‘Epal’ politics and the culture of entitlement
“EPAL” politics did not happen overnight. It flourished because it was tolerated.
For years, the public has been conditioned to see names on roads, faces...
When journalism is treated as terrorism
ON FEBRUARY 7, Frenchie Mae Cumpio, a community journalist from Leyte, marks her sixth year in detention — an incarceration that rights and media...
Citizens as anti-epal watchdogs: Why public reporting matters
GOOD governance does not survive on laws alone. It survives because citizens care enough to defend it.
The renewed government enforcement of the anti-epal policy...
Real test of the anti-epal crackdown
WARNINGS are easy. Enforcement is hard.
This is the crossroads now facing the government’s anti-epal policy following the latest directive from the Department of Interior...
Public funds, public credit
EVERY government project and program carries an invisible signature. It is not the name of a congressman, governor, mayor, or barangay captain. It is...
Public office is not a billboard
GOVERNMENT projects are built with public money. They exist to serve public need. They are not, and should never be, platforms for personal promotion.
The...
Learning the right lesson — or the wrong one
WHEN A security incident erupts at an airport, the instinctive response is almost always the same: deploy more guards, increase police visibility, tighten reactions...
Public convenience vs public safety: A false choice
SPEED is appealing. Safety is essential. Airports should never be forced to choose between the two.
The recent security breach at the Iloilo International Airport...
Airport security by layers, not by luck
AIRPORTS are not secured by good fortune. They are secured by design.
As reported by this paper yesterday, the disturbing incident at Iloilo International Airport...
Festivals as economic equalizers
THE ANNUAL roar of the drums during Dinagyang Festival is often celebrated as proof that Iloilo’s economy is alive and thriving. Packed hotels, busy...