The Federal Alternative: Will Rodrigo Duterte clinch the presidency? Part II
May 5, 2016
Written by Erwin S. Fernandez. How can one explain the Duterte phenomenon? Firstly Duterte provides an option in which security of persons and property is guaranteed in an environment where they are taken for granted and the rule of law is followed only at the whims and caprices of authorities. Second, Duterte managed to ride …
The Federal Alternative: Will Rodrigo Duterte clinch the presidency? Part I
May 4, 2016
Written by Erwin S. Fernandez. Grace Poe’s citizenship and ten-year residency were legitimated in the heat of judicial bias. As a Pangasinan, I do not consider her a daughter of Pangasinan as her spindoctors would like to project her to Pangasinan voters. Mar Roxas will only continue a standard of incompetence that is the trademark …
A Family Business: The Rise & Fall of the Roxas Dynasty
May 3, 2016
Written by Elliot Newbold With little under a week to go until the Philippine presidential elections, the stage is set for something of a political upset. Currently, the outlandish mayor of Davao City, Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte, holds the lead as the candidate most likely to succeed Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III at Malacañang Palace. Despite brazenly …
Murder of LGBTQ+ editor highlights danger facing all rational voices in Bangladesh
April 28, 2016
Written by Ibtisam Ahmed. The murder of Xulhaz Mannan, the founder and editor of Bangladesh’s first and only LGBTQ+ magazine, Roopban, has drawn the world’s attention to the violence directed against the country’s outspoken supporters of equal rights. His death at the hands of six assailants sent a wave of fear through the community, and …
Hardman Rodrigo Duterte closes in on the Philippine presidency
April 27, 2016
Written by Pauline Eadie. As the Philippines careers towards the May 2016 presidential elections, it looks as if one of the country’s toughest politicians may be about to sweep to power. Rodrigo “Digong” Duterte is currently leading in the polls despite a series of outlandish and outrageous remarks – most recently, a vow to kill …
Philippines 2016: Election Day is All Souls Day
April 26, 2016
Written by Kevin H.R. Villanueva. Politics is performance and the Philippine presidential election is a stage. Binay, Duterte, Roxas, Poe and Defensor-Santiago will each play many parts: they will tap into our deepest desires, draw out our dissatisfactions and lay bare our discords as a people. They will have their exits and their entrances. And …
Philippines 2016: Regional Party Building and for Women in Politics
April 25, 2016
Written by Rosalie Arcala Hall Following the anniversary of the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) in March 2015, the matter regarding the stymied passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) bill was suddenly thrown in the Philippine Presidential campaign limelight. Liberal Party candidate Mar Roxas made an appearance at Moro Islamic …
Philippine Elections 2016: Much Ado About Nothing?
April 21, 2016
Written by Vladimir Guevarra. Well that’s awkward. Some of my friends on Facebook have started attacking each other in defence of their preferred candidate for President of the Philippines. Some of the arguments are rather formal and more measured (“I choose X because of his achievements, including…”), some are moralistic (“I’m surprised some ‘Christians’ would …
On the Second Presidential Debate: Discourses and the Appeal to Voters
April 20, 2016
Written by Bonn Juego. One could only hope that what happened during the second presidential debate between candidates Jojo Binay, Rody Duterte, Grace Poe, and Mar Roxas was the kind of debate that the Philippine society seriously needs. But it did not seem so. Instead of being educational so as to provide voters with ideas …
The Bangsamoro Peace Process Beyond May 2016
April 19, 2016
Written by Julia Palmiano Federer. The current peace process between the Government of the Philippines and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) was dealt a large blow in late January 2016 with the non-passage of a diluted version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). The BBL is a bill slated to transform central elements of the …
