Asia September 19, 2021 PHILIPPINES: The tangled web of the Duterte drama Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim This week, Sara Duterte, the president’s daughter, said she would seek reelection as mayor of the southern city of Davao, in support of her earlier statement that she would avoid what had until then been a presumed presidential run.... Read More...
Asia September 9, 2021 PHILIPPINES: Still skeptical about Duterte for vice-president, until December Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim President Rodrigo Duterte’s PDP-Laban party formally nominated him at its party convention today, 8 September, to be its vice-presidential candidate in May 2022. However, Duterte factotum Senator Christopher Go, who was chosen to be its presidential bet, declined the... Read More...
Asia August 26, 2021 PHILIPPINES: Duterte for VP next year is all sound and fury Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim On Tuesday, 24 August, President Rodrigo Duterte said that he is accepting the endorsement of his party, PDP-Laban, for him to run for the vice-presidency in the 9 May 2022 elections. In justifying his unconventional decision, Duterte said he... Read More...
Asia August 3, 2021 PHILIPPINES: The symbolic marker to the end of Duterte’s China pivot Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim The Philippine government announced during the visit of US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on 30 July that Manila was retracting its February 2020 termination of the 1999 Philippines-USA visiting forces agreement (VFA). During a press conference yesterday, 2 August,... Read More...
Asia July 2, 2021 PHILIPPINES: Duterte looks first to his succession plans, not legacy Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim At a press conference yesterday, President Rodrigo Duterte said he should be considered as a candidate for the vice-presidency in 2022. The statement is likely a bluff to create political noise that keeps him relevant through the next few months. For... Read More...
Asia June 25, 2021 PHILIPPINES: With Aquino’s death, Duterte’s populism loses a target Philippines, Politics Duterte Bob Herrera-Lim In 2009, the death of democracy icon and former president Corazon Aquino generated a surge of nostalgia that catapulted her son, Benigno Aquino III (“Noynoy”), then a largely nondescript senator with a thin legislative record, to the presidency in... Read More...
Asia June 17, 2021 PHILIPPINES/CHINA: Manila escalates response to Beijing’s maritime activities China, Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim, Gabriel Wildau Philippine naval activity in disputed South China Sea waters increased more than seven-fold in recent months. President Roderigo Duterte appears to have yielded to pressure from the military establishment to push back more strongly against Chinese military activities in the... Read More...
Asia April 7, 2021 PHILIPPINES: Is there daylight between Duterte and the military on China? Emerging Markets, Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim The word war between Philippine and Chinese officials will not result in any immediate increase in risk from the Philippine side. However, the main unknown — and the key variable — is whether the developments of the past two weeks... Read More...
Asia March 19, 2021 PHILIPPINES: Economic worries may keep government from implementing a lockdown Emerging Markets, Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim Speculation is increasing in the capital of additional restrictions soon because new Covid-19 cases and the positivity rate have been rising steeply over the past two weeks. Today’s national number of 7,103 new cases is the highest since the... Read More...
Asia March 12, 2021 PHILIPPINES: All the noise that’s fit to print Emerging Markets, Philippines, Politics Bob Herrera-Lim Speculation about the possible administration nominee to succeed President Rodrigo Duterte has increased, including his daughter, Sara, and top aide, Senator Lawrence Go. Funding, shifting survey numbers and alliance building make it difficult to disregard the names being mentioned, but... Read More...
