Randy David | PUBLIC LIVES

Mike de Leon’s new film, “Citizen Jake,” is a psychosocial drama that focuses on the personal contradictions of a crusading upper middle class “citizen journalist” who appears to lack insight into his own privileges. His inquiry into a gruesome crime leads him to a profound realization of the corrupt system in which he—and, indeed, all … Read more

President Duterte despises international bodies and foreign leaders who comment on the way he runs the Philippine government, so much that he repeatedly declares he is not answerable to any of them so long as the Filipino people support him in what he does. This week, he angrily reacted to the recent move of the … Read more

On a long road trip the other day, I happened to be tuned in to yet another live broadcast of the unending marathon hearing on the impeachment case against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno at the House of Representatives.  In the agenda of the House committee on justice that day was the testimony of the … Read more

Academics like myself who have studied revolutions in other countries initially approached the unfolding event at Edsa in February 1986 with great skepticism. Revolution was certainly on no one’s lips at that point.  That this could be a turning point in any meaningful sense was farthest from our minds. First, because the main characters behind … Read more

The recent appointment by President Duterte of the leader of  Iglesia Ni Cristo, executive minister Eduardo V. Manalo, to a government position presents an interesting case that may test once again the meaning of church-state separation, a principle enshrined in all Filipino constitutions. Apart from the legal issues, it is also worth examining the sociological … Read more

I often wonder which is worse: to be without friends who care or to live without money. I think that, ultimately, it is not having enough friends that is the worse form of poverty. But, in fact, the two are related. Without money, one will likely have little time and less inclination to connect with … Read more

The 1987 Constitution clothed the Office of the Ombudsman with such powers and ironclad autonomy that it may well be seen as the fourth branch of government — even if, by constitutional design, it is not. Run by individuals of unassailable integrity and irrepressible courage, this office could effectively function, when everything else fails, as … Read more

Last Jan. 19, Ateneo de Manila’s chief librarian, Dr. Vernon Totanes, asked the Office of the Ombudsman to investigate the appointment of the new director of the National Library of the Philippines. Totanes claims that the appointment of Cesar Gilbert Q. Adriano, who assumed his office on April 6, 2017, violates the law that specifies … Read more

There’s no question about it: Rappler’s legal troubles were triggered by its commentaries and criticisms of President Duterte and his policies. Mr. Duterte has said many times that he finds these criticisms unfair, and that he will not take them sitting down. Rappler’s persecution follows a clear pattern under this administration. The President has repeatedly … Read more

In today’s world, it would be difficult to understand the structure and organization of any given country’s economy without taking into account global economic developments, and the role that country plays within the world economic system.  A country’s ability to steer its economy in the desired direction is, therefore, very much constrained by the dynamics … Read more