Journalism Review Archives | Page 62 of 159

MIA again: Duterte “at home” during 2020’s strongest typhoon

CRITICS ON social media were quick to call out the president’s conspicuous absence in government’s response to Super Typhoon Rolly. The world’s strongest tropical cyclone this year ravaged Southern Luzon and the Bicol region last Sunday, November 1, triggering flooding, landslides and lahar flows, destroying thousands of houses and...

Crackdown on corruption? Few reports question Duterte’s “mega task force”

ADMITTING THAT corruption persists under his term, President Rodrigo Duterte on October 27 instructed the Department of Justice to investigate allegations of corruption “in the entire government.” Speaking in a taped address, Duterte said the directive remains in effect until the last day of his term. Apparently, Justice Secretary...

More terror from anti-terrorism law’s IRR

WITH 37 PETITIONS filed before the Supreme Court questioning its constitutionality, the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA)has become one of the most contested laws in recent history. After it was signed into law last July 3, lawyers led the complaints, joined by academics, religious leaders, journalists and other members of civil...

Disaster response lacking in anti-COVID-19 measures

AS THE country braces itself for the landfall of Typhoon Rolly, the 18th tropical cyclone to hit the country this year, the government seems at a loss about how to protect evacuees against COVID-19. Four typhoons slammed the Philippines in a span of two and a half weeks, forcing...

Beyond the “drama”: Reports spotlight human rights violations in Baby River’s burial

THE “CRUEL and inhumane” treatment of a jailed activist during the burial of her three-month-old daughter made international headlines last week. Baby River was the daughter of Reina Mae Nasino, a 23-year old activist arrested last year in one of Manila’s slums in the course of the administration’s crackdown...

Huge drop in drug user numbers? OneNews.ph disputes DDB’s claim

EVEN WITH the COVID-19 crisis, the Duterte administration has continued to fix its attention on the “drug” problem, the object of his centerpiece policy campaign from the very start of his presidency four years ago. In taped briefings to address the country during the pandemic, the president has repeatedly...

Cayetano, Velasco, and Sara Duterte

SPEAKER ALAN Peter Cayetano (1st Dist., Taguig City) finally tendered his irrevocable resignation and conceded the fight for speakership after an election that gave Rep. Lord Allan Velasco the numbers. On October 12, 186 lawmakers gave their vote to Velasco, forcing Cayetano to vacate his post and end the...

Roque’s publicity stunt diverts media attention from tourism issues

THE EIGHT months of strict lockdowns severely affected the country’s tourism sector with an estimated PHP190 billion in lost revenues. The restart is being done in phases. Only two major tourist destinations, Baguio City and Boracay Island, reopened to visitors in October, but with stringent requirements, including negative results...

Cheers! Rappler takes a long hard look at misplaced priorities in 2021 budget

MEDIA HAVE faithfully followed the budget discussion in the HOR. But much of the reporting has been limited to accounts focused on the deliberations on the allocations for each agency, basically picking up quotes from concerned parties, failing to see the forest for the trees. In general, media have...

Is there more to the no-el trial balloon?

THE MEDIA did not quite know what to make of the suggestion. Comelec officials were at the House of Representatives on September 24 to brief lawmakers about its budget of PHP14.6 billion for 2021. But instead of asking them how they are working to make sure a new generation...