This is the #NeverForget Diary, a weekly summary of what’s happening in the Philippines under Marcos II. In a time of mangled histories and fragile memories, it’s crucial never to forget. (Note: this post may be clipped in your email inbox. Photo above from PDEA.)
On October 11, Juanito Jose Remulla, 38—and the son of Boying Remulla, the current Secretary of Justice—was caught and arrested for having in his possession two packets of kush (cannabis) amounting to around P1.3 million.
News about this incident was not released by the authorities until October 13.
The PDEA released images of the younger Remulla with the face blurred—nonstandard protocol indicative of special treatment.
On its broadcast, TV Patrol showed Juanito Remulla’s face:
PDEA did not subject Juanito Remulla to a drug test—another indication of special treatment.
Upon news of the arrest, Secretary Remulla immediately wrote a handwritten statement (much like a dispatch á la Leila de Lima?) that his son “will have to face his predicament as a fully emancipated child.” He also wishes his son a “path to redemption.”
Path to redemption? What about the drug war victims who Remulla had discriminated and railed against in the past?
As former lawmaker, Boying Remulla once advocated for the death penalty for, among others, drug crimes:
What of ex-senator Leila de Lima, whom Remulla also castigated before on trumped-up drug charges?
Netizens also pointed out the hypocritical statements of brother and Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) Director Gilbert Remulla:
Calls for Secretary Remulla to resign have surfaced, owing to his lack of credibility—and out of delicadeza.
Yet apparently Remulla still enjoys the trust of the president, who said calls for the resignation have “no basis.”
Remulla also appeared on media outlet SMNI, owned by pro-Duterte Kingdom of Jesus Christ leader and pastor Apollo Quiboloy. Journalist Atom Araullo gave context:
Weeks before the arrest, Secretary Remulla lambasted the International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan—who wants to continue the probe into Duterte’s drug war.
Remulla was also recently at the UN where he said “red-tagging is part of democracy.”
ECONOMIC HOT TAKES
This week presidential son and Ilocos Norte 1st district representative Sandro Marcos became viral after being interviewed by Ilocos Norte media about his views on the fast depreciating peso—in itself a weird thing to ask a local representative about.
If you listen carefully to Sandro’s hot take, he’s actually not entirely wrong—but he did omit crucial parts of the story.
True enough, global inflation is on the rise, including in ASEAN+3:
Already, the Philippines’ 6.9% inflation in September has exceeded the 2022 expectation for ASEAN+3:
But Sandro omitted the crucial fact that the peso is weakening so fast due to the interest rate hikes of the Fed.
Sandro also said the weaker peso is okay because there are lots of Ilocano OFWs. But the weaker peso is not necessarily a boon to OFWs because of rising domestic inflation:
Was Sandro’s economic hot take an attempt to bury the Singapore story?
Speaking of the Singapore trip, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin said it was a “semi-official trip.” What?
Meanwhile, historian Leloy Claudio (who teaches at Berkeley) drew flak on social media for saying—in a confused and rambling Rappler piece—that he’s not so worried about inflation (while in the same breath saying the 2022 inflation spell scares him).
On the one hand he’s wrong to apply the long-run analysis of inflation to somehow downplay the inflation that’s happening right now.
But more than anything else, the hot take came off as highly condescending, patronizing, and insensitive to the plight of millions of Filipinos.
In the short run, rising inflation is bad because it erodes the purchasing power of people quickly, as illustrated by this brilliant cartoon:
The shade…
I responded to the hot takes of Sandro Marcos and Leloy Claudio in my Rappler piece this week:
I looked into the components of inflation as of September. Food, electricity, and transportation were the 3 main drivers—all of which are affected by petroleum prices in one way or another:
Oil prices rose again this week:
Electricity rates are also ballooning. The Department of Energy warned of a power supply shortage next year:
Inflation was highest at Davao Region and Zamboanga Peninsula:
With rising inflation, expect slower reduction of poverty. The Commission on Audit already saw that an overwhelming 90% of 4Ps beneficiaries are not graduating from poverty:
Some lawmakers are proposing to cut VAT on basic commodities:
But tax cuts at this time may prove even more inflationary—like pouring alcohol over a growing fire:
Data show dwindling international reserves. But that’s only to be expected, what with the weaker peso and the US rate hikes:
Usec. Rosemarie Edillon of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) advises people to refrain from spending excessively:
This is essentially the message behind rate hikes of the BSP and many other central banks for that matter:
More US rate hikes are in the offing, what with US core inflation reaching its highest level since August 1982:
Expect more US rate hikes, which are benefitting US banks…
…as well as corporations somehow.
What’s the best predictor of the hikes—the Fed chair’s height?
More evidence of a looming global recession:
The IMF warns of “stormy waters”:
Growth forecasts have been revised downward:
At least shipping costs are abating:
Interesting relationship between actual inflation and Google searches for inflation. People search about it only when it’s too high:
Back here at home, over the radio (DZBB), I heard for the first time a prayer for the economy. Sign of the times.
Some say inflation could’ve been better managed had Leni Robredo won:
JOURNALISTS UNDER ATTACK
The appeal of Maria Ressa’s cyberlibel conviction was rejected by the Court of Appeals:
A dangerous precedent in cyberlibel:
Groups are calling for the withdrawal of cases against Ressa:
Meanwhile, a surprise and unwelcome visit by police at the house of GMA News journalist JP Soriano. A case of the fox guarding the henhouse?
MISCELLANY
President Marcos Jr. signed into law the SIM card registration act:
But some groups are not convinced this will do a lot to fight text scamming or online trolls:
President Marcos Jr. also signed a law postponing—for the nth time—the barangay and SK elections. All barangay and SK officials will have an extra year in office. Good news for the incompetent ones, especially.
At an event by the Department of Science and Technology, the president said he’s a “frustrated scientist.” Really?
Senate President Miguel Zubiri claimed that China has blacklisted the Philippines as a tourist destination owing to our government’s reluctance to ban POGOs. But the Chinese embassy denied such a blacklist:
Senator Cynthia Villar blew her top in a Senate hearing and called a river “her river”:
Sociologist Randy David has this to say about technocrats in the Marcos Jr. administration:
Ateneo overtook UP to became the top Philippine university according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings:
Russian attacks on Ukraine have escalated:
Economics students at Kyiv took shelter in a bunker:
Over at Taiwan, citizens are emboldened by Ukraine’s defiance of Russia:
An update on that meteorite trajectory-changing mission called DART:
Well-deserved Nobel memorial prize in economics, going to researchers on banks and financial crisis. Among the new laureates is Great Depression scholar and Obama-era Federal Reserve chair Ben Bernanke:
Bernanke was a former thesis adviser of Gita Gopinath, current deputy managing director of the IMF:
Since it was first awarded in 1969, the Nobel memorial prize in Economics has been given out to only 2 women. Sad.
GRAPHS OF NOTE
The results of the 2021 Young Adult and Fertility Survey (YAFS5) were released on October 15, 2022. Data show a significant worsening of the youth’s mental health since 2013:
Youth awareness of HIV-AIDS is at an all-time low:
But at least youth are “turning away from vices”:
And premarital sex has declined:
In other news, apartments are in very short supply in London these days:
When being a Republican kills:
RECOMMENDATIONS
Recommended series: High Water on Netflix. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Accurate and gripping retelling of the stories behind the 1997 Central European floods.
Recommended book: The Marcos Era: A Reader. Launched on October 13. Starting next week the book can be ordered on the Ateneo Press website and its Lazada and Shopee pages.
Recommended report: “Life in Taiwan with China flexing its military might” by 60 Minutes.
Note that if the US controls the production of semiconductors by defending Taiwan, we’re in for an epic and painful global trade war.
Recommended lip sync battle: Precious Paula Nicole vs. Marina Summers in Drag Race Philippines Season 1, to the tune of the iconic gay song “Sirena.”
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