Tag Archives: duterte

Fast track delivery of social welfare programs, not mass arrests

Published by Bayan Metro Manila We condemn the police for violently dispersing the peaceful protest of Sitio San Roque residents in Quezon City. We are outraged that the state response to the appeals for relief is terror and brutal detention. This is insensitive, repressive, and inhuman. This is the result of the national government’s ill-conceived […]

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What Does 2020 Hold for the Philippines’ Rodrigo Duterte?

Despite the landslide victory of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s party in the 2019 midterm elections, he still faces several serious challenges that could potentially undermine his government in 2020. The Southeast Asian country next holds general elections in 2022. Duterte’s strong showing in midterm elections last year, following the presidential election victory that propelled him […]

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Bayan Metro Manila on giving emergency powers to Duterte: ‘When in doubt, no!’

Published by Bayan Metro Manila Congress will reap a whirlwind public backlash as it approved a carte blanche package of special powers to President Rodrigo Duterte in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of using the special session to ensure that realigned funds will be used in the fight against COVID-19, Congress chose to abdicate its […]

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Bayan Metro Manila assails first week of Luzon lockdown

Published on Bayan Metro Manila Facebook page The first week of quarantine did little to assure the people that the government is on top of the situation and that it can handle the COVID-19 pandemic. While majority of Luzon residents were quick to stay home under quarantine, the government remained slow in addressing the basic […]

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Rising Anxiety About China’s ‘Debt Trap’ in the Philippines

Over the past few months, rising scrutiny on Chinese investments in countries ranging from the Maldives to Malaysia has intensified an ongoing conversation in the Philippines about the risks of a Chinese “debt trap” in the country as the government of President Rodrigo Duterte pursues increased engagement with Beijing. This discussion has become more pronounced, […]

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The Philippines’ (Too) Quiet Opposition

After the Philippine midterm elections, some members of the opposition party decided to join the majority coalition in Congress. This despite the aggressive campaigning of opposition candidates against the human rights abuses under the government of President Rodrigo Duterte. That opposition politicians would quickly affiliate themselves with the ruling party reflects not only the quality […]

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2018: Exposing the Bully and Resisting the Tyrant in Malacanang

Here are the highlights of the people’s struggles in Metro Manila in 2018. Labor Unrest The labor sector initiated breakthrough actions in 2018. Taking cue from government pronouncements rejecting contractualization, labor groups stepped up its organizing among contractuals. It led to workers asserting their right to unionize in response to the duplicitous move of capitalists to outsource their responsibility […]

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The War Against the Philippine Press

If the aim of the media attacks is to distract and mute the opposition, so far it is not succeeding. But it sends a dangerous message about how far this government is capable of doing to stretch the limits of the law to run after its critics. Written for The Diplomat Magazine Why Philippine Politics […]

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What the Neverending Imelda Marcos Case Means for Philippine Politics

Published by The Diplomat The consequences of Imelda’s conviction continue to spark the realignment of political forces and it could end up in a duel between a Duterte-backed alliance of pro-Marcos groups against an opposition coalition supported by a battle-tested anti-Marcos movement. That is further testament to a broader trend in Philippine politics, where the past […]

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Philippine Midterm Elections: Is Duterte’s Win Democracy’s Loss?

Candidates belonging to the coalition endorsed by Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte won in the senate amid reports of widespread vote tampering and other irregularities documented on election day. Election monitoring groups said there were more cases of faulty vote counting machines this year compared to the 2016 election. Local poll officials solved the issue by […]

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