The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting,” wrote the Czech novelist Milan Kundera. Forgetting has always been one of our nation’s gravest afflictions. We forget the abuses and excesses of power even when their traces still haunt our daily lives. We keep electing the same bad leaders, conveniently overlooking … Read more
The government of the day—the administration of President Marcos Jr. and Congress—is not the entire state. Its failures may expose flaws in the Constitution, but they do not necessarily undermine the viability of the constitutional state itself. It is worth keeping this distinction in mind amid the growing calls questioning the Marcos government’s capacity to … Read more
The magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Bogo City, Cebu, a few days ago reminds us of the fragility of human-made structures when tested by nature’s force. Age-old churches, modern malls—everything can collapse in seconds. We are taught, again and again, that while disasters may be natural in origin, their consequences are largely shaped by the society … Read more
The nation may appear politically, economically, and culturally divided. But on one thing there seems to be agreement: the people are angry—very angry. They feel betrayed by their government. They look at their leaders’ possessions and lifestyles, then look at their own. The difference is so stark that they cannot be blamed for thinking that … Read more
Fifty-three years ago, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., seizing upon a little-known provision of the 1935 Constitution, placed the entire country under martial law. He justified it as the only way to save the republic from a supposed leftist-rightist conspiracy. But it soon became clear that the threat was only a pretext. Marcos used the emergency powers … Read more
We are in the midst of a political crisis whose outlines are still forming. What began as the usual whispers about corruption in the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has now burst into the open, with names and faces attached. Public anger is rising, and what is at stake is not only the … Read more
Nations have always watched one another. What happens in one becomes a mirror for the other. In that sense, peoples of different countries often see themselves through the lens of their neighbors’ experiences and actions. What they take from these mirror images, however, and how long it will take them to change the course of … Read more
Why do some people, particularly those who have become suddenly rich, flaunt their wealth? It’s a question one may ask after watching video clips where owners share glimpses of their opulent houses, their vehicles, jewelry, designer bags, shoes, and latest acquisitions. Aren’t they afraid of inviting scrutiny from customs and tax officials? Aren’t they worried … Read more
The current uproar over ghost, overpriced, and substandard flood control projects has again put corruption at the center of public outrage. But when I hear officials and commentators describe it as “systemic,” my ears perk up. In the social sciences, the term has a precise meaning: it refers to behavior that persists because it plays … Read more
To stand up to words means, first, to recognize the hidden agendas lurking behind harmless-sounding words, and second, to resist the allure of euphemisms that creep into everyday usage. One obvious example is “gaming”—a euphemism for gambling. Casino operators are now rebranded as “gaming merchants,” whose business is to package and sell “fun” or “entertainment.” … Read more