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
‘Free yourselves from fear’: Cambodian youth activists fight for environmental justice
"The more they arrest our members, the more defenders are coming up. We will be always here fighting for environmental justice."
How tech companies enable censorship in Vietnam
"Our findings show a concerning situation where these companies almost always comply with an increasing number of content moderation requests from the Vietnamese government."
Indonesia’s new government pushes transmigration plan, stirring protests in Papua
"Transmigration has produced structural discrimination in education, land rights, and employment. There is high level of income and wealth inequality between Papuans and Indonesians, while migrants dominate the labour market."
Protests erupt in New Zealand over Treaty Principles Bill
"This bill fails to uphold the promises made in the Treaty and disregards the voices of Māori."
Palau newspaper faces defamation charges over leaked tax report
"The council sees this legal action as an assault on press freedom and an attempt to undermine the accountability that is vital to democracy."
Impunity continues to threaten the work of journalists across Southeast Asia
"While there is inherent risk in journalism and media work, attacks against journalists cannot be normalized."
Activists sound alarm over rising forced disappearance cases in the Philippines
"No marker…no name carved in stone yet we remember those who have disappeared. They will forever live in our defiance."
Papuan news outlet Jubi attacked with Molotov bomb
"If press freedom continues to be intimidated, what's at stake is not only the right of journalists, but also the public's right to obtain information that is truthful, and balanced."
Marshall Islands demands justice for US nuclear testing in the Pacific
From 1946–1958, the US military dropped an estimated 318 explosive devices into the Pacific. This destroyed the environment and caused countless health issues for pacific islanders.
#FreeMechDara: Journalist who reported on cyber scams arrested in Cambodia
“The arrest of Mech Dara is a clear attempt to intimidate and silence him and other journalists in a country where press freedoms are routinely curtailed.”
Proposed mandatory halal certification for restaurants leads to criticism and a police probe in Malaysia
"The government must create a safe space for diverse perspectives to be voiced and debated without fear of retaliation. Investigating legislators for raising valid concerns undermines governance and public participation."
Pacific island nations want ‘ecocide’ to be an international crime
"The recognition of ecocide as a crime sends a powerful message: the destruction of nature will no longer go unpunished."
‘Truth deserves to be seen’: Artists decry film censorship in the Philippines
Two Philippine films were given X-ratings, and therefore banned from airing in theaters, angering cinephiles and free-speech activists alike.
Samoan journalists balk at planned restrictions during Commonwealth meeting
"Stifling the media is never a good thing and trying to control them is even worse."
‘Peringatan Darurat’: Youth-led protest against corruption and nepotism in Indonesia
"The Peringatan Darurat movement represents a significant moment in Indonesian politics, demonstrating the power of social media to rapidly mobilise mass protests."
Pacific leaders’ statement removes Taiwan reference after China complaint
China intervened in the annual Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), insisting Pacific leaders remove any mention of Taiwan from their communique on the forum.
Coastal villages struggle to recover after oil spill disaster near Philippine capital
"Toxic oil spills in our oceans are like fires in our forests, leaving a path of destruction that brings decades of negative impacts."
‘We have nothing except our hearts, and our minds': Vietnamese activist sentenced to five years in prison
“The only thing we did was to act in accordance with our conscience, speak up our thoughts, our desire, our longing.”
In a blow to democracy, Thai court dissolves main opposition party
"The Constitutional Court should be an organisation that protects the Constitution and constitutional rights. Instead, it is an organisation that expands state power and limits people’s rights and freedoms."
Malaysia’s social media licensing rule: Online protection or censorship?
"Licensing of social media platforms is unnecessary, high-handed and poses a serious danger to our democratic right to criticise or question the Government."
Australian journalists strike for better pay and working conditions
"It is irresponsible and disrespectful to punish the very people that the company relies on for its success in pursuit of shareholder profits."
