MOHAMMED ALKANDARI WRITES – Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. needed only a few months, after his swearing in as the 17th president of the Philippines, to prove that he would be a better leader than his dictatorial father. As the son of a tyrant synonymous with violence and corruption, Marcos Jr.…
JARED SIVILA WRITES — For many Filipino households, Manny Pacquiao’s fights in the boxing ring were an excuse for celebrations and parties as big as Christmas or Thanksgiving. During his prime, Manny Pacquiao consistently drew an overwhelming audience to watch his finesse and expertise within the ring. The legendary fighter…
NAWAF AL-SABAH WRITES- Although Colombia is the world’s top source of illicit drugs, traffickers have now made Asia a hub for both transportation and consumption. Interestingly, a few years ago, South Asian countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka became vulnerable regions for human trafficking due…
LULU ALKHALIDI WRITES – In polls conducted by Pulse Asian between September 14 and September 20, the rating for Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte’s performance was 91%. The poll was of course conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, with 5% of the population giving a negative response while 4% were undecided. In…
MATTHEW RODRIGUEZ WRITES – After more than 12,000 deaths, the International Criminal Court (ICC) announced it will investigate human rights violations from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “war on drugs.” In July 2016, Duterte made headlines after introducing his anti-drugs initiative, which advocated the killing of anyone associated with the drug…
GUEST CONTRIBUTOR WILLIAM OVERHOLT, OF THE HARVARD ASIA CENTER, TELLS US – A deep look at the Philippines situation challenges fundamental elements of U.S. foreign policy. The seeming immense success of the recent Aquino presidency – with very high growth rates and a decisive move closer to the U.S. because of Chinese…
MARY GRACE COSTA WRITES – The Philippines and the United States have enjoyed a decades-long marriage, but there’s trouble brewing in paradise. Many people didn’t take Philippine President Rodrigo “Rody” Roa Duterte seriously when he said he was considering cutting ties with America and cozying up to Russia and China.…
MARY GRACE COSTA WRITES – In the mood to binge-watch a Filipino TV drama for a long afternoon of frustration, confusion, and catharsis? Look no further than the #DuterteSerye hashtag on Twitter. Rodrigo Duterte left his supporters on a cliffhanger the week before October 16 as they waited for the…
