War on drugs: Learning from experience

In an editorial piece published in the New York Times, former Colombian president Cesar Gaviria had some words for Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte, that is avoiding the mistakes he committed in leading his country’s war on illegal drugs which the Philippines has done since Duterte took office in June last year. It is noted that

Proposals for a federal government

(image courtesy of CNN Philippines) With the Duterte administration yet to fulfill its promises of shifting to a federal system, and the never-ending debates on whether we should initiate such a shift, please let us lay out own proposals for reform. A ceremonial presidency with some reserve powers The president will remain the nominal head

My Take: How to effectively counter a potential ouster plot

With social media abuzz with the so-called #LeniLeaks, i.e. the supposed exchange of messages between journalists working for 2 respectable media institutions, leaders of overseas Filipino groups, and the office of the second highest position in the land. If these are verified, as some top Duterte apologists (Thinking Pinoy, Sass Rogando Sasot, and others) allege,

New friends, new partners

(The Russian Navy anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributz, as photographed, docked in Manila for a four-day goodwill visit. Photo courtesy of CNN Philippines.) One of the first major stories of the year is the  four-day goodwill visit of the Russian Navy in Manila in an effort to expand contact and relations. This has culminated a long-standing

The Singaporean model and its applicability in the Filipino setting

(Apologies for the quite low-quality capture of the iconic Merlion.) In most political forums (most especially those advocating for a shift to a parliamentary form of government), you’ll see how the Philippines is being compared to Singapore, from internet speeds, implementation of laws, how disciplined the people are, how modern the infrastructure is (road, rail,