Tag Archives: marcos

Freedom of Expression Declines Further Under Marcos

Written for The Diplomat Three months after coming to power, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has failed to reassure the media community and the public that he will promote freedom of expression and reverse the impunity that worsened during the term of his predecessor. To be sure, there was little expectation that the son of […]

Posted in media, nation | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

What Philippine President Marcos Said in New York

Written for The Diplomat The speech of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and his bilateral meeting with United States President Joe Biden could be the highlight of his recent six-day working visit in New York, but his talks in other less prominent public activities also […]

Posted in nation | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

A Look at Philippine President Marcos’ ‘Unity Budget’ for 2023

Written for The Diplomat The government of Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. this week submitted a record 5.268 trillion pesos ($94 billion) 2023 budget to the House of Representatives. This is the highest-ever spending proposal sent to Congress. Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman described the proposed bill as “proactive […]

Posted in economy, nation | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

The First 30 Days of the Marcos Presidency

Published by The Diplomat Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will mark his first month as president of the Philippines on July 30. If his performance in the past month has been a glimpse of his leadership for the next six years, we can assume that his presidency will be substantially similar to that of his predecessor. Marcos […]

Posted in nation | Also tagged | Leave a comment

Political Dynasties Dominate Philippines Election — Again

Written for The Diplomat The election victory of Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in this month’s Philippine presidential election reflected the continuing dominance of political dynasties in the country’s political life. The return of the Marcoses has reminded many about the dangers of a single family monopolizing political power. The social problems engendered by the dominance of […]

Posted in election, nation | Also tagged | Leave a comment

Three Decades of Election Protests in the Philippines

Written for The Diplomat Election protests have shaped Philippine politics for the past three decades and there are signs that the upcoming 2022 presidential elections will be similarly divisive. In 1986, the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos was accused of rigging a snap presidential election. A protest walkout by election computer programmers drew sympathy from the […]

Posted in election | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

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 […]

Posted in nation | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

Lingering Questions Remain on Duterte’s Martial Law in the Philippines

According to the 1987 Constitution, Congress is supposed to convene a joint session in order to review the government’s martial law proclamation. But leaders of both houses of Congress said a joint session is unnecessary since the majority are supporting the president’s decision anyway. This is unfortunate, since there are questions related to martial law […]

Posted in nation | Also tagged , , , | Leave a comment

What Do the New Philippine Protests Mean for Duterte?

For two straight weekends, thousands have gathered in the streets of Manila to condemn the deterioration of the human rights situation in the Philippines. On February 18, the Catholic Church mobilized an estimated 20,000 people to participate in a “Walk for Life” as a form of protest against the rising “culture of violence” in the […]

Posted in nation | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

10 things to know about the peace talks between the communists and the government of the Philippines

Published by Bulatlat 1. A civil war has been raging in the countryside since 1969. Landlessness, feudal exploitation, state brutality against the poor and marginalized – these are some of the issues that led to the formation of the New People’s Army. An armed force of the poor, by the poor, and for the poor […]

Posted in nation, reds | Also tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment