2025 reflections
Personal reflection is also political.
Dee Ayroso | Dec 31, 2025
POSTS FOR "Year: 2025"
ADVERTISEMENT
Woman peasant leader shot dead inside home in Negros Occidental
Woman peasant leader shot dead inside home in Negros Occidental
Warlita Jimenez was inside her bedroom when two armed men wearing bonnets forcibly entered their house at around 11:00 p.m. and shot her four times, according to accounts from her family. She died on the spot.
Attacks vs media continue
Attacks vs media continue
Of the 210 cases, eight media workers were killed under the Marcos Jr. administration as of October this year.
A dangerous precedent’ | Groups express concern on CA decision upholding Talaingod 13 conviction
A dangerous precedent’ | Groups express concern on CA decision upholding Talaingod 13 conviction
“Children who had fled fear and insecurity were portrayed as kidnap victims. Parents who testified that their children left voluntarily were sidelined. The broader context of militarization, school closures, and official hostility to Lumad education was treated as irrelevant."
17 OFWs in Canada reinstated
17 OFWs in Canada reinstated
While the employer’s reversal is a gain of the workers, it does not undo the abuse and exploitation they endured.
Legal victories and civic resistance against systemic repression
Legal victories and civic resistance against systemic repression
Karapatan stated that these legal victories not only granted freedom and protection to activists, but also emphasized the resistance against abuses and weaponization of counter-terror laws.
SC affirms conviction of Kian’s killers
SC affirms conviction of Kian’s killers
“[W]hen Kian was shot, he was not in a position to defend himself,” a portion of SC’s decision read.
Marihangin residents, allies fear holiday invasion of ancestral land
Marihangin residents, allies fear holiday invasion of ancestral land
"This newest spate of attacks is linked to the ambitious luxury tourism project of San Miguel Corp. in Balabac."
Philippine science backs Odette survivors’ claims in Shell case
Philippine science backs Odette survivors’ claims in Shell case
Philippine studies like Bagtasa’s give survivors firm local evidence as they confront a global polluter.
State forces under NTF-ELCAC, SOLCOM target peasant organizer
State forces under NTF-ELCAC, SOLCOM target peasant organizer
“These are not isolated acts by rogue elements. They are part of a systematic campaign to silence legitimate peasant organizing and human rights work in the countryside.”
Island chains of domination and resistance
Island chains of domination and resistance
The island chain is not a novel concept but a recalibration of a Cold War strategy aimed at containing Soviet expansionism in the past, and undermining China's rise as a superpower today and in the near future.
Youth activist, family harassed anew after filing CHR case vs cops
Youth activist, family harassed anew after filing CHR case vs cops
“I explained that I considered the incident a form of harassment because the police showed up at my house late at night and I was even warned that I was allegedly included in a military “hot list” and dissuaded me from joining rallies lest I’ll be abducted “should higher ups” mandate it,” Bergula said.
‘Feigning cognitive impairments’ | Prosecution, victims urge ICC to proceed with hearing
‘Feigning cognitive impairments’ | Prosecution, victims urge ICC to proceed with hearing
“It strongly appears that Mr Duterte is feigning cognitive impairments in an attempt to avoid a trial on the merits,” the Prosecution of the International Criminal Court (ICC) stated based on the report from the panel of medical experts.
TIMELINE: 2025 Flood Control Projects Corruption Scandal
TIMELINE: 2025 Flood Control Projects Corruption Scandal
The Presidential Communications Office claims that the scandal is nearing its ‘endgame’. However, Bulatlat’s timeline of related activities suggest that the investigation has yet to reach its climax, much less a resolution.
AKAB: The struggle must continue
AKAB: The struggle must continue
In the view of many affected, the barricades on Nov. 30 were more than concrete and shields, they symbolized a system that protects those who loot public funds, while brutalizing those who demand transparency.
Political prisoners languish in overcrowded jails, a stark irony in corruption impunity
Political prisoners languish in overcrowded jails, a stark irony in corruption impunity
“The political prisoners were the ones who stood in the line of fire against the struggle against corruption and the struggle for justice, freedom and national democracy."
Super health centers that should serve Filipinos, but they’re non-operational
Super health centers that should serve Filipinos, but they’re non-operational
“The recent exposé of the unfinished Mega Health Center Building at Sitio Macanhan, amounting to P65 million worth of public funds, has left us in question: where did our taxes go?”
Indigenous peoples face rights violations in Asia’s renewable energy boom
Indigenous peoples face rights violations in Asia’s renewable energy boom
"We host dams, geothermal plants, and windmills, but we don’t even get electricity. The power is used for industries and businesses, not for our communities."
Promised land
Promised land
Over fourteen years ago, I ventured into Mindanao with preconceptions etched in my mind. But the longer I stayed, the more I saw, the more I learned to reject the narratives I was fed. A colleague once said, ‘There are over 200 books written about Mindanao, yet none come close to capturing its essence.’ Conflicts are full of contradictions, and the real reasons are often obscured by those who want to hide them.
Closing Lumad schools not enough, gov’t targets humanitarian mission activists
Closing Lumad schools not enough, gov’t targets humanitarian mission activists
"We will not stop until justice is served. We have done nothing wrong. Their accusations bear no truth and we will continue to challenge it and push for any legal remedies available to us."
BE A BULATLAT PATRON
A community of readers and supporters that help us sustain our operations through microdonations for as low as $1.