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Human rights and the liberal agenda
It amuses me that the Liberal Party (LP) gets associated with the call for human rights these days.I guess that the karma of labels is finally catching up with this party. Liberalism is the political...
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Marcos plundered to 'protect' the economy? Makes no economic sense
Two weeks before Ferdinand Marcos’ hundredth birth anniversary, President Rodrigo Duterte revived public discussions about the Marcoses’ wealth.In a speech before new appointees, the President said...
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Basagan ng Trip: Ferdinand Marcos’ great ideas, bad executions
MANILA, Philippines — Historian and professor Lisandro 'Leloy' Claudio takes an objective look at the best and worst of the Marcos regime on the strongman's 100th birthday. Claudio acknowledges Marcos...
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We need new prophets
Prophets don't come often. But they play a crucial role. Their mandate is to deliver a message that strikes at the heart of people's realities.The prophet's message though often runs counter to public...
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CHR budget betrays vindictive character of Congress
One hundred nineteen. A majority of the members of the House of Representatives, numbering 119 voted to slash the budget of the Commission of Human Rights to a token thousand pesos.Get serious! It may...
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Charter-change non-negotiables
As part of his effort to fulfil a promise of change, President Rodrigo Duterte issued in December 2016 Executive Order No. 10 to organize the Consultative Committee (Con-Com) on constitutional...
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#FridayFeels: Waterproof ba ang estudyanteng Pilipino?
(Sing to the tune of Mariah Carey's "Through the Rain")I can make it through the rainBaha sa biyahe once againOn my own, and I knowWala nang balak mag-suspend!– Rappler.comArtwork by Alejandro...
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[Newspoint] Smoking guns of history
A tattoo on the back of the President's son Paolo Duterte is the latest to go into the box of telltale secrets of recent history. Its very concealment inspires suspicions attaching a smoking-gun...
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Teaching martial law period literature in the era of post-truth
Pressing are the current times when students are led to believe the “convenient truths” on the President Marcos debate. Despite substantial studies proving the oppression during the Martial Law period,...
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Being human and humanitarian
An imam (mosque leader) wailing in prayer and the city mayor weeping during his turn to speak before an assembly of civil society organizations was my first long look at the crisis in Marawi City in...
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Cyberbullied by a scorned mistress: A wife fights back
I couldn't believe it – someone had just sent me an email saying I was a trashy bitch.I ignored it; I didn't want to deal with it. It probably wasn't meant for me. But the next day, I received another...
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Pluralism, populism and their perversions: Congress in the time of Duterte
(First of two parts)The Philippine presidency has been visibly changed by the rise of Rodrigo Duterte. The changes have, in fact, been the subject of much scrutiny by Duterte supporters and oppositors,...
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#AnimatED: 1,000 saksak sa karapatang pantao
Paano pinahahalagahan ng Kamara ang karapatang pantao? Halagang ’sanlibong piso. P1,000 – sapat itong pambili ng 5 ream ng papel at isang kahon ng Mongol No. 2. Hindi ito sapat pambayad ng kuryente o...
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The real issue behind Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s bail release
The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted bail to Senator Jinggoy Estrada, ruling that there was no strong evidence against him. Using a straightforward reasoning, the anti-graft court ruled he was not...
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[Conclusion] Pluralism, populism and their perversions: Congress in the time...
(Read Part 1 here.)Perverted populism: the President as 'the people'Elsewhere I have written that both pluralism and populism have positive values especially when viewed as "expressions of the people's...
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Diokno defined courage for the Martial Law generation
Jose W. Diokno defined courage for an entire generation who lived through the long nights of martial law. He embodied the resistance to dictatorship, he upheld human rights in season and out of...
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The case for 'Oplan Bakal'
The term bakal is a Filipino colloquial for gun or firearm. Oplan Bakal dates back many, many years. I remember I experienced my first Oplan Bakal operation in a nightclub in the province as a 2nd...
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Inside the brotherhood: Thoughts on fraternity violence
Another young promising man, Horacio Tomas Castillo III, died in fraternity hazing. A law student, he died as he underwent physical initiations in the hands of his future brothers. Many more fratmen...
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#FridayFeels: Confused na puso
Confused na nga ako sa relasyon namin,confused pa ako kung ano’ng okasyon ang uunahin.Kasabay sa pag patak ng ulan ang aking pagkalito.Hanggang Undas ba aasa ang puso koo tanggapin ko na bang mag-isa...
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Thanks to Duterte gov't confusion, the Left regains influence
Many have been castigating the national democratic Left, to which the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People’s Army (NPA) belong, as to why they remain in partnership with the...
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