Mong Palatino

Islanders protest the planned installation of windmills in Talim, located in the middle of the Philippines' biggest lake, Laguna Lake. Residents said the project will displace communities & destroy the environment. An example of socalled green solution but is actually a development agression project

Why Did Philippine VP Sara Duterte Declare Her Presidential Candidacy? Duterte’s early declaration for the 2028 presidential election is inseparable from her ongoing feud with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

What's next after Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte announced her bid for the presidency? My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2026/02/why-...

What Does It Means to be ‘Pro-China’ in the Philippines? China’s influence and activities are set to animate the political debates in the run-up to the next presidential election in 2028.

Who are the pro-China politicians in the Philippines? And what it means ahead of 2028 presidential elections. My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2026/02/what...

Gen Z are increasingly self-censoring online, fearing cancellation or damage to future job prospects. One Gen Zer explains why young people struggle to deal with the increasing pressure of social media ⬇️
www.indexoncensorship.org/2026/02/uks-...

CPJ’s #2025PrisonCensus found China, Myanmar + Israel are the world’s top jailers of journalists in connection to their work. At least 330 journalists were behind bars globally on Dec. 1, 2025, reflecting growing authoritarianism and escalating numbers of armed conflicts worldwide. cpj.org?p=553128

Asia is the region with the highest number of journalists behind bars in CPJ’s 2025 Prison Census, with 110 journalists accounting for one-third of the global total. cpj.org?p=553128

#JournalismIsNotACrime #PressFreedom

Harassment and security threats forced the cancellation of a Pride-themed community event in Malaysia "This program was not cancelled because it was unlawful, but because an environment was created in which reckless rhetoric, misinformation and fear-mongering made it unsafe for people to gather."

"This program was not cancelled because it was unlawful, but because an environment was created in which reckless rhetoric, misinformation and fear-mongering made it unsafe for people to gather." @mongpalatino.bsky.social

Impeachment and Plunder Raps Filed Against Philippines’ Top Leaders Both President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his estranged vice president, Sara Duterte, are under increasing pressure after a year of outrage and protest.

Prospects of the impeachment cases against Marcos and Duterte in the Philippines. My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2026/01/impe...

Talim island, at the center of Laguna Lake, biggest lake in the Philippines.

#Philippines: We welcome the acquittal of writer and activist Amanda Echanis after five years of unjust detention. Her persecution reflects the dangers of red-tagging and politically motivated charges. Our statement: www.pen-international.org/news/philipp...

The Philippines in 2026: Can Marcos Restore Public Trust? In 2025, Philippine politics was dominated by political feuds and rising public anger at high-level government corruption.

What to expect in Philippine politics in 2026. My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2026/01/the-...

How the Press Reported on the Atomic Bomb | American Experience | PBS Inside the headlines and propaganda that shaped America’s view of Hiroshima and Nagasaki - and how the truth finally got out.

How the atomic bomb was reported in the US

www.pbs.org/wgbh/america...

Journalists flag Samoa’s draft media protocol “It seems that the government is shutting down all avenues to remain transparent. Why does a government do that when there is nothing to hide?”

Concern over a new media protocol proposal in Samoa. My latest piece for @globalvoices.org Advox

globalvoices.org/2026/01/08/j...

Two Philippines in one photo. The skyline of inequality in the capital Metro Manila region

First bike ride in 2026. Rural scenery in lakeside Victoria, Laguna, south of Metro Manila

The Tomorrow Club aims to support and mentor young writers amid polarity and tech-driven chaos “The youth should never believe that history is written only by the victors, or that it can be permanently manipulated through narrative wars.”

In this recent interview with Global Voices (@globalvoices.org), Ege Dündar (@ege-dundar.bsky.social) reflects on the work of the Young Writers Committee (@youngwriterspen.bsky.social) and the increasing importance of supporting emerging voices.
Read more ⬇️

globalvoices.org/2025/12/26/t...

Laguna Lake, largest lake in the Philippines. View from Binangonan, Rizal province, east of capital region Metro Manila

The Tomorrow Club aims to support and mentor young writers amid polarity and tech-driven chaos “The youth should never believe that history is written only by the victors, or that it can be permanently manipulated through narrative wars.”

An interview with @ege-dundar.bsky.social of @peninternational.bsky.social about the Tomorrow Club and its special feature on young Asian writers. I also interviewed Aung from Myanmar. My latest article for @globalvoices.org

globalvoices.org/2025/12/26/t...

"The problem isn’t just overdependence on corruption-driven infrastructure spending but the lack of real structural reform that sustainably boosts domestic aggregate demand. This can be achieved by raising wages, expanding services..." @ibonfoundation.bsky.social

www.ibon.org/the-gdp-grow...

The island chain poses more real threats to the Philippines, compared to the nine dash line. My latest for Bulatlat

www.bulatlat.com/2025/12/23/i...

The Philippines in 2025: Corruption, Accountability, and the Marcos-Duterte Rift President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. came under growing pressure during the course of the year but has managed to survive – at least for now.

An overview of the major political events in the Philippines in 2025, and prospects for 2026, My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2025/12/the-...

The Philippine Bicycle Count Drops Amid Weather and Infastructure Gaps Despite a decline from last year, the citizen-led initiative highlights a growing culture of active mobility in the Philippines

Lower number of bicycle users in the Philippines. Not surprised. Unsafe road conditions

manilastories.com/the-philippi...

A Filipino journalist pushes back against red-tagging and disinformation by taking on Meta In 2023, journalist Cong Corrales filed a landmark case against Meta to obtain the identities behind the accounts that had led a vicious smear operation against him.

In 2023, journalist Cong Corrales filed a landmark case against Meta to obtain the identities behind the accounts that had led a vicious smear operation against him.

‘Allocables’ and other Corruption Keywords in the Philippines Our guide to the key concepts and phrases related to the country’s ever-widening graft scandal.

Allocables, pork barrel, flood control, and other corruption keywords in the Philippines. My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2025/12/allo...

Australia’s world-first teen social media ban begins.

Philippines

As of June 2025, 696 political prisoners are in various detention centers. 163 of them were arrested under Marcos Jr., and they include 136 women, 93 elderly, and 89 sick prisoners. 12 of the prisoners are designated consultants (or staff) in the peace negotiations with the NDF

Human rights day protest in Manila

Corruption Allegations and Family Drama Hound Philippine President Marcos Despite the corruption allegations against him, Marcos has so far survived the crisis, but his presidency has been weakened.

Corruption crisis has reached the Philippine presidential palace. Can Marcos Jr finish his term? My latest piece for @thediplomat.com

thediplomat.com/2025/12/corr...