Philippines News Highlights

By: Bob Boyer

 

Iregularly save news highlights, from several sources, that I want to write about. Often I am unable to report on these highlights. They are interesting and important but not for a complete article. This year I’ve decided to share a select list of my favorite highlights, mostly from the second half of 2019.

“New Weapon Against ISIS in the Philippines: A $58,000 Water Pump”: U. S. Army soldiers, as they have in the past, are assisting farmers to succeed and not be enticed to join local ISIS terrorists, in this case, in the area of the village of Padas in Muslim Mindanao. (“The New York Times (NYT) International,” Thomas Gibbins-Neff, Sunday, April 28, 2019)

“U.N. Seeks Probe on Duterte’s Drug War”: The U.N. Human Rights Council voted (18-14) to investigate reports of vigilante or extra-judicial killings, mostly of street addicts. The Council asked the Philippines to join the investigation. Two member nations (China and the Philippines) voted against the motion. After the motion passed Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the U.N. (“The Wall Street Journal” (WSJ), Jake Maxwell Watts, Friday, July 12, 2019)

“Duterte Critics Laud U.N. Vote on Killings”: The Associated Press’ Jim Gomez reported on the U.N. vote and included a photograph of Filipino human rights advocates displaying placards promoting the investigation. He quotes imprisoned Filipino Senator Leila de Lima, a Duterte critic from the start of Duterte’s term. (“The Green Bay Press Gazette,” July 13, 2019)

“In Global Tech Fight U.S. Loses an Ally”: The Philippines is changing sides by joining with China in the “U.S.—China Technology War.” This is a major shift for the Philippines, a traditional U.S. ally, in a major trade war with global consequences. (“WSJ, Niharika Mandhana, July 16, 2019)

“What Makes an American?”: The central point of this article is in the sub-headline, “The story of one Filipino family in Texas shows the power of assimilation.” The article concludes with the observation about one of the children, “She didn’t replace an American. She became one.” (NYT Sunday Review, Jason De Parle, August 11, 2019)

“Carlos Celedran, 46, Activist Who Fled from Philippines”: Mr. Celebran, a Manileño, charmed rich and poor alike as a satirical cartoonist and a performance artist. He was arrested for protesting, during a Catholic Mass in the Manila Cathedral, against the Catholic Church’s opposition to making birth-control accessible to poor women. He fl ed to Spain to avoid going to prison (“at least it’s not Siberia”). (NYT Obituaries, Jason Gutierrez, Oct. 13, 2019)

“The Journalist and the Autocrat”: Investigative journalist and editor of the online news magazine, “Rappler,” Maria Ressa,” and her staff of a dozen reporters, mostly women, have been attacking President Duterte relentlessly, despite the president’s angry, public verbal attacks on them. Their main focus is Duterte’s Drug War. This was a major Sunday NYT Magazine interview-report. (NYT, Joshua Hammer with photographer Hannah Reyes Morales, October 20, 2019)

“Duterte Names Foe to Lead Drug War”: This news amazed everyone. President Duterte actually appointed Vice President Leni Robredo, who basically leads the public opposition to many of his policies, especially his War on Drugs, to take complete charge of implementing that policy. (Spoiler: Duterte has since fired her from this assignment). (WSJ, Niharika Mandhana, November 11, 2019) “The Lonely and Dangerous Life of the Filipino Seafarer”: The journalist reports from “Aboard the UBC Cyprus in The North Pacific.” During one voyage from the Philippines to Japan the author interviews many of the 19 Filipino crew members. Clearly the dominant response of the crew is that their work is lonely, “tedious” and “taxing” but also lucrative. (NYT, Aurora Almendral, Sunday, December 1, 2019)

I trust that readers will have a few takeaways from the headlines cited. Most obviously, two of my regular sources for keeping informed about the Philippines are NYT and WSJ. I like to think that these two newspapers, one leaning liberal, the other conservative, offer a balanced view. Nonetheless some will argue that both of these sources are American. Actually more often than not, both newspapers utilize Filipino or other Asian journalists or foreign correspondents living in the Philippines.

Another takeaway: the name of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pops up regularly. That’s not surprising, given his assertiveness in policy making as well as his dramatic and sometimes deliberately shocking presentation and implementation of these policies. In particular, I intend to follow the fascinating dynamic between him and Vice President Robredo in 2020.

As 2019 comes to an end and 2020 enters, my best wishes for a Happy Holiday Season. As always, I look forward to hearing from readers at <Robert.boyer@snc.edu>