Sen. Imee Marcos, 12th in the “Magic 12,” was first to be proclaimed among the winning senators at the Manila Hotel today, May 17, and in her brief remarks she gave thanks to her mother and her children, and then to the former president Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter. Thus did she indicate where her...
Category: Opinion
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The rhetoric of losing: the rise—and wrong grammar—of the concession speech in the midterm polls
The May 12 midterm elections marked a subtle but significant evolution in Philippine political culture. The speed of the vote counting and canvassing—enabled by digital transmission and streamlined procedures—meant that by the end of Election Day, the candidates and their teams already had a clear sense of who was ahead. This swiftness, ironically, has led...
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The surveys have listed the likely winners, but young voters hold their destiny in their hands
It’s less than two days before the midterm polls, and one’s sense of foreboding takes on deeper proportions with the Social Weather Stations’ final pre-election survey suggesting the composition of the next Senate. Earlier surveys have already suggested the future makeup of the chamber, with observable differences only in the placements of those in the...
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The big question at the conclave: the pope and the Church we should have
As the Vatican’s College of Cardinals gears for the conclave to choose the next pope, the Christian world is rife with speculation as to who will be chosen. The names of “frontrunners” are bandied about, often briefly described as either “conservative” or “progressive” (like the late Pope Francis). Observers also remind us that the next...
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How the Comelec means to fight sex and hate in the election campaign
Incredibly, the disgraced congressional candidate in Pasig City doesn’t get it. In another campaign event he trotted out a member of his team and commented on her looks, prompting the Commission on Elections to again order him to explain why he should not be charged with a poll offense. It’s the second show-cause order issued...
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‘Nanlaban. Tepok.’
At the height of Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs,” there was a huge billboard along C5 in Pasig City that advertised a pesticide called Tepox. It had an image of a dead cockroach, flat on its back and its feet up in the air, with this message: “Ipis. Nanlaban. Tepox.” The tongue-in-cheek ad played on the...
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Duterte’s arrest is about crimes against humanity, not ‘pamumulitika’
Too bad that after the daylong wait on Tuesday for President Marcos Jr. to enlighten the nation on the arrest of Rodrigo Duterte, no one thought to ask, when he agreed to take questions, what he thought of his sister’s statement lamenting the supposed failure of Filipinos to learn from the past. Minutes after the...
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Where love continues to live
EDITOR’S NOTE: With this new section called Young Voices, CoverStory opens space for young people feeling their way into the world and trying to formulate the rhyme and reason behind the paths they choose to take. I came across a post that presented a question: “How do you deal with grief?” Many had answers: Sit...
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Interregnum
Three impeachment complaints against Vice President Sara Duterte are pending in the House of Representatives, filed respectively by members of civic organizations, activist groups, and a coalition of priests and lawyers. A fourth complaint is reported to be in the works. The first two complaints were filed with the expectation that action would be taken...
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Tying up loose ends, or more unraveling in 2025?
We can see more clearly the cycle of renewal and rebirth whenever the holiday season comes and the new year approaches. We want to leave our old selves behind and become better in our collective and individual lives in the new year. As an economy, we want greater wealth and productivity. As a government, we...