The Philippines in 2006: Democracy and its discontents

Asian Survey

Volumn 47, Issue 1, 2007, Pages 175-182

  Coronel, Sheila S ^a  

^a Och Spine at New York Presbyterian Hospitals   (United States)

Author keywords

Communist Party of the Philippines; Gloria Macapagal Arroyo; Moro Islamic Liberation Front; New People's Army; People Power

Indexed keywords

DEMOCRACY; ECONOMIC GROWTH; EXPORT; FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT; MIGRANTS REMITTANCE; POLITICAL INSTABILITY;

ASIA; EURASIA; PHILIPPINES; SOUTHEAST ASIA;

EID: 34247516592     PISSN: 00044687     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1525/as.2007.47.1.175     Document Type: Article

References (16)

1. Marites Dañguilan Vitug and Glenda Gloria, "Failed Enterprise," Newsbreak (Metro Manila), March 27, 2006.
2. Glenda Gloria, "Pretaped Victory," ibid., November 4, 2006,
3. In 1985, the top 10% of the Philippine population accounted for 37% of the national income, while the bottom 20% got only 5%. In 2005, the top 10% still controlled 36% percent of total income, and the share of the poorest 20% was stuck at the same level as previously.
4. Since 1987, two in every three members of the House of Representatives belonged to political families who have held elective posts for at least two generations. Representatives are also getting richer, with increasingly fewer from the lower and lower-middle classes. See Sheila S. Coronel, Yvonne T. Chua, Luz Rimban, and Booma C. Cruz, The Rulemakers: How the Wealthy and Well-born Dominate Congress (Quezon City: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, 2004).
5. Amnesty International, "Philippines: Political Killings, Human Rights, and the Peace Process," report released August 15, 2006
6. also in .
7. See, for example, the account of the alliance between the military and a wide range of opposition groups, including various factions of the left, including possibly the Communist Party, mainstream politicians, and "civil society" organizations, in Miriam Grace A. Go, Aries Rufo, and Carmela Fonbuena, "Romancing the Military," Newsbreak, March 27, 2006.
8. "More Than 50 Accused of Rebellion Before DOJ," Manila Standard, October 13-14, 2006
9. also in .
10. "I'm Going for a 20-Percent Reduction of NPA Forces," interview with Gen. Hermogenes Esperon, Jr., Newsbreak, October 23, 2006.
11. Amnesty International, "Philippines: Political Killings, Human Rights, and the Peace Process." The body count, however, is probably higher. The Philippine Daily Inquirer says more than 100 leftist activists were killed in 2006, while the leftist human-rights monitor, Karapatan, claims that more than 700 have been killed since Arroyo became president in 2001.
12. Maria A. Ressa, "The Threat of Terrorism and the Year Ahead," in ABS-CBN Interactive, .
13. Zachary Abuza, "A Week of Bombings in Mindanao: Making Sense of It All," in the Counterterroism blog, October 17, 2006, .
14. Carolyn O. Arguillas, "Dialogue Is the Only Option, Mindanao Leaders Tell GRP, MILF," , October 11, 2006, .
15. David Llorito, "Philippine Economy on the Mend," Asia Times Online October 26, 2006, .
16. Asian Development Bank, "Many Asian Countries Falling Short of MDG Targets, Joint Report Says," .