Deep in the south of Egypt a young woman once told me, “Being a journalist at a local newspaper has given me the opportunity to discover and assert who I am. What my community is and what it needs. Not be told who we are and are supposed to be.” As we near World News...
Tag: democracy
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Martial law 52nd: Little fires in the rain
The latest tropical depression had already exited the Philippine area of responsibility, but the rain persisted. In the morning, the weather bureau put out a thunderstorm advisory for Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon, and sure enough, it poured hard all afternoon before the skies gradually lightened on that evening of Sept. 21, the...
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‘Spirit of the Glass’ keeps the fight for human rights alive
“Spirt of the Glass,” a new play written by Bonifacio P. Ilagan and directed by Joel Lamangan, had a brief run at the IBG-KAL Theater at the University of the Philippines, Diliman on March 8-10, with two performances per day. We caught the 2:30 p.m. show (the other was at 7 p.m.) on March 10,...
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‘Buhay ang Edsa’ Campaign Network marks 38th year of People Power Revolt
The historic 1986 Edsa People Power Revolt was commemorated yesterday, Feb. 25, by the BuhayAngEdsa Campaign Network with three distinct events celebrating democracy and solidarity. ‘Edsa Freedom Ride’ In the early morning, over 100 cyclists, skaters, and joggers converged on Ayala Avenue in Makati City for an “Edsa Freedom Ride.” The event was organized by...
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Why you should vote in the Oct. 30 barangay elections
The barangay is the smallest political unit in the Philippines. But for Filipinos, the barangay represents more than just a government identity. It is also the smallest territorial unit that embodies a community. These two “faces” of the barangay—being both a local government and a community—give it a distinct significance in Philippine democracy, said Michael...
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UP academic community in disquiet, laments ‘loss’ of democratic governance
The recent appointment of the new chancellor of the University of the Philippines Diliman has been disquieting for the academic community of students, faculty and staff in the country’s premier university, and the growing resentment against the selection process could turn into resistance to the administration of the new UP president, Angelo Jimenez. On April...
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Southeast Asia, democratic deficit
Southeast Asia is a favored region for investments and trade by developed countries seeking to rebound from the pandemic and other economic problems. In terms of its political indicators, however, the region is hobbled by varying levels of democratic deficits. Nikkei Asia observes that Southeast Asia remains “largely a fortress of authoritarianism, with military-based regimes...