jakarta and received a souvenir batik shirt from then President Suharto. He eventually made the batik shirt his trademark outfit for international gatherings, impressing Indonesian leaders.

“He had the courage to wear batik during a United Nations’ session. Even I might have had doubts wearing a batik shirt and speaking before the audience at a UN meeting,” said former Indonesian vice-president Jusuf Kalla.

Some of Mandela’s batik shirts were designed by Indonesian batik maestro Iwan Tirta. In South Africa, the batik came to be known as the Madiba shirt.

But many Indonesians also acknowledged Mandela’s anti-apartheid struggle and linked it to the anti-colonial legacy of 17th-century Indonesian icon Sheikh Yusuf of Makassar. When Mandela first visited Indonesia, he visited the site of the historic Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung in 1955, which he said was an important and inspiring event for many oppressed peoples.

Meanwhile, journalist Aboeprijadi Santoso recognized Mandela’s role in raising the prestige of the liberation movement in East Timor. When Mandela met Suharto in November 1997, he insisted on talking with Timorese leader Xanana Gusmao, who was imprisoned for leading the independence struggle against Indonesia.

“Mandela’s intervention and encounter with Xanana became public relation’s greatest victory for the Timorese. The 1997 momentum had, therefore contributed to the changing circumstances and awareness among both the Timorese resistance and in the international community,” wrote Aboeprijadi Santoso.

Fellow Nobel Laureate and Myanmar’s opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi praised Mandela for raising the standard of humanity.

“He also made us understand that we can change the world – we can change the world by changing attitudes, by changing perceptions. For this reason I would like to pay him tribute as a great human being who raised the standard of humanity,” Suu Kyi said.

Prior to her election victory in parliament, Suu Kyi was often described as Myanmar’s Mandela. But Suu Kyi has been criticized in recent months regarding her decision to work within the corrupt and military-controlled parliament as well as for her silence on the persecution of the Rohingyas. Mandela’s death has further highlighted the challenges facing Suu Kyi in her bid for the presidency and the reforms she wanted to implement in her country.

In the Philippines, President Benigno Aquino III fondly recalled his conversation with Mandela regarding his mother, Cory Aquino, who is another democracy icon in Southeast Asia:

“On a more personal note, I recall with gratitude and humility the kind words he told me during his visit to the Philippines when I was still a Representative. He told me then, ‘You chose your parents well.’ My mother admired him; like all of us, she would have been deeply saddened by his passing.”

In Malaysia, former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad named Mandela as the leader he admired the most. Malaysian politicians also claimed that Mandela, who visited the country three times, was “fascinated” by the country’s multi-racial and multi-religious harmony and that he regarded it “as an example of moderate development.”

In Thailand, where street protests have engulfed the capital in the past three weeks, pacifists are urging political forces to learn from the struggle of Mandela.

“Mandela’s death at this time should serve as a reminder for Thais to wake up and think about the conflicts that caused so much loss in South Africa, and the patience and time it took for Mandela’s peaceful fight to be successful,” said Gen Ekkachai Srivilas of the Office of Peace and Governance at King Prajadhipok’s Institute.

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13 natural and man-made disasters of 2013

By admin | December 28, 2013

Written for Bulatlat

1. Taiwan-Philippines diplomatic row. The crisis was triggered by the tragic killing of a 65-year-old Taiwanese fisherman by members of the Philippine Coast Guard on May 9 in Balintang Channel. Angered by the incident, Taiwan stopped issuing work visas to Filipinos and has conducted military exercises near Philippine waters. The Coast Guard claimed that the shooting was an act of self-defense but there were reports that the shots fired were excessive.

2. Sabah standoff. Armed followers of Sulu Sultan Jamalul Kiram III occupied parts of Lahad Datu on February 9 and vowed not to leave until Sabah is returned to the Sulu Sultanate. After waiting three weeks for the members of the Royal Sulu Army to voluntarily surrender, the Malaysian military launched a full-scale attack against the group on March 5.

3. Zamboanga siege. An armed faction loyal to Moro National Liberation Front chairman Nur Misuari attacked Zamboanga City affecting hundreds of thousands and paralyzing the city. Violent clashes erupted between the rebels and government soldiers.

4. Flooding in Central Luzon. Typhoon Santi battered the Central Luzon region causing massive floods in Nueva Ecija and Bulacan, the country’s rice bowl.

5. Oil spills in Cavite and Cebu. A leak in an underwater pipeline of Petron Corp. poured 500,000 liters of diesel into the waters of Manila Bay affecting four towns in Cavite. Petron is the same company that caused the worst oil spill disaster in the country’s history seven years ago in Guimaras. Meanwhile in Cebu, a sunken ship spilled 120,000 liters of oil into the shorelines of the coastal towns of Talisay, Cordova, and Lapu-Lapu. Aside from affecting more than 300 hectares of mangroves, the oil spill also displaced more than 3,000 fisherfolk and threatened to undermine the tourism business in the area.

6. Tubbataha damaged, not once but twice. On January 17, the USS Guardian minesweeper ran aground on the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reef, a no-sail zone and UN marine protected habitat in the Sulu Sea. The ship damaged 1,000 square meters of the marine park. “It willfully trespassed. It wasn’t lost. It was the voyage of an intruder,” said Palawan province congressman Antonio Alvarez. Three months after this tragedy, an oversized and quasi-military Chinese fishing vessel also ran aground at the marine park.

7. Central Visayas earthquake. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake killed more than 150 people in Bohol and Cebu on October 15. It destroyed many roads, homes, buildings, and historic churches in Bohol and several markets, malls, and also churches in Cebu.

8. PCOS and 2013 midterm polls. Not surprisingly, hundreds of Precinct Count Optical Scan machines malfunctioned, experienced glitches, and delivered erroneous reports in the 2013 elections. The local IT community is still denied of the right to review the election source code. The reported 60-30-10 voting pattern is believed to be a proof of automated cheating. But the worst disaster is the persistence of local and national dynasties or the continued dominance of oligarchs in the country’s elitist elections.

9. Kristel Tejada of UP Manila. Her suicide exposed the criminal neglect on the part of the government in allocating sufficient funds to the education sector. Policymakers and educators discussed tuition and scholarship reforms but they failed to link the issue with the government thrust of deprioritizing public higher education.

10. 40 families own 75 percent of economy. Early this year, it was reported that a few families dominate the whole economy. It highlighted the disastrous impact of the mainstream economic dogma which redistributed the country’s wealth in favor of the rich. Inequality, not just poverty, is the social ill plaguing society which explains why the government’s overhyped cash transfer program doesn’t work.

11. Sex scandals. From Chito to Wally, sex scandals have gone viral. Unfortunately, these scandals are invoked to justify the imposition of draconian Internet laws. But this issue is also a reminder about how we lost our precious privacy in this age of Internet surveillance.

12. Napoles and Corruption. The Napoles scam sparked a nationwide outrage over pork corruption. It led to the abolition of the legislative pork from the national budget, the filing of plunder cases against lawmakers, and the Supreme Court ruling which declared some aspects of pork as unconstitutional. Equally important is the naming of the presidential pork as a bigger source of corruption in the government. The issue revealed how public funds are systematically plundered by politicians, it unmasked the deceptive posturing of President BS Aquino as an anti-corruption crusader, and the need for a system overhaul in order to fundamentally exorcise the scourge of corruption.

13. Supertyphoon Yolanda. The world’s strongest storm of the year devastated the central part of the Philippines, in particular the Eastern Visayas region. A tsunami-like storm surge instantly killed thousands. But the humanitarian crisis worsened due to slow action of the government, inefficient distribution of relief, and partisan politics. Yolanda exposed the arrogance and incompetence of BS Aquino and Mar Roxas who failed to act quickly and decisively when the storm hit the region.

In summary, the biggest disaster of the year is the government of BS Aquino as proven by the president’s mishandling of crisis situations, his stubborn defense of pork politics, his support for extractive activities which contributed to the further degradation of the environment, his inaction over continuing human rights abuses inflicted against activists and journalists, and his shameful lack of leadership when Yolanda hit the country. Filipinos deserve a better government.

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Manny Pacquiao as Legislator

By admin | December 26, 2013

Written for The Diplomat

For his fans around the world, he is the greatest boxing champion of our time. For fellow Filipinos, he is the humble hero of the masses and pride of the Philippines. But for Sarangani residents in the southern region of Mindanao island, Manny Pacquiao is more than an athlete and living icon: he has been their representative in the Philippine House of Representatives since 2010.

Pacquiao is in the news again after winning the WBO international welterweight title, when he beat Mexican-American Brandon Rios in Macau last Sunday. It was a convincing comeback fight for Pacquiao whose last victory was more than two years ago. Through this win, Pacquiao effectively dismissed all talks of retirement.

In no uncertain terms, Pacquiao said he will continue to fight. In other words, he is still ready to rumble in the boxing arena while performing his duties as legislator in the parliamentary arena. As a boxer, Pacquiao’s legendary skills are known throughout the world and constantly analyzed. But as a legislator, it seems few are commenting about his performance in Congress.

So, is boxer Pacquiao doing well as Congressman Pacquiao?

Pacquiao is now serving his second term as representative of the lone district of Sarangani, a poor province located in the country’s tuna capital. During his first term, he was vice chairperson of three committees for the majority, namely: Millennium Development Goals, Poverty Alleviation, and Youth and Sports Development.

His most important bill seeks the creation of a Philippine Boxing Commission, which would oversee the granting of incentives and financial support to boxing champions. It didn’t pass the legislative chamber but he refiled it this year.

His first speech was surprisingly not about boxing, but rather focused on human and sex trafficking in Mindanao. He asked the government to combat this evil which victimizes the poor including his constituents. It became his principal advocacy, which actually helped in ensuring continued budgetary support for anti-trafficking initiatives. His role was in fact recognized in amending the country’s anti-trafficking law.

Pacquiao further endeared himself to low-income workers when he actively supported a bill that would raise the country’s minimum wage by 125 pesos.

But it was Pacquiao’s opposition to the controversial Reproductive Health bill which probably defined his first term in Congress. He rose several times on the plenary floor either to register and explain his dissenting vote or to debate the sponsor of the measure. His arguments against the bill were compelling and reflected the main points of the Catholic Church, which rejected the bill as anti-family and anti-life. During the debates, however, he was made to like a neophyte, hastily thrown into the ring by the pro-life camp to go up against veteran parliamentarians.

Pacquiao’s political acumen has grown considerably over the years. He suffered a humiliating loss during his first candidacy in 2007 but he quickly recovered from that debacle and won with a wide margin in 2010 and early this year. His local party, which he founded, has achieved significant election victories. His wife is now vice governor of Sarangani.

Like many traditional politicians in the Philippines, Pacquiao has changed party affiliations several times. He still belongs to the majority coalition although he bolted from the ruling Liberal Party last year.

Perhaps because of his numerous commitments as an actor and professional boxing athlete, Pacquiao has not been dutifully attending Congress sessions. Still, many Filipinos have overlooked this fault since they understand that Pacquiao needed to train well and bring glory to the country. In fact, absenteeism is a broader problem for Congress.

As a district representative, Pacquiao was able to provide numerous services to his constituents through his pork barrel allocation. He has endorsed the construction of classrooms, multipurpose buildings, and water supply systems aside from distributing scholarships and livelihood assistance to agrarian villages.

Pacquiao is currently the richest and best known congressman of the Philippines. He is also the most effective morale booster of an institution that has been severely criticized in the past few months because of a corruption scandal involving numerous politicians. But Pacquiao is also an important and unifying leader on the national stage with the ability to inspire. In fact, his recent victory has already uplifted the spirits of thousands of typhoon victims in the Visayas.

Pacquiao’s boxing days are numbered but his political career is just beginning. He is worshipped as a boxer; as a politician-boxer, he evokes both praise and criticism. He is a clean and much admired politician, even if some of his political choices are incompatible with his image as a change advocate. There seems little doubt that he will become a senator in 2016.

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Eight Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Bonifacio and the Katipunan

By admin | December 24, 2013

Written for Bulatlat

1. The decision to adopt the acronym KKK was a radical act. The letter K was not part of the Tagalog alphabet during the time of Rizal and Bonifacio. Since Filipinos at that time were using the Spanish writing system, the letter K was represented by letter C. The Kataastaasan Kagalang-galang na Katipunan should have been spelled as Cataastaasan Cagalang-galang na Catipunan or CCC. There were many katipunan groups during the last decade of Spanish rule in the Philippines but what distinguished Bonifacio’s Katipunan was its adoption of the letter K on its name and even on its flags. While Filipino intellectuals were debating the merits of devising a new orthography, Bonifacio already recognized the political value of using the K symbol to propagate the creation of a new government and a new society. Thus, the KKK.

2. Which is correct: Cry of Pugadlawin or Cry of Balintawak? Did it take place on August 23 or 26? Historians are still debating whether it happened in Pugadlawin, Caloocan, Bahay Toro or Balintawak; and there is still no consensus on the exact date of the ‘cry’. But historian Teodoro Agoncillo used his considerable influence to force the government to proclaim that the historic event took place somewhere in Pugadlawin on August 23. What is certain is that a Katipunan gathering took place in the northern suburb of Manila on August 1896 which signaled the start of the armed revolution against Spanish rule. But the first declaration of independence was made by Bonifacio and comrades in Pamitinan cave in Montalban a year earlier.

3. Are these lines familiar to you?

Si Andres Bonifacio, atapang a tao.
A putol a paa, di dadapa
a putol a tenga, di bibingi
a putol a kamay, di papasma
a putol a ulo, di tatakbo
a putol a buho, di kakalbo
a putol a sinturon, di huhubo
a putol a itak, di iiyak
a putol a buhay, di mamamatay

This Putol-Putol poem is purportedly a retelling of how Bonifacio was murdered by Aguinaldo’s troops led by Lazaro Macapagal, the grandfather of Gloria Arroyo. The supremo and his brother were reportedly hacked to death by fellow Katipuneros who used bayonets and bolos.

During the 1935 presidential election, Manuel Quezon accused his rival Aguinaldo of ordering the execution of Bonifacio. So powerful was the propaganda that Aguinaldo even lost in Kawit, Cavite.

On March 22, 1948, Aguinaldo issued a handwritten note admitting that he was responsible for the killing of Bonifacio.

4. This is how Bonifacio and Katipunan prepared to invade the city from the suburbs and mountains: From the vantage point of his rebel base in Montalban, Bonifacio directed his troops to attack Manila from several key locations. From the east, the San Mateo and Marikina forces would attempt to shut down El Deposito in San Juan, which, at that time, controlled Manila’s water supply. From the north, Caloocan and Tondo forces would attack Binondo churches, hospitals, and the telegraph and railway lines. From the south east, Taguig, and Pateros forces would cross the Pasig River, establish a base in the hills of Hagdang Bato (Mandaluyong) and Guadalupe (Makati), and proceed to attack Pandacan and Sta. Ana. From the central suburb, Sampaloc forces would attack Sta Mesa and Quiapo. From the south, Cavite forces led by Aguinaldo would attack Ermita, Luneta, and finally Intramuros. The plan succeeded in overwhelming the Spanish forces but the Cavite contingent failed to show up during the planned uprising.

In the second phase of the revolution, Bonifacio’s idea of establishing a mountain rebel lair was successfully realized in Biak na Bato.

There is a persistent myth that Bonifacio didn’t win a single battle as leader of the Katipunan. But the Nagsabado sa Pasig event (which is still being commemorated up to this day) involving 2,000 Katipuneros who attacked a Spanish cuartel, proves that there were numerous local battles that Bonifacio and Katipunan spearheaded that eventually led to the military defeat of the Spaniards.

5. The Katipunero in front of Vinzons Hall in UP Diliman is not Bonifacio. The UP Oblation is inspired by Bonifacio’s sacrifice for the nation. Gregoria de Jesus, Bonifacio’s widow, was guest of honor during the unveiling of the Oblation monument. Bonifacio was depicted at Monumento (Caloocan) and Liwasang Bonifacio (Lawton) as a fighter who carried a revolver and bolo. Meanwhile, Plaza Bonifacio in Pasig (erected in 1931), is the only Bonifacio marker which honored him as a triumphant revolutionary general riding a horse.

6. Bonifacio was an actor. He was a member of the Samahang Dramatista ng Tundó. He helped establish El Teatro Porvenir. As an artist, he knew how to effectively communicate with and use the language of the masses. Not surprisingly, his poems (Pag-ibig sa Tinubuang Lupa, Katapusang Hibik) are rated as among the best in Tagalog literature. Aside from being well-read, Bonifacio had deep knowledge of local narratives like Bernardo Carpio and Florante at Laura, both of which have subversive undertones.

7. It is not only Rizal who is considered the ‘pride of the Malay race’. Tan Malaka, one of Indonesia’s national heroes and founding leaders, recognized the heroism of both Rizal and Bonifacio. He specifically cited the revolutionary legacy of Bonifacio and his influence in sparking the anti-colonial movements across Southeast Asia. Professor Ramon Guillermo translated this quote from Tan Malaka: “Si Bonifacio ang pinakauna, hindi lamang sa Pilipinas, kundi sa buong Indonesia, oo, sa buong Asia na nanggaling sa, at edukado bilang, proletaryado, na nag-organisa ng mga proletaryo.”

8. Was Bonifacio the country’s first president? Some historians believe that the Katipunan had become a de facto open government after August 1896. John Taylor, custodian of the Philippine Insurgent Records, described Bonifacio’s supreme council as the ‘insurgent government of the Philippines.’ An article in the 1897 issue of La Illustracion Espanola y Americana referred to Bonifacio as Presidente de la Republika Tagala.

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