In Context Archives | Page 2 of 12

Campaign jingles and the sound of misogyny

CAMPAIGN JINGLES add to the fun of elections in the Philippines, with some staying fixed in the mind long after election day. Not having a catchy tune or clever lyrics sets back the candidate, who must draw on other factors to keep their name in voters’ minds.

THE STATE OF MEDIA FREEDOM IN THE PHILIPPINES 2025

THE STATE of media freedom in the Philippines presents the continuing paradox of a libertarian legal framework that protects freedom of expression and press freedom amid forces hostile to the objectives of journalism to create a truly informed community. Historic disruptions have affected the growth of the press in...

Sexism on the campaign trail: Can COMELEC’s rules rein in misogynistic candidates?

SEXISM AND outright misogynism have shown up the lack of reform in the campaign discourse for May 2025 elections, prompting urgent calls to check the trend and to hold politicians accountable.

Blood on the Ballots: Political violence and the Philippine Vote

ELECTION-RELATED violence continues to haunt the democratic exercise in the country, a reality that authorities expect to worsen with the official start of the local campaign period on March 28, 2025. Historically, conflict-prone areas have been noted as “hotspots,” undermining the prospect of free and fair elections.

Election-Related Killings receive scant media attention

VIOLENCE CONTINUES to hound Philippine elections raising questions about the integrity of this fundamental exercise. Since the filing of certificates of candidacies (COCs) in October 2024 until February 17, CMFR counted 29 attacks reported in the media, with seven cases in October, four in November, four in December, 8...

Unpacking SWS’ self-rated poverty, official poverty stats

THE FINDINGS of public opinion polls are newsworthy. These are consistently given prominent time and space by the media, as the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey findings on self-rated poverty (SRP) received in recent coverage. Released on January 8, these revealed 63 percent, or 17.4 million Filipino families,...

Before the meltdown: Trail of massive corruption during Sara Duterte’s short term as DepEd Secretary

VICE PRESIDENT Sara Duterte’s midnight press conference on November 23 was only the tip of outrageous conduct. She has so far refused to yield and cooperate with the House inquiry into her use of confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Office of the...

Legal actions recommended to deal with vice president’s “meltdown”

THE HOUSE order to transfer Zuleika Lopez, Vice President Sara Duterte’s chief of staff, to the Women’s Correctional Facility provoked Duterte to hold her furious virtual press conference at around 12:30 am of November 23. Duterte joined Lopez in her current detention facility in the House premises, acting as...

Following the trail: Agencies, cases tagged in Alice Guo controversy

THE SAGA of suspended Bamban Mayor Alice Guo brought front page attention to issues of national security and the threat of foreign interference in the Philippine government and politics. A foreign national won a seat in a local election and was found to have been involved in an illegal...

Challenging waters: TikTok and the West Philippine Sea

THE WEST Philippine Sea (WPS) dispute has confronted journalists with another challenge -- it seems reports on WPS are barred on certain platforms. TikTok, a social media platform, has captured a huge following among Filipinos in search of or providing distraction, entertainment, even news. However, censorship has reared its...