Philippine Democracy Online

by Evan Larona  The Senate just sent the impeachment case against VP Sara Duterte back to the House. Some see it as procedural, but make no mistake, this was a political defeat for those trying to erase her from the ballot in the 2028 Presidential elections. The frustration is clear in the face of Senator Risa Hontiveros and rightly so.  Let’s be real, this wasn’t about justice but power. While big issues like the GAA anomalies, PhilHealth mess, the ayuda lifestyle, and even the questionable detention of former President Rodrigo Duterte remain untouched, the system tried to punish one political figure who stood in the way. But this move backfired. Now that the impeachment drama is over, will we see the same moral urgency from civil society, institutions, and “rule of law” defenders when it comes to these real national concerns? Or do moral arguments only apply when it’s politically convenient? However you look at it, the cause of the progressive liberals appears defeated....

  By Evan Larona  When corruption stares us in the face. From GAA insertions, the Ayuda lifestyle, to the PhilHealth mess, where was the outrage? Why is it that the cry for the “rule of law” becomes loud only when it’s politically convenient? Justice is not a weapon. It is a principle. And when we invoke it only when it serves our biases, we don’t uphold the law.. we are mocking it. As Carl Schmitt rightly pointed out, the political arises from the friend-enemy distinction, and that is exactly what we’re witnessing. What we’re seeing isn’t just a legal process; it’s a clash of identities, power, and long-standing regional exclusion. We need to stop pretending that political struggles are merely legal disputes, They are not. They are clashes of identity. They are contests of power. They are rooted in the historical exclusion of Mindanao and the Bisaya from the circles of national decision-making. This isn't just about constitutional duties, it's about who gets to shape the nati...

  By Oliver Perater (MSU-IIT)  Education comes from the Latin word ‘educare’ which literally means "to bring out," "to lead forth," or "to nourish”. It means the development of the whole person, i.e., one’s character and humanity, and not just transfer of knowledge and skills. Its primary task is to liberate and never to enslave. I list down below some of the possible reasons behind the proposed reforms in Philippine Education. 1. Cost Efficiency It is cost efficient at the expense of quality, holistic, depth of education, and human development. It is a wrong economic measure. 2. Neo-Liberal Agenda This is not an ideological shift in education because it has been the case for quite some time. Education for too long has been shaped to serve the demands of the global market. The idea is to produce a globally competitive workforce, an idea which could appear to be good and appealing to some uncritical minds. 3. Cultivation of Docile and Uncritical Manpower Strippi...

  By Diane Auza (Central Mindanao University)  “May batang nadapa, ano ang iyong gagawin?” A. Tawagan ang kaibigan mo at tumawa kayo sa kanya B. Tulungan ito C. Wag pansinin D. Sharon Cuneta  Kidding aside, Ethics IS NOT = GMRC/Values Education. Oh, man, I wonder whether these people who decide on these things are actual teachers (actively) teaching. If they are, they should see for themselves how most college students are still at a loss.  We are actually risking and leaving future professionals intellectually and morally unprepared for the weight of the decisions theyll face. The world is not black and white. Being “nice” does not always mean you are doing what is right. It takes ethical reasoning to improve judgement. It takes skill, and like any skill, it must be trained, challenged, and developed ESPECIALLY when a student begins to pursue in fields (medicine, engineering, business, law, education) each of which carries its own ethical dilemmas.  I once had ...

  Sipi ni Dr. Rogelio Bayod  Asa na man ang mga isog nga aktibista sa UP ug uban pang universities? Nganong hilom man mo karon nga ginapamastamasan ang edukasyon pinaagi sa plano CHED Education Committee nga tangtangon ang ubang General Education (GE) subjects apil na ang ETHICS? Kung sa national issues, kusog mo musyagit og hustisya. Karon, nga mismo ang kinauyokan sa edukasyon ilabina ang pag-umol sa panghunahuna, pamatasan, ug pamalandong giatake, nangita ko sa inyong mga alingogngog nga mga tingog dinhi sa social media. Ang pagpanalipod sa GE subjects ilabina ang ETHICS kay dili lang kay para naa moy mga trabaho kay daghan sa inyoha mga teachers sa philosophy ug ethics. Para ni sa kaugmaon sa nasod. Kung kuhaan na gani ta og tulubagon sa pamatasan ug kritikal nga panghunahuna, unsa nalang mahitabo sa umaabot nga mga lider sa atong katilingban? Panawagan ni sa tanan nga edukador, estudyante, ug aktibista: Mata na. Barug na. Panalipdi ang kalidad ug integridad sa atong eduka...

  By Christopher Ryan Maboloc, PhD I don't understand why many of the bright philosophy academics in this country are still discussing Plato or are debating about Plato and Aristotle, or why they are arguing about forms or whether or not human beings have a soul. They use esoteric language when in truth our problems are clear. I have read John Rawls and it is fair to think that he has a lot to say about what matters in this world when it comes to the question of justice. But you need to read Thomas Pogge or Amartya Sen if you want to say a thing or two that's relevant about it.  I remember Fr. Thomas Green who said that if anyone wrote about Aristotle today (he said this in 2001 when I was in his class) his thesis ought to be rejected at once. But that is not the issue that I seek to address. Queen Elizabeth once asked a group of economics experts why they were not able to predict the 2008 financial crisis. Even former US Treasury secretary Alan Grenspan later admitted that he...