Only a few weeks after the passage of the Anti-Terrorism Law, the expected crackdown on anti-government activists has stepped up. The draconian legislation would give the Executive unprecedented powers, including… Continue reading "Philippines: Heightening fascism is slowly unraveling, weeks after the passage of the Anti-Terror Law"
Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic afflicting tens of thousands of Filipinos, the officials of national insurance company – PhilHealth – are showing symptoms of a disease long familiar to the country,… Continue reading "Philippines: PhilHealth is ailing with a virus called ‘corruption’ and it is facing near demise"
![Protesters march on the streets of the capital city, Manila, to express opposition against the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill. [Photo from PAMALAKAYA Web]](https://thedefiant.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/104216495_747982836004215_7166561714749197461_o.jpg)
“Attack of the Clones” isn’t just the title of the 2002 release of the Star Wars franchise, it has also become the reality for many activists under the Duterte administration.… Continue reading "Philippines: Even before the Anti-Terrorism Bill is signed into law, the online crackdown of activists has already begun"
![Activist groups stage a protest rally in front of the Philippine National Police headquarters against the Anti-Terrorism Bill. [Photo from Karapatan]](https://thedefiant.net/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/PHL_AntiTerrorBillKArapatan_Karapatan.jpg)
In a rare occasion, human rights groups, church leaders, showbiz celebrities, school administrations, and even global pop star Taylor Swift herself are uniting to criticise the government of President Rodrigo… Continue reading "Philippines: What is the “Anti-Terrorism” Bill and should we be concerned about it?"
The number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase exponentially in the Philippines, giving the government a problem on the reopening of schools and universities. Classes started being suspended in early… Continue reading "Philippines: Why online classes are anti-poor"
Placing entire communities under lockdown have been the go-to response for many countries to the COVID-19 pandemic. This measure is effective in curtailing the spread of the virus, but adversely… Continue reading "Philippines: the poor are being left out by the Duterte government’s COVID-19 response"
The Philippines has claimed the unflattering distinction of having the highest number of COVID-19 cases in the entire South-East Asian region. At the time of writing, the country has 5,878… Continue reading "Philippines: Overcrowded jails are COVID-19 disasters waiting to happen"
As the Philippines struggles to control their rapidly-increasing COVID-19 cases, the Duterte administration is taking advantage of a distracted nation by trampling on their constitutional rights. Continuing with his tradition… Continue reading "Philippines: Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the Duterte government is cracking down on dissent"
On the 1st of April, dozens of residents from Sitio San Roque in Quezon City staged a demonstration asking for food assistance from their local government. The Enhanced Community Quarantine… Continue reading "Philippines: No security measures can trump the basic human instinct to survive"
After going back and forth countless times, it seems President Rodrigo Duterte has finally decided to revoke the Philippines’ Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) with the United States. It can be… Continue reading "The VFA fiasco exposes President Duterte’s heavy-handed approach to decision-making"
