In Context Archives - CMFR

Three trips in a month: What did Filipinos gain?

RODRIGO DUTERTE set a record as President by making 19 foreign trips in his first year in office. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has made three so far in one month, with quite a bit of time before marking his 100th day in office.

More than lines on a map: Re the Maguindanao split

THE PEOPLE of Maguindanao have spoken. The plebiscite on September 17 confirmed the split of the province into two -- Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur.

Martial law @ 50: Media repression then and now

SEPTEMBER 21 marks one of the darkest days of Philippines history, when President Ferdinand Marcos issued Proclamation 1081 revoking all civil liberties, shutting down the democratic system of government, and removing all checks and balances so he could establish himself as a dictator backed by the military and police.

On the supposed gains of Duterte’s “war on drugs”: Did bloody policy bring down crime rate?

IT SEEMED like a small matter, another one of those moments when a politician or public official let slip a thought that perhaps was best left unsaid. But CMFR took note of it and felt it was a moment that mattered, offering a chance to examine the message about...

Aborted deal between ABS-CBN, TV5: More than a business deal

WE CAN only speculate what could have been achieved by the planned investments agreement between ABS-CBN and TV5. When the venture was first announced in early August, Filipinos felt hopeful that something big in terms of news and entertainment programs could finally overwhelm the pressures of competition as well...

Media track cuts, spikes in Marcos’ proposed budget

ONCE MORE, ‘tis the season for budget talk. This is one area of concern about which the media can lead with news and commentary to help the public understand whether the budget indicates what the Marcos administration intends to do for the good of the people. The reports on...

Editorial cartoons and the long journey of political commentary

THE SLIDE of print as a source of news continues. And the decision to cut out cartoons from more Op-Ed pages is poignant.

Not just DepEd: Agencies flagged by COA

THE PUBLIC should now be well aware that the Commission on Audit (COA) has flagged various agencies for failing to observe the procedures for spending and accounting for their expenses. But the media have focused more prominently on the questionable procurement of over-priced and “outdated” laptops amounting to PHP...

Media recall problematic ROTC history

IN HIS first State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged Congress to restore the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program for senior high school students. Marcos argued that ROTC builds the youth’s disaster response preparedness.

Press freedom champion: Journalists pay tribute to Former President Ramos

FIDEL V. RAMOS (FVR), the 12th President of the Philippines, died on July 31. He was 94.