Latest posts by Mong Palatino from September, 2014
Pope Francis will Visit the “Ground Zero’ of Typhoon Haiyan Disaster in the Philippines
The official logo and website related to the Philippine visit of Pope Francis in January 2015 have been unveiled already. Pope Francis will visit Manila and Tacloban. Tacloban is the “ground zero” of the Typhoon Haiyan disaster which claimed the lives of more than 6,000 people in the Eastern Visayas...
Laos Joins Southeast Asian Neighbors in Imposing Stricter Internet Controls
The new law will criminalize online criticism of government policies and outlaw "Spreading information that distorts truth or tarnishes the dignity and rights of individuals, sectors, institutions and organizations."
Wanna Learn the Khmer Language? Check Out this Audio Dictionary
Kheng.Info is a useful portal to learn Khmer, the official language of Cambodia. Aside from word translation, the website also offers an audio recording of Khmer words which is helpful to understand the meaning of the Khmer script. Check out how the word ‘love’ translates to Khmer:
Film Shows How a Malaysian Tribe is Stopping Loggers from Destroying their Land
Sunset Over Selungo is a 30-minute film documenting how the indigenous Penan tribe is defending the remaining rainforest of Borneo island in Malaysia. Borneo is the largest island in Asia. The film was made by independent British filmmaker Ross Harrison
Singapore Bans Film Featuring Political Exiles Saying it ‘Undermines National Security’
The Singapore government considers the interview with exiled activists and aging communists as a threat to national security
Cambodian Garment Workers Are Pressuring H&M, Walmart and Zara to Make Their Suppliers Pay a Living Wage
The workers are demanding a monthly minimum wage of 177 US dollars. A previous strike in January was the target of a violent crackdown that left five workers dead.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Apologizes for Suggesting Bikinis Raise the Murder Rate Among Tourists
Thailand's Prime Minister has had to apologize for a sexist gaffe following the murder of two British tourists.
Digital Library of Traditional Philippine Healing Practices
Initiated by several government agencies, the Philippine Traditional Knowledge Digital Library on Health (TKDL-Health) seeks to document and digitize indigenous health practices in the country. The communities, characteristically living in the mountains or their fringes, have depended mostly on plants and other natural products from the forest to prevent or...
Using Mobile Phones to Connect Pregnant Women and Midwives in Timor Leste
Liga Inan is using mobile phones to connect pregnant women and health workers in Timor Leste. The innovative program provides mothers with vital information and health advice to ensure the safe delivery of babies. Since its launch, almost 2,000 mothers have been already enrolled in the program.
Criticizing the Government Could Get You Arrested in Malaysia. Is it Time to Repeal the Sedition Act?
The law was passed in 1948 and it has been used ever since to harass the opposition
Bamboo, Launch, Compound and Other English Words Borrowed from Malaysia
Writing for Coconuts KL, Lai Chee Seng listed 10 common English words which have Malaysian roots. For example, bamboo derived from the Malay word mambu or samambu, compound came from the Malay word kampung which means village or a group of buildings, and launch was borrowed from the Malay word...
Search and Destroy Mission for the 80 Million “Bombies” in Laos
Al Jazeera's 101 East episode tackles the efforts of women workers in Laos to find and destroy unexploded cluster bombs dropped by the United States during the Vietnam War era. The U.S. dropped 260 million bombs in Laos but about 80 million bomblets did not detonate which posed a continuing...
East Timor’s “Repressive” Media Law Declared Unconstitutional
East Timor journalists and human rights groups scored partial victory when the Court of Appeal ruled that the Press Law passed by parliament last May is unconstitutional.
‘Anti-Selfie Bill’ Breeds Discontent in the Philippines
A proposed bill in the Philippines would make it illegal to photograph anyone -- even public officials -- without their permission.
New Spider Species in Borneo Named After Missing Activist
A new spider species in Borneo discovered by Swiss scientists was named after Bruno Manser, an environmentalist who went missing in the state of Sarawak in Malaysia in 2000. Bruno Manser has been campaigning for the protection of the nomadic Penan people and against the destruction of Sarawak rainforest when...