Over fourteen years ago, I ventured into Mindanao with preconceptions etched in my mind. But the longer I stayed, the more I saw, the more I learned to reject the narratives I was fed. A colleague once said, ‘There are over 200 books written about Mindanao, yet none come close to capturing its essence.’ Conflicts are full of contradictions, and the real reasons are often obscured by those who want to hide them.
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Farewell to Saleh Aljafarawi, the 28-year-old Palestinian journalist who was killed by an Israeli-backed gang in Gaza a few days after a ceasefire was declared.
Four years after its enactment, the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (ATA) has been used as a weapon against human rights defenders and non-government organizations. In this episode of Teka, Sandali, we explore how the ATA, alongside the Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 is being wielded by the state to stifle dissent.
Malacañang recently announced the four new sites for the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a treaty that the progressives dubbed as lop-sided for the Philippines. In this episode, we unpack what deals may burden the Filipino people and its violent nature.
Extrajudicial killings, fabricated charges, arbitrary arrests and detentions, red-tagging, and other human rights violations continue under Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s administration.
The overwhelming price increase continues to cripple millions of Filipino families, with inflation climbing to 7.7% in October 2022, the highest rate since the last decade.
Progressive organizations condemn the US-Israel attack on Iran and the continued genocide in Palestine, burning the flag of “the number one terrorist.”
A peasant raises a sickle-shaped propaganda material bearing the call 'down with feudalism'.
Aida Cabradilla, an indigenous Isnag, works on her cornfield in Madduang village, Kabugao, Apayao. Although their field is in an upland location and will not be submerged when the Gened-1, Gened-2, and Madduang dams are built, she fears they will no longer be able to farm because of strict prohibitions on kaingin (slash-and-burn farming) intended to prevent contamination of the reservoir.
Nilbert Marquez, 28, is a Dumagat from Quezon province, stands on a dried-up streambed, sharing stories of the changes he has witnessed since his first day as a forest ranger at Masungi. During his first year, this stream alone would only hold water for about three months each year. Today, it retains water for up to six consecutive months – a clear sign of improvement brought about by consistent and effective conservation efforts.
On International Human Rights Day, Karapatan leads thousands of protesters condemning the continuing violations of human rights and international humanitarian law under the Ferdinand Marcos Jr. administration. Multisectoral progressive groups express strong criticism over the government’s continued failure to hold high-ranking officials accountable amid widespread corruption in flood control and other infrastructure projects.
Progressive groups and anti-corruption advocates gather for the Baha sa Luneta 2.0 anti-corruption protest on November 30, 2025. Protesters marched from various meeting points around Luneta Park despite several attempts by the police to stop the anti-corruption protest.
The coalition, represented by migrants, youths, church sectors, artists, and the broader Filipino community engaged in a dialogue with the Philippine consulate officials to outline key demands.
Journalism students and campus publications from University of the Philippines Diliman held a protest on Nov. 20 reiterating the importance of press freedom in light of the 16th year of the Maguindanao Massacre.
Balikan natin ang inagurasyon ng Philippine General Hospital o PGH noong ikasampu ng Setyembre, 1910.
Last T?h?i?s? week in people's history, balikan natin ang pagpirma sa U.S.-Philippines Military Bases Agreement (MBA) noong March 14, 1947—isang kasunduang umano'y magtitiyak ng seguridad ng bansa. Pero sa realidad, nagdala ito ng pang-aabuso at pananatili ng impluwensyang kolonyal ng Amerika. Ano nga ba ang naging epekto nito, at bakit hanggang ngayon ay may presensya pa rin ang U.S. military sa ating teritoryo?
Balikan natin ang pagtatatag ng Peace Corps noong 1961—isang volunteer program na kunwari’y tungkol sa “pagtulong,” pero ayon sa mga kritiko, isa rin palang anyo ng neokolonyalismo ng U.S. sa mga bansang tulad ng Pilipinas.
Balikan natin ang itinuturing na isa sa mga pinakamadilim na yugto ng ating kasaysayan, ang pagdedeklara ni Ferdinand Marcos Sr. ng martial law noong 1972.
Hanimay Suazo is a high-profile human rights defender in Davao City. In 2019, she was disappeared after being red-tagged by an Army general.
It's the eighth Cordillera Day since James Balao was disappeared.
Over fourteen years ago, I ventured into Mindanao with preconceptions etched in my mind. But the longer I stayed, the more I saw, the more I learned to reject the narratives I was fed. A colleague once said, ‘There are over 200 books written about Mindanao, yet none come close to capturing its essence.’ Conflicts are full of contradictions, and the real reasons are often obscured by those who want to hide them.
For the Dayak, it is not just about the food but it is about preserving their connection to the land that defines their identity and survival as Indigenous Peoples.
While the Masungi Georeserve continues to fight on all fronts – legal, political, and territorial – forest rangers like Nilbert remain on the ground, steadfast in their daily work of protecting and growing the forest.
In 2022, as tourism in the Philippines began to reopen after the pandemic and Kaputian Falls gained popularity online, the youth of San Gabriel saw the need to establish a group dedicated to protecting their community’s natural resources.
Mga Pilipinong rebolusyonaryo sa Netherlands. Mga mangingisdang nakikipagtagisan sa iba't ibang pwersa sa West Philippine Sea. At mga aktibistang tinarget ng karahasan ng estado sa Cagayan Valley.
Their message is clear: environmental protection and biodiversity conservation are not optional: these are human and environmental rights that demand concrete commitment from the government to safeguard nature and the people who defend it.
Copra farmers in Bicol have endured decades of misery due to feudal conditions.
For years, Southern Tagalog has been one of the priority areas in the government's counterinsurgency program. Social injustice breeds resistance, and the struggle for land, jobs and decent life has been met by vicious attacks.
In this podcast-documentary, let us hear the stories of migrant Filipinos who continue to soldier on despite the personal struggles that they have to go through.
Isang premyadong makata, mamamahayag, at manggagawang pangkultura, inialay ni Richard Regadillo Gappi (1971-2022) ang kaniyang sining sa pagsisilbi sa bayan. Naging masugid na kontributor ng bulatlat.com si Gappi, kilala rin sa palayaw na “Insad.”
All ears, journalism students. There's no other way but to love Math. Bulatlat journalists Rein Tarinay and Dawn Cecilia Peña sit down for a huntahan on the importance of research, and how numbers and data can be used to speak truth to power.
