Rappler's latest stories on Thought Leaders
[OPINION] Defiant De Lima enters third year in jail
Detained Senator De Lima is confident that 'the time will come' when people 'will be forced to acknowledge the truth.' Hopefully 'it would not be too late for all of us.'
[OPINION] What are the limits of Comelec's social media monitoring?
Legitimate social media posts made by non-candidates are protected speech and beyond the regulatory reach of the Comelec
[OPINION] There's no chilling effect. Here’s why.
In their own ways, these people are pushing back. They know that dissent is necessary to put in check abusive politicians.
[OPINION] Term limits: Should we abolish them?
Tinkering with the formal rules isn’t nearly enough to see lasting political reforms. We need to revamp as well the informal norms that pervade our political culture.
[OPINION | NEWSPOINT] The ambush of Maria Ressa
Show her up to be vulnerable, subdue her, and a chill probably goes around enough to help ease the way for the authoritarian rule he has been itching to impose. Well, knowing Maria Ressa, she’s not one easily subdued.
[ANALYSIS | Deep Dive] Maria Ressa case and the big chill
Why the charge against Maria Ressa and former Rappler researcher Reynaldo Santos Jr is unconstitutional
[OPINYON] Perspirational speaker: Pangkaraniwan ang lahat, maliban sa pagmamahal
Matagal ko nang inamin sa sarili na hindi ko kayang baguhin ang mundo nang wholesale.... Narito ako para sabihing kapag napagod na tayo sa paghabol sa walang hanggang pangarap, mas masarap palang maging pangkaraniwan.
[ANALYSIS] Manila and Tokyo need tighter security ties
Japan is one of the countries invited to observe the PH-US war games, but it sent actual boots on the ground last year to take part in training exercises
[OPINION] How to make the automated elections less vulnerable to cheats
In the 2019 elections, the Comelec will test a Voter Registration Verification System in one-third of the clustered precincts, mostly in Mindanao
[OPINYON] ‘Taho, taho kayo d’yan!’
Tungkol ito sa kung gaano kalakas ang loob ng dayuhan na manaboy ng taho sa isang pulis. Dahil marahil alam niyang sa bansang ito, walang papalag sa kaniya. Temerity. At siguradong hindi pa ito ang huli.
[OPINION] What the Bangsamoro Museum needs to do
The museum should honor the humblest of the Muslims of the Philippines – not just their leaders, nor only the principals of the protracted peace process
[OPINION] Judicial independence: Democratic counterweight to populist sentiment
As the unelected branch of government, the judiciary’s sole standard of action is the rule of law rather than the public pulse. This is an essential democratic counterweight to the popularly elected officers of government.
[OPINION] Why we need to support free media in era of fake news
As Winston Churchill said, 'A free press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize; it is the most dangerous foe of tyranny'
[ANALYSIS] Why the free tuition law is not pro-poor enough
Its costs are borne mainly by poor and middle-class Filipinos
[ANALYSIS] US finally pays attention to East Asia and the Pacific
This should make Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana's call for a review of the Philippines' treaty with the US more relevant and timely
[ANALYSIS | Deep Dive] Inaccessible SALNs
The House resolution restricting public access to its members' Statements of Assets, Liabilities, and Net Worth might be in conflict with the Constitution
[OPINION | NEWSPOINT] Portrait of the Filipino child as a criminal
Here lies the basic senselessness, ludicrousness, indeed immorality in Gordon’s proposition: How could a nation get built at the cost of the very future, if not the very lives, of its own children?
[ANALYSIS] Jobs, jobs, jobs: Where, where, where?
Despite seeming successes, the Duterte administration has yet to deliver on the job creation front
[ANALYSIS] Despite Duterte rhetoric, US military gains forward base in PH
It's a clear signal that the Americans will stay here, and in the region, for a long time
[OPINYON] Ka-social media
Hindi ko tiyak kung ano ang sasabihin ko sa nawalan ng mahal sa buhay nang bombahin ang katedral sa Jolo, Sulu. Hindi na lamang ito status, platform ng kawalan.
[OPINION] A class war masquerading as a war on crime
The lowering of the age of criminal liability is a draconian effort to control and repress the poor – backed by our society’s upper and middle classes
[OPINION] Rice tariffication good for the country, Filipino farmers
The proposed law removes the National Food Authority's rice import monopoly, and will kick off the process of substantially reducing the inefficiencies and collusion in the rice market system
[ANALYSIS] Why jailing kids is not just cruel, it’s stupid too
Are Filipinos really comfortable with this? Is this a true sentiment of our people that lawmakers are only faithfully expressing and executing?
[OPINION | NEWSPOINT] Where numbers lie
That vote constitutes a referendum for him. In fact, on it depend the immediate chances of him being able to fully, ultimately impose his malign will on us.
[OPINION] In defense of Manila Bay
Manila Bay now has 330 million units of fecal bacteria – a far cry from its one million units 20 years ago. What needs to be done?
[OPINYON] Ang silbi ng social media troll
Ang mas malaking usapin ay hindi ang pamemeke.... Ang mas malaking usapin ay dahil maraming naniniwala sa pineke o retokadong impormasyon
[OPINION] Weaponizing the National Youth Commission
Nowhere in the law does it say that the NYC must be the mouthpiece of the sitting president
[ANALYSIS] Dengvaxia scare: How viral rumors caused outbreaks
Through a combination of fear-mongering, playacting, and politicking, some government officials clearly made the situation worse than it needed to be
[OPINION] What's the right thing to do? #DeleteFacebook
Facebook will not change unless we change
[OPINYON] Dekalogo ng pamamahala para sa henerasyong milenyal
May mga bagong pagsubok tayong kinakaharap dahil sa bagong teknolohiya at pagkasira ng kalikasan. Ang bagong estilo ng pamumuno ay higit na kinakailangan.
[ANALYSIS] Global threat forecast 2019
Harnessing both the physical and virtual space, ISIS continues to present an enduring threat worldwide
[OPINION | Dash of SAS] President Duterte molested his maid. He’s not the only Filipino man to do so
We rage with righteous indignation when migrant workers are abused by their employer abroad, but keep silent when it happens here at home
[OPINION] Constitutional reform in the Philippines is necessary
Most constitutional scholars agree that a constitution is never infallible or immortal. Our very own 1987 Constitution is no exception.
[ANALYSIS] The economic fallacies surrounding martial law’s extension
The greatest danger in the repeated and poorly justified extension of martial law is that it’s a slippery slope to a similar declaration nationwide. Will Congress continue to throw all economic sense out the window?
How Facebook is reconfiguring freedom of speech in situations of mass atrocity
Lessons from Myanmar and the Philippines
[ANALYSIS | Deep Dive] Game changers
No one laughs at the President's jokes, and the Supreme Court becomes supreme again. Why not?
[OPINION | NEWSPOINT] Who to blame: the pollsters or us?
Let’s retest ourselves; let’s set aside the quirks for the moment and review how President Duterte has dealt with the larger matters of public interest
Why is the world silent on China’s Uyghur Muslims?
Protesting against China over the treatment of its minority is, in the eyes of Muslim leaders, presumably not worth the loss of economic privilege and security alliance
On Sionil Jose’s theoretically correct but historically wrong take on the revolution
As the social divide continues, the armed communist revolution will simply endure
[ANALYSIS] New year, new fuel taxes: Do we really need them?
Not only is TRAIN failing to generate enough revenues as expected, it is also demonstrably anti-poor and anti-environment
[OPINION] Xi Falls and Mahathir Rises: Asia's Winners and Losers 2018
Disruption comes to Asia in the Year that Was
[OPINION] Be careful against many antichrists
Do not force the infinite God to fit into our limited minds. They who call God stupid is antichrist. Pray for these people but do not imitate them. Respect them as elders but do not follow their bad example.
[OPINION] Proposed review of PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty: Opening a Pandora's box
A veritable Pandora’s box of nasty surprises would be opened once the Philippines pushes for renegotiations. Is that what the majority of Filipinos want?
[OPINYON] Kung saan na naghahalo ang balat sa tinalupan
Sa taong ito, 2018, higit kailanman, naging lubhang kritikal ang ginampanan ng social media para sa daily dose ng impormasyon (at disimpormasyon) ng marami sa atin
[OPINION] (Some) evil was defeated
We have to work harder to defeat more evil in 2019. Nothing is impossible if we are brave, committed, and united in the face of tyranny.
[OPINION | Deep Dive] 18 words
These are just 18 of the many words that describe my 2018
[OPINION] DFA foils oil exploration with China – for now
Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr emaciates Beijing's MOU to start joint development by making it an 'agreement to negotiate'
[OPINION | Dash of SAS] Miss Spain is a woman
A transwoman broke LGBT barriers by competing in an international beauty pageant. So why are some gay men so upset?
Stand up for the newborn Jesus!
Stand up for life. Stand up for purity. Stand up for human dignity. We cannot find Christmas joy in timidity and cowardice. Stand up and choose the Lord!
[OPINION] Philippines-U.S. friendship rings stronger in 2018
Undoubtedly, the biggest success was the return of the 3 Balangiga Bells
