Randy David | PUBLIC LIVES

Americans who did not vote for Donald Trump in 2016 quickly recovered from the shock of seeing him become United States president in 2016 by taking comfort in the thought that the country’s democratic institutions were strong enough to withstand the autocratic assaults of this supremely narcissistic businessman-politician. The belief in the promise of strong … Read more

Even in our largely pre-modern society, politicians and pastors normally observe a respectful line between their respective domains. To the extent possible, they take care not to cross this sensitive line. But, in the rare times they feel compelled to do otherwise, they do so with studied courtesy, making sure not to offend sensibilities. A … Read more

This piece is not about time travel, though it may well be. It is, more accurately, about the precious experience of seeing people again, more than half a century after we first met them. It is about those rare events in our lives when, in full awareness of the remaining time we have, “everything can … Read more

Russian President Vladimir Putin served as a KGB foreign intelligence officer for 16 years before he was appointed prime minister in August 1999. Only a few months later, he took over the presidency after the resignation of Boris Yeltsin. Thus began his unprecedented rise as Russia’s undisputed leader. At 71, Putin is today Russia’s longest … Read more

On Feb. 25, 1986, the fourth day of people power at Edsa, Cory Aquino took her oath of office as the country’s new president in a brief ceremony held at Club Filipino. Earlier in the day, at a morning ceremony at Malacañang Palace, Ferdinand Marcos Sr. also took his oath for the same office. On … Read more

To all intents and purposes, UniTeam, the North-South partnership that delivered the presidency to Bongbong Marcos (BBM) in 2022 is dead. Like all coalitions of convenience – i.e., alliances without ideology, organization, or long-term program – it was created for one sole purpose: to ensure the election of its principal candidate. The union of the … Read more

Thirty-eight years have passed since we Filipinos stumbled upon a peaceful way of toppling down an entrenched dictatorship. We called it “people power,” a massive protest gathering of people in a public place in sheer defiance of the coercive power of established authority. The world hailed it not just as a model for getting rid … Read more

Freed from foreign domination, China has attempted in various ways to consciously craft its own destiny and show the world that there is a way of organizing and developing society other than that charted by Soviet socialism or Western capitalism. This romantic view is the stuff of radical aspirations not only in the Third World … Read more

One of the most useful insights on education I have come across sums up the function of education as the preparation of individuals to live in future social systems. I’m paraphrasing the sociologist Niklas Luhmann, but the key word in his concept is “future.” It’s hard enough to prepare our children to live in the … Read more

The headlines of the major dailies the other day were about an incumbent senator’s simultaneous exoneration and conviction. The Inquirer put it thus: “Jinggoy guilty of bribery, cleared of ‘pork’ plunder” (News, 1/20/24). This was echoed by The Star’s header: “Jinggoy convicted of bribery, cleared of ‘pork’ plunder.” But the Manila Times summed it all … Read more