There were many ways to silence democracy during the martial rule of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr.: Immobilize someone on a bench and pour water continuously on their face until they confess to their “crime” or reveal their comrades’ whereabouts; monopolize the media; or, during a house raid, shoot an activist dead and employ...
Tag: politics
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Even before campaign period, TV, radio ads of candidates exceeded P10B before discounts
Candidates in the May elections aired television and radio ads worth over P10 billion before discounts from January to December 2024, based on newly released data from Nielsen Ad Intel. Only four senatorial candidates accounted for 60% of the total amount, raising concerns among electoral reform advocates about the advantage wealthy and well-connected candidates have...
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Vice President Sara Duterte is impeached
The House of Representatives impeached Vice President Sara Duterte and immediately transmitted the complaint to the Senate on Wednesday, the last session day of Congress before it takes a four-month-long break for the midterm campaign and elections in May. “This complaint unmasks Sara Zimmerman Duterte, Vice President of the Republic, for what she truly is. She has...
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Sen. Risa Hontiveros: ‘Teen pregnancy is an ongoing national and social emergency’
It is a trying time for Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the principal author of Senate Bill No. 1979 which aims “to educate, support and protect our children and students against early pregnancy” through such means as comprehensive sexuality education. Hontiveros has introduced last-minute changes to the measure in an effort to bring more clarity to it...
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Are candidates funding their own campaigns?
(Last of two parts) As early as January last year, Sen. Imee Marcos already aired 271 TV and radio ad spots worth P21 million based on published rate cards or before discounts. Every month after, President Marcos Jr.’s sister appeared on Filipino voters’ TV screens and spoke in radios across the country. She gradually increased...
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Patronage funds, bloated allocations mark 2025 nat’l budget, says ex-DBM chief
House Speaker Martin Romualdez handing out “ayuda” or cash aid to the poor in a Quezon City mall not only seemed odd but also violated the Supreme Court’s ruling on the “pork barrel,” according to former budget secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad. Politicians have been enjoying greater leeway in selecting beneficiaries and determining amounts of aid...
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Candidates aired P4B worth of TV, radio ads before filing
(First of two parts) Ads worth more than P4 billion have already aired on TV and radio stations across the Philippines even before candidates filed their certificates of candidacy (CoCs) last October. Close to a hundred candidates for senator, party-list and district representatives, other local positions, as well as political parties, had TV spots worth...
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In 2024, workers were caught between economic difficulties and political intramurals
Last year, workers faced severe challenges in their wages, benefits and working conditions as they were caught in the vise of economic difficulties brought about by the cost-of-living crisis and escalating intramurals between the two leading political dynasties in the country. While the average inflation of 3.2% in 2024 was almost half compared to 2023,...
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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...