Activist and former two-term member of the Philippine House of Representatives. Blogging since 2004 at mongster's nest. Joined Global Voices in 2006.
Latest posts by Mong Palatino from January, 2009
Indonesia: Fatwa against smoking, yoga, vasectomies….
Indonesian bloggers are reacting to the Fatwa issued by the Indonesian Ulema Council which included, among others, a ban on yoga that contain Hindu elements, a ban on vote abstention, a ban on smoking in public places, and a ban on vasectomy.
Rohingya Muslims facing cultural genocide
Prof. Marranci writes that Rohingya Muslims are “victims of their lack of strategic value, both for their native Southeast Asia and the wider international community.” The Rohingyas are also “facing a slow, silent cultural genocide.”
Protest Video: Dancing Filipina Maids In Hong Kong
There are videos of dancing Filipinos which were conceptualized as a component of protest campaigns. Last month Juana Change videos became popular in the Philippines. These videos were used to express opposition to the administration-sponsored legislative bill that would amend the 1987 Constitution. Another video which entertained the public was the protest dance of Filipina migrant workers in Hong Kong
The plight of the Rohingya
The Rohingya have been called “trafficked victims”, “refugees”, “forced migrants” and “illegal migrants”. The Irrawaddy provides a comprehensive background to the situation of the Rohingya. This issue has involved Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bangladesh and even the United States.
Two-party system inappropriate for Singapore?
groundnotes criticizes Singapore's Prime Minister for saying that political change cannot come from the opposition but from within the ruling party and that a two-party system is not suitable for Singapore because it doesn't have enough talent.
Fiji: Internet and BPO industry
According to The Coconut Wireless, Fiji needs to expand its internet infrastructure if it wants to attract investors in the Business Process Offshoring industry.
Is New Zealand bullying Fiji?
Kiwipolitico accuses New Zealand of being hypocritical and neo-imperialist for criticizing Fiji's military leadership yet it maintains trade and diplomatic relations with countries with “less than stellar human rights records.”
Myanmar: Kachin Conflict
Writing for The Pulitzer Center, Tim Patterson and Ryan Libre explain the backround of the Kachin Conflict in Myanmar. The struggle in Kachin is separate from the campaign of the political opposition of the ethnic Burmese majority.
Cambodia: Demolition of Dey Krahorm Community
A community in Phnom Penh was demolished last Saturday. Aside from the violence, the demolition attracted attention because it was “one of the biggest urban redevelopment stories in the capital over the last decade.” But city officials denied the action was an eviction.
Thailand: Kissing in public
Kissing in Public is an ongoing project in Thailand which invites residents in Thailand to perform the act of, well, kissing in public. According to organizers, this is an exercise in socio-cultural politics. “At the time where all the eyes in Thailand and the media focus on national politics, we’d...
Brunei: Better pay for doctors
Brunei doctors are asking for higher salaries: “Doctors deserve a high salary. After all those long demanding years of study and training; and the demanding long hours of work day and night.”
Indonesia: Psychological tests for police
Jakarta's Police Department ordered its members to undergo psychological examinations to “gauge their ability to endure harsh street conditions in the city.”
Malaysia: Criteria for adding friends on Facebook
Suanie from Malaysia writes her criteria in approving friend requests on popular social networking site Facebook.
Malaysia: Support for retrenched workers
As companies reduce their operations in Malaysia, anilnetto highlights the need for a national retrenchment fund to support workers.
Vietnam: List of Tech bloggers
Fresco 2.0 provides a list of Tech Bloggers who are either native Vietnamese or expats living in Vietnam.
Thailand: Economic conditions last November 2008
The Bank of Thailand released a report on the country's economic and monetary conditions during the month of November 2008. According to the report, “the overall economy notably decelerated. Despite the acceleration in crop production, crop prices continued to decelerate. The number of tourists declined markedly due to the political...
Myanmar e-books
Looking for Myanmar novels? Download e-books by visiting Shwesagar e books.
Myanmar: Extreme cold weather
Myanmar’s mountainous eastern and western border areas are experiencing an unusual freezing weather. The Karen State was declared a disaster area because of the cold temperatures. The province is home to a large refugee population. In Rangoon, the winter is coldest in 30 years.
Myanmar: Cyclone recovery will take four years
According to a UN agency, recovery and reconstruction efforts in the cyclone-ravaged areas of Myanmar will take four years. Last May 2008, a deadly cyclone hit Myanmar.
Malaysia: Lessons from the flooding disaster
Last week, flooding hit several areas in the Sarawak State of Malaysia. Bloggers recount their experience and the lessons to be culled from the flood disaster. The flooding was the worst in years in Malaysia.
Philippines: Helping flood victims through Plurk and blogs
Filipino bloggers have organized a feeding program for the benefit of flood victims in south Philippines. They announced their project through Plurk and other social networking sites.
