Randy David | PUBLIC LIVES 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
“The fist is the synthesis of our theory.” That statement, made sometime in 1920, belongs to a militant follower of Il Duce, Benito Mussolini, the leader of Italian fascism. But, it could have been uttered just as proudly by an ardent DDS (Diehard Duterte Supporter) while executing the fist salute made famous by President Du30. … Read more
There is perhaps no better time to contemplate the cultural shifts that are taking place in our lives than at the end of what seems like an astonishing year. Abroad, news about movie and political celebrities being accused of sexual harassment and assault dominated the final weeks of 2017. One by one, the subjects of … Read more
I don’t particularly like shopping for gifts, except when it concerns our grandchildren. My wife Karina and I have four: two girls and two boys, one each from our four children. Sprung from the same genes, they seem so unlike one another in habits, temperament, and obsessions. Nothing reflects this better than the gifts they … Read more
By “Dutertismo,” I refer to the Filipino incarnation of a style of governance enabled by the public’s faith in the capacity of a tough-talking, willful, and unorthodox leader to carry out drastic actions to solve the nation’s persistent problems. Trusting almost exclusively in the instinctive wisdom of the leader to determine what needs to be … Read more
On Dec. 10, 1948, the United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a historic document that, next to the Bible, has been translated into the most number of languages. The extent of its dissemination, however, does not say how many people have read and understood it, or believe … Read more
Department of Health officials went on television the other night to announce the suspension of the government’s antidengue vaccination program. This move was prompted by the admission of Sanofi Pasteur, the pharmaceutical company behind the vaccine, that the administration of “Dengvaxia” could lead to more severe symptoms for people who have not been previously infected. … Read more