Randy David | PUBLIC LIVES

The easiest thing in the world to do is to blame corruption on those institutions perceived to be primarily responsible for the morals of a society, namely, the churches and the schools.  This attitude exaggerates the role of priests and teachers as determinants of the everyday conduct of individuals in the modern world.  Why not … Read more

Any attempt to view Philippine politics through the prism of Thai politics, or vice-versa, can only produce a distorted picture of the situation in both countries. There are important parallelisms. But there are also great differences – especially in historical background and cultural context. It is tempting, no doubt, to see the disgraced former prime … Read more

While often confused with National Heroes Day, November 30 is a day we set aside to remember the heroism of Andres Bonifacio, the father of the Philippine Revolution. It is his birthday, the feast day of St. Andrew, after whom he was named.  Most Filipinos do not remember when he died, or indeed, how he … Read more

Ask Filipinos if they think the basic problem of the nation today lies in the system of government or in the shameful quality of their political leaders.  Ask them what they think needs to be urgently replaced – the Constitution or the present crop of politicians?  I will bet my last peso their answer will … Read more

What was being fertilized with the P728-million fertilizer fund was not agricultural land but the barren soil of traditional politics.  And this was carried out not by a shrewd solitary operator, but with the consent and connivance of a large number of politicians and public officials.  The fund, originally set aside for agriculture, was released … Read more

He was, by any measure, the superior candidate:  clear and eloquent where his opponent often mumbled and stuttered, cool and eventempered even when the other would dish out sharp rebukes.  Barack Obama projected a high-mindedness that made the veteran John McCain sound petty and insular. He was charming and attentive, where the latter appeared condescending … Read more

As a young boy growing up in the provinces, I used to go to the cemetery at this time of the year, not to visit the dead, but to fly kites. There, on top of the blocks of tombs that housed the dead, I would set my frail paper kite against the chilly November wind.  … Read more

My brother, Bishop Pablo David (“Bishop Ambo”) became auxiliary bishop of San Fernando Pampanga two years ago. In this role, he assists Archbishop Paciano Aniceto, the head of the diocese. In the Vatican’s roster of bishops, however, Bishop Ambo carries the extra title “Vescovo Titolare di Guardialfiera.” Where is Guardialfiera? And what does it mean … Read more

No one who has watched Barack Obama’s meteoric rise in American politics in the last four years can fail to be intrigued by what he represents.  More than his charismatic presence and eloquence, I think it is Obama’s deep understanding of the major themes of American culture that has given him an intimate connection to … Read more

We do not know when exactly the term “civil society” first entered the vocabulary of Philippine politics.  But sometime in the early ‘80s, just before Edsa 1, it gradually replaced the awkward phrase “causeoriented organizations.” And, while it includes in its ranks diverse types of non-government organizations or NGOs, the name “civil society” itself increasingly … Read more