Commentary: Keeping up with growing demand for data, connective technology
At the pace at which the demand and importance of connective technology are growing, we must realize that it is in our collective best interest to work together to develop the country’s digital infrastructure. Filipinos’ increasing thirst for petabytes, exabytes and zettabytes demands it.
Rule of Law and a Victory for Democracy
We at Democracy Watch Philippines laud the Supreme Court’s decision to follow due process and junk the electoral protest filed by Vice-Presidential hopeful Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. After nearly four years of litigation and attempts to inhibit justices from the proceedings, the Supreme Court of the Philippines, sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, unanimously dismissed […]
Vaccine-based recovery: Transparent plans and accountable execution
We at Democracy Watch Philippines urge the Philippine government, and especially the Department of Health and procurement officials, to be aware of the risk of corruption and take an effort to ensure transparency in vaccine acquisition and distribution, all the way from the selection of suppliers and specifications to the actual service delivery.
Digital infrastructure as a hallmark of progress
The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has made an indelible mark in all aspects of Philippine life. Most notably, it has sharply increased our dependence on digital technologies to meet our everyday needs. Over the course of the lockdown period, and even with the gradual easing of quarantine and social distancing ordinances across the country, Filipinos continue […]
Towards a robust and future-proofed Philippine democracy
We call on the public sector to continue working with private enterprises to build our nation’s digital infrastructure that all Filipinos may confidently move towards a future that, despite all uncertainties, is undisputedly democratic.
Retaining a United Approach towards our “New Normal”
Democracy Watch Philippines calls on all sectors, especially the government, to further strengthen collaboration in addressing this crisis. Moving forward, we must retain this united approach and ensure that all public and civil society efforts are matched by public sector investment and enabling regulation.
Democracy cannot be suspended
We cannot afford to backslide and return to methods that rely on manual counting by any means.
Curbing the impact of rising digital piracy
A little movie trivia: many of the creative minds behind Pixar Animated Studio’s hit film Finding Nemo were Filipino. It turns out that there are so many Filipinos working at Pixar that they even have a name for themselves, Pixnoys. They even snuck in a bit of an inside joke into the underwater movie, naming one of […]
Open Budget Survey Statement
In the same way that the private telco corporations have taken efforts to increase the range and resilience of their networks, and civil society and academe have tirelessly worked to ensure that raw data becomes actionable information, the government must match this with concrete support: less red tape and more public investment.
Continuity of (Secure) Elections
On September 24, 2020 the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) presented its budget to the House of Representatives. In summary, just over 14 billion pesos of their proposed 30 billion budget was granted. This budget was intended not just for the regular operations of Comelec but also for its preparations for the upcoming 2022 elections. […]