It effectively denies his request to be released and returned the Philippines and sets the stage for the trial to follow. After years of living in anguish, suffering and fear, the victims of Duterte’s brutal war on drugs will finally have their day in court.

The PhilHealth employee courteously introduced herself as someone directly assigned to monitor the state insurer’s services at the hospital we stayed at. She wen through our bill, clearly explaining how the PhilHealth coverage was like that and the amount it covered, which was significantly larger compared to the last time my youngest, or any of us, was admitted for hospital treatment.

She then went on to ask us if the hospital asked us to make a cash deposit prior to admission, as this was against PhilHealth’s ‘zero balance billing’ program. I replied in the negative. Then her next was question was whether or not there were any difficulties availing of PhilHealth services, again I replied in the negative. Come to think of it, we’ve never had any difficulties availing services from PhilHealth. It seems that this is advantage of having up to date records and continuous contributions since I joined the formal labor sector a little more than a decade ago.

Still, it’s a wonderful experience to see first hand some good customer service from a government agency such as PhilHealth. Hopefully it continues to improve, especially the coverage it provides as for other Filipinos, PhilHealth is the only means they are able to get some form of healthcare services in this country known for crushing poverty amidst healthcare services that are not only woefully inadequate, but also criminally expensive and unaffordable.

Then again, it’s not much of a surprise since their group worships someone whose style of “debate” is built on rapid-fire fallacies, selective use of facts and bad-faith framing.

However, when one’s religion or their own interpretation of what ever text they consider holy, is used to abuse and mistreat, to oppress, marginalize, and limit the agency of members of certain communities including the LGBTQIA+ communities, then I would spare some time to address it, expose it and call it out for what it is. I may not have all the answers, but someone has to make a stand and speak up.

When I first stumbled upon The First Take on YouTube, I reckon it’s today’s version of the classic MTV Unplugged. And they an awesome lineup of artists and their hit songs to date. Just recently, they featured Akeboshi singing ‘Wind‘. It’s one of my favorite songs from the Naruto anime soundtrack, and it’s just beautiful!

Enter the Anti-Dynasty Network – a non-profit organization composed of ‘reform-minded dynasts, academics, public servants, and citizens committed to ending political dynasties and advancing inclusive, accountable governance.’

They are currently gathering signatures in support of the effort to enact an anti-dynasty law with the following features:

We would like to see the following in an anti-dynasty law:

1. No family member must immediately succeed an incumbent in any elective office.
2. The ban must extend to relatives up to the fourth (4th) civil degree of consanguinity or affinity; this covers grandparents, parents, spouses, in-laws, children, siblings, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, and first cousins.
3. The ban must cover overlapping constituencies.
   i. No two members of the same family within the fourth (4th) degree can run for and hold the offices of President, Vice President, or Senator at the same time.
   ii. No two members of the same family within the fourth (4th) degree can run for and hold office in the same province and/or city or municipality at the same time.
   iii. No local official may be related to the district representative of the same area.
   iv. No relative of an incumbent national or local official may be fielded as a nominee of a party-list organization.

Clear. Reasonable. Long overdue. If you’re looking for a cause or effort that would bring meaningful change to our country, this would be one of it. Express your support here. Together we can do this.

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On the other hand, Taiwan and the Philippines would find a friend in her as she is a China hawk, although she is of the view that the pacifist provisions of Japan’s constitution should be changed. It remains to be seen how long she would be able to stay in office.

My father told me something when I was very small to instill confidence in me: “Nobody in the world is worth more than you, but nobody’s worth less.” It is an egalitarian view that I’ve carried around in my life. That’s why I am for free schools, free universities, free health care, and free babysitting. Because our society could afford it. In America, people think social democracy is some kind of communism. They think capitalism is freedom. It’s not. It’s only freedom to exploit people.

Stellan Skarsgård, In Coversation – Vulture