politics + tech + advocacy
Movements
Who’s afraid of a PNoy resignation?
It is now dawning on me and many others that those who wish to keep PNoy while not doing anything to hold him accountable are mainly those who think the unresolved problems will benefit them and their chosen candidates for 2016. These people, who seem to be as self-absorbed as PNoy, view the chances of […]
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Join the battle for the internet
I’m joining the battle for the internet today, Sept. 10, to protect net neutrality. You should too. We Filipinos know how slow internet looks and feels like. It will only get worse if we lose net neutrality in the U.S. and the Philippines. Many Philippine websites are hosted in the U.S. or use U.S.-based hosting services. […]
MoreChallenge is to solve poverty, not just to hide it
Few days ago, as debates raged on the question of the urban poor and how we should solve the issue, I wrote a Note on Facebook. Here it is, improved and extended a little bit. When I was growing up, my family moved from one apartment to another because the parents could only earn so […]
MoreNoynoying 101: Fundamentals and Introduction to Noynoying
From Day One, Filipinos have looked for ways to catch President Aquino’s and his team’s attention whenever they f—k their jobs and whenever they needed to be reminded about their solemn duties and the promises they made during the campaign. Everytime the public would raise a howl over some grave mistake or omission, the routine […]
MoreSelf-fulfilling prophecy: Culture of impunity goes unchallenged under Aquino
Referring to extrajudicial killings and the killing of journalists in the Philippines in his July, 2010 State of the Nation Address, President Benigno Aquino III declared that his administration would “hold murderers accountable.” Despite that pledge, six journalists have been killed since then, or a total of ten since the Ampatuan Massacre of November 23, 2009 claimed the […]
MoreToday, Nov. 21, is Blog Action Day for justice, against impunity
Over 500 days have passed since Benigno Aquino III assumed the presidency on a pro-change platform – but families of victims of extrajudicial killings have been made to wait and to wait longer for presidential action needed to spur decisive action by government. The administration has not done anything meaningful to address the political killings […]
MoreSocial media and conflict reporting
Friends from PECOJON invited me to speak at the forum and awarding of winners in the Red Cross Award for Humanitarian Reporting. The forum and contest revolved around humanitarian reporting, about journalism in the midst of conflict. I was asked to speak on social media, and below are the thoughts that I chose to share, […]
MoreThe people’s impeachment case vs. Ombudsman Merceditas Gutierrez
Merceditas Gutierrez, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s choice of ombudsman, now faces two impeachment complaints now being heard in a single proceeding by the House justice committee. Previous impeachment proceedings against Gutierrez failed when the House of Representatives was still controlled by a pro-Arroyo majority. The new proceeding should have a different outcome. It is only […]
MoreAquino’s challenge: Filipinos on death row in China, elsewhere
Three Filipinos were saved from certain death after the Chinese government postponed their execution on drug trafficking charges but more needs to be done by the Philippine government. Yes, more and much more. According to Migrante International, an alliance of overseas Filipino workers, 125 other Filipinos face the death penalty in a number of countries […]
MoreFull texts of pending ‘Cybercrime’ Prevention bills
While Filipino netizens are pressing government, Congress included, for action so we could finally have #betterinternet, some Members of Congress want to do something else: Launch a crackdown on vaguely-defined “cybercrimes”. Lawmakers have not given up on their dangerous project and on Feb. 2, the House ICT Committee holds a meeting to tackle seven “cybercrime” […]
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