Bulatlat Perspective Archives

Hands off Bulatlat contributor Kaizzer Manuba!

Ms. Manuba, reporting for Bulatlat on election day, did not violate any provision of the Data Privacy Act. Section 4(d) of the said law expressly excludes the processing of personal information for journalistic purposes from its scope. Verily, a photograph taken of a public officer, in a public place, and on the occasion of an important public event for eventual publication as journalistic content cannot be a violation of the law. Moreover, merely citing that fact that police personnel are on site cannot at all be considered a defamatory imputation.

Dominic Gutoman | May 19, 2025

Why we don’t need a law against ‘fake news’

Allowing the government to determine which is fake and which is true is giving them the authority to censor media content.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Mar 27, 2025

Rising up for justice

Yesterday, the nation saw the light of justice after many years of darkness. We welcome it with tears, joy and hope.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Mar 12, 2025

Keeping EDSA alive

Such efforts at twisting history should be met with resistance. Resist by exposing the lies, shedding light on the truth, and preserving our collective memory.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Feb 21, 2025

#Bulatlat24 | A commitment to serve the people

Alone we cannot do it. A big part of that is because of our readers and supporters, and our reason for being – the marginalized and oppressed sectors, the ordinary Filipinos whose miseries and victories we strive to amplify in every story we produce.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Feb 7, 2025

Fake opposition

The two dynasties are competing against their track records in terms of corruption, human rights violations and subservience to foreign masters.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jul 11, 2024

Terror-tagging and censorship

The NTC memorandum blocking the 27 websites not only violates the right to publish and the right to free expression of the media outfits and organizations but also the right of their readers and subscribers to access alternative information and analyses, including those not found in other websites.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jun 6, 2024

Red-tagging as a policy

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said last week that he does not see any need to abolish the National Task Force to End the Local Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC). He claimed that red-tagging does not come from the government but from “kung sino-sino” (other people). There is irony...

Ronalyn V. Olea | May 23, 2024

Exposing the NTF-ELCAC and military

What we witnessed is the bravery of two environmental defenders in the face of outright repression.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Sep 20, 2023

Why are the powers that be so afraid of our truth-telling?

This is prior restraint against protected speech. It is downright unacceptable as it is based on Esperon's mere hearsay.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jun 22, 2022

Duterte’s predatory cyberwar against press freedom

These attacks underscore once again how far the Duterte administration can go in silencing the press. The recent cyberattacks are not isolated from other forms of assault on the Philippine media. These are part of Duterte’s arsenal of weapons as a “predator of press freedom,” an apt description from the Reporters Without Borders.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jul 6, 2021

State forces apparently behind the cyber-attacks against PH alternative media

We are not surprised by the results of the recent digital forensic. State agents and the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) have consistently labeled us as communist fronts for pursuing journalism for the people. Still, we are angered that taxpayers’ money is being spent to bring down our website, and to deny our readers access to our reportage.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jun 23, 2021

Defund NTF-ELCAC

The long queue to get food is proof of the government’s short-sightedness in dealing with the pandemic. The death of a senior citizen while lining up in a community pantry is an indictment of the government’s failure in many aspects.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Apr 24, 2021

We will not be muzzled

The red-taggers’ mantra “If you are not with us, you are against us” is so skewed and illogical. The media’s role is to serve as a watchdog of wrongdoings especially by those in power.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Dec 7, 2020

No deal? Pardon of Pemberton is a spit on national sovereignty

Billion-dollar military deals provide context to the release of Pemberton.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Sep 16, 2020

State-perpetrated killings must stop

Duterte publicly labeled the communists as the number one threat to national security in his speech on June 22. He also declared communists as terrorists on July 8. Are these not treated as orders from the Armed Forces of the Philippines commander-in-chief? Are these statements aiming to justify the attacks on so-called communist-terrorists?

Ronalyn V. Olea | Aug 21, 2020

Who is the real “pasaway”?

While the Duterte administration has implemented a two-week stricter lockdown, other legitimate demands raised by medical experts have been largely ignored. It must be pointed out that many of the recommendations have been articulated by several health NGOs since day 1 but, unfortunately, these have fallen on deaf ears.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Aug 7, 2020

Not a dictator?

Behind his macho posture and ashen face, Duterte is afraid to the core. He is fighting against the prospect of him being made to account for all his crimes. He is doing everything to stop us, the Filipino people, from exercising our right to have better governance and better society.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jul 16, 2020

Duterte and the terrors of his ways

The very act of spreading fear reveals this administration's fear of the power of the people.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jun 11, 2020

Debunking government’s defense of the anti-terror bill

Who have been declared “communist-terrorists” by state security forces and the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict? Practically all sectoral organizations advocating for reforms and genuine change. They did not spread terror or cause panic among the public but called on the government to act on legitimate demands of ordinary citizens.

Ronalyn V. Olea | Jun 6, 2020

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