The Diplomat | Author
Mong Palatino
Mong Palatino served for two terms in the House of Representatives in the Philippines representing the youth sector.
He is a regular blogger and Global Voices regional editor for Southeast Asia and Oceania.
Page 8 of 36
February 07, 2022
Presidential Election Campaign Kicks Off in the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
On May 9, 65.7 million Filipinos will go to the polls to choose who will succeed President Rodrigo Duterte.
January 20, 2022
The Philippines in 2022: Elections, Omicron, and a Delayed Recovery
By Mong Palatino
The nation faces a tough year, but the upcoming presidential election heralds winds of change.
December 30, 2021
The Philippines in 2021: Duterte’s Flip-Flops and Women Holding the Line
By Mong Palatino
The past year has reflected the tendencies and eccentricities that marked Rodrigo Duterte's first five years in power.
December 17, 2021
Three Decades of Election Protests in the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
Even compared to past Philippine elections, the upcoming presidential polls are shaping up as unusually divisive.
December 03, 2021
Why the Fight for the Philippines Vice Presidency Matters
By Mong Palatino
Whoever wins the number two slot could end up playing a significant political role in the next administration.
November 01, 2021
Rodrigo Duterte: From Philippine President to Senator?
By Mong Palatino
Duterte is not acting like a leader ready to give up power and secure his legacy, but a frantic politician negotiating for political survival.
October 20, 2021
The Nobel Peace Prize and Free Speech in the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
The awarding of the prize to pioneering journalist Maria Ressa points to the deterioration in press freedom under President Duterte.
September 29, 2021
The Hypocrisy of President Duterte’s UN Speech
By Mong Palatino
Duterte railed against the unjust procurement of COVID-19 vaccines by rich countries when his own government smuggled vaccines for his security team and other top officials.
September 13, 2021
Why are Schools Still Closed in the Philippines?
By Mong Palatino
The decision reflects the highly centralized nature of decision-making under President Rodrigo Duterte.
August 30, 2021
Will Corruption Bring Down the Philippines’ Duterte Government?
By Mong Palatino
Alleged corruption in the procurement of COVID-19 supplies implicates a former aide and close ally of the president.
August 18, 2021
How Rodrigo Duterte Permanently Changed Philippine Elections
By Mong Palatino
The Philippine president's barnstorming run to the presidency has inspired a raft of imitators. Can any succeed?
July 29, 2021
Olympic Champion Hidilyn Diaz Deserves an Apology From the Philippine Government
By Mong Palatino
The Philippines’ first-ever gold medalist had an earlier claim to fame: being accused of conspiring against the Duterte administration.