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.
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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.
July 07, 2021
Why are Former Philippine Presidents Running for Lower-Level Posts?
By Mong Palatino
President Duterte's mooted vice presidential run would follow in the footsteps of other recent ex-leaders.
June 08, 2021
Duterte’s Forgotten Federalism Agenda is Dead
By Mong Palatino
Duterte's promise to introduce a federal system joins a long list of unfulfilled campaign promises.
May 17, 2021
Can a United Opposition Defeat Duterte at the 2022 Philippine Elections?
By Mong Palatino
In attempting to bring together a scattered opposition, the recently launched 1Sambayan movement faces a host of challenges.
March 26, 2021
A Philippine Plebiscite That Rebuked President Duterte and China
By Mong Palatino
Voters' rejection of a plan to subdivide the island of Palawan into three provinces has been hailed as a victory against oligarchy and foreign encroachment.
March 09, 2021
Myanmar’s Coup: The View from Manila
By Mong Palatino
The Philippines government has condemned the military coup, but does not want any similar scrutiny of its own human rights record.
February 02, 2021
A Brief History of Charter Change Attempts in the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
Successive Filipino leaders have sought to amend the country's constitution. Will Rodrigo Duterte succeed where his predecessors have failed?
December 28, 2020
A Deadly and Disastrous 2020 for the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
Guilty or not for exacerbating the suffering of Filipinos in 2020, Duterte is facing potentially tougher challenges in 2021.