Tag Archives: marcos

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

By admin | December 17, 2022

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

By admin | October 22, 2022

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

By admin | August 15, 2022

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

By admin | April 9, 2022

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

By admin | August 17, 2019

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

By admin | September 14, 2017

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?

By admin | April 11, 2017

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

By admin | September 28, 2016

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

Indonesia and Philippines Confront Ghosts of Dictators Past

By admin | June 24, 2016

Suharto and Marcos died several years ago, but their legacy is still being debated. They were humiliated when they were ousted from power yet their names have undergone rehabilitation in recent years. It is not simply enough to resist proposals recognizing Suharto and Marcos as national heroes. The more important question that requires urgent answering […]

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

The Many Surprises of the 2016 Philippines Elections

By admin | May 21, 2016

There were several surprises in the election results: First, the landslide victory of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte who is now set to become the Philippines’ 16th president. Second, the close race between Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr and neophyte Congresswoman Leni Robredo for the vice presidency. And third, the possible entry into the senate of […]

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