Press Freedom Is Under Siege

As part of the global media community, we stand with our colleagues in condemning and resisting all attempts by the Duterte administration to muzzle the freedom of the press, a sacred principle enshrined in the Philippine Constitution.  

We note with increasing alarm the various ways such muzzling has taken form -- from harassment, threats, and the filing of unjust cases, to closure of media outlets and outright murder of journalists. We are not willing to ignore or let pass the "death by a thousand cuts" directed at the press by a regime that has no concept of accountability and whose understanding of democracy is tenuous and self-serving. 

In her article in the Atlantic about Monday's conviction of Maria Ressa and Reynaldo Santos of the crime of cyber-libel, Sheila Coronel, veteran journalist and dean of the Columbia University School of Journalism, says it best: "This is how democracy dies in the 21st century: in a musty courtroom, with a judge invoking Mandela. There are no power grabs in the dead of night, no tanks rolling down the streets, no uniformed officers taking over TV stations. Just the steady drip, drip, drip of the erosion of democratic norms, the corruption of institutions, and the cowardly compromises of decision makers in courts and congresses."

[Read Sheila Coronel's full article here: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/06/maria-ressa-rappler-philippines-democracy/613102/?fbclid=IwAR3wJ69TjZvBqvP6TdNQ0Rp7pJEgIUNzJb7IKfxMg_YpNqiWBWzFgB3hJl8]

We at Positively Filipino give our full support to Maria Ressa, Reynaldo Santos and other real journalists in upholding press freedom by continuing the fight against the legal and actual terrorism foisted on Philippine media. Along with the closure of  ABS-CBN broadcasting network and the pending Anti-Terrorism Law that imperils constitutional rights of political critics, it is clear that the Duterte administration does not respect press freedom and other civil liberties and no longer pretends that there is such a thing as democracy in the country. 

This Week's Stories:

Filipinos For Black Lives By Richard “D-cal” Dacalos

On The Asian Cop Who Did Nothing As George Floyd Lay Dying By Benjamin Pimentel

Fil-Ams Among The Remarkable And Famous, Part 6 By Mona Lisa Yuchengco

Ramon De Ocampo Narrates It All For You By Walter Ang

Read Again: http://www.positivelyfilipino.com/magazine/jose-rizal-martial-arts-warrior

The Happy Home Cook: Beer Boneless Bangus Belly by Rene Astudillo 

Video of the Week: The Philippine Department of Tourism’s tribute to 10 million Filipino workers around the world: Noypi Ka Nga Astig!

In The Know

This Is How Democracy Dies
https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2020/06/maria-ressa-rappler-philippines-democracy/613102/?fbclid=IwAR11rQrkKVjLYk5L1k2NxKjWJF_y0JcJ8JVS4tujTLM65tkTfEgabX4ZTBE

Maria Ressa: The celebrated Philippine news boss enraging Duterte
https://news.yahoo.com/maria-ressa-celebrated-philippine-news-014051537.html

Filipino American Activists Honor History, Take to the Streets in Solidarity With Black Lives Matter Movement
https://www.kqed.org/news/11823900/filipino-american-activists-remember-history-and-take-to-the-streets-in-solidarity-with-black-lives-matter-movement?fbclid=IwAR09UX_i04Ur3hOmqltIXZhUvf7c-Aqp73aJI1C0t6QzT4iSFI-q4in7L6o

The Philippine Gov't Banned Rallies, So Protestors Threw a 'Party' on Independence Day Instead
https://www.vice.com/en_asia/article/935ada/philippine-government-independence-day-rallies-protests?utm_campaign=sharebutton&fbclid=IwAR1zBhWUfH2FpL6uKbH_Laf0GRJXqxXWl3iDTxGLyH7FcVs0uC7Ric6x_Gw

Meet the Filipino offering 200 free meals a day to Dubai’s jobless migrants during coronavirus shutdown
https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3088480/meet-filipina-offering-200-free-meals-day-dubais-jobless?fbclid=IwAR1IKTynta2UOzJ_IGeZvgAKZ2Xo2VBSUVigHNxLQkIfMNrV3lRI_LGA6ts

Lost Footnotes in History: Why Texas Was Once Called New Philippines
https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/features/new-philippines-a00304-20200614?fbclid=IwAR0e6YcNmTxAJbb_R8eadX0CIHsyjq9HCcj89_AyDet-UcoAzCvdTnVCARc

Beyond Einstein: A young Pinoy physicist shines light on black holes, dark energy
https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/06/07/20/beyond-einstein-a-young-pinoy-physicist-shines-light-on-black-holes-dark-energy?fbclid=IwAR0daBfA7RvSMswbYXNO0QsmTdcGcvZ5ZlDE6AVvNifZH4aQNZWHoQjCIuo

Iffy Days Are Here Again

Dark, ominous clouds are looming over the Philippine political landscape. Even as thousands of people -- including a large number of millennials -- had just gathered in various cities all over the country to protest the hero's burial of whatever remains of ex-president Ferdinand Marcos, President Rodrigo Duterte effectively fired two women from his cabinet on Sunday, December 4. Vice President Leni Robredo and Patricia Licuanan, chairperson of the Commission on Higher Education (with a fixed term as mandated by law until 2018), both got text messages from Cabinet Secretary Leandro Evasco Jr. dis-inviting them from attending Cabinet meetings. Reason given, at least to VP Leni, was "irreconcilable differences" with the President. (We are posting the Vice President's resignation announcement, the list of her achievements so far as VP, and Malacanang's official statement on this issue.)

Social media blew up following the announcement: Is the president paving the way for the installation of losing VP contender Bongbong Marcos, who has protested the results of the election? Or is this just a case of President Digong's inability to work with strong women who do not bow to his wishes and his whims? Since he himself admits that he is bipolar, was he on his manic state or his depressive state?

On another issue that's equally disturbing, Fil-Am writer Rene M. Astudillo asks, "Is our Freedom of Speech Under Attack?" The question is relevant in the prevailing atmosphere where trolls, fake news sites, divisiveness and the ascendancy of thin-skinned, authoritarian-leaning leaders are no longer the stuff of horror, but have indeed become reality.

And just a touch of levity in an otherwise scary scenario: Millenials with their generational humor and language dominated the massive protest actions against the burial of Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Here are some examples of the placards they did themselves. 

Interesting times indeed are forthcoming, in the Philippines, the US and the rest of the world where "populist" (code word for racist and authoritarian) leaders seem to be gaining ground. As in every drama and tragedy, the operative word is "Abangan ang susunod na kabanata." (Watch for the next episode).

Tomorrow we join in the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor with a statement fromthe Filipino Veterans' Recognition and Education Project. The Washington DC-based group recently chalked up a major victory with the passing of the bill bestowing the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor to Filipino World War II Veterans. President Obama is slated to sign the bill into law very soon -- one of his last acts as the 44th President of the US. 

Two notable Filipinos are profiled in this issue: Chef Paul Qui who won the "Top Chef - Season 9" of the popular TV show some years back and the James Beard Award for Best Chef for the Southwest in 2012; and Joji Ilagan Bian, a Davao-based educator and entrepreneur. Positively Filipino Contributing Writers Elizabeth Ann Quirino and Serina Aidasani wrote the profiles, respectively.

Our Happy Home Cook recipe of the week: Silken Tofu, Tapioca and Caramel Parfait (aka Taho) from Los Angeles-based chef and cookbook author Marvin Gapultos.

And for our Video of the Week, a powerful, heart-rending video by Ditsi Carolino, Gladys Llanes, and Kyle Venturillo on the new Marcos burial protests.