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Bobby M. Tuazon 06 April 2026 Going by military strikes alone, Iran may be winning the war in the Middle East. More than a month after the U.S. and Israel launched Operation Epic Fury against Iran,the latter’s defensive strikes have damaged at least 11 major U.S. military installations in the Middle East, with some rendered unusable. Overall, the attacks have destroyed at least 17 total U.S. military, diplomatic, and air-defense sites, including key locations in Iraq, Syria,

Center for People’s Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) Monthly Political Briefer March 2026   Introduction March 2026 saw an intensifying political polarization in the Philippines in the wake of various corruption scandals and a rapidly deteriorating global security environment after the US and Israel’s attacks on Iran.   Domestically, rival elite factions, principally aligned with the Marcos and Duterte camps, continued to consolidate their respective bases in anticipation o

Center for People Empowerment and Governance (CenPEG)Comprehensive Analysis, February 2026     Synthesis This paper aims to analyze the Philippines' precarious position in early 2026 as it navigates a domestic political crisis and a high-risk alignment with U.S.’ "aggressive unilateralism." While the Marcos administration faces a "governance-induced paralysis" fueled by a ₱805-billion corruption scandal and a "popularity flip" favoring the resurgent Duterte bloc, the nation h

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) today called on the government to take decisive action to cushion the impact of rising oil prices, emphasizing that any state intervention must prioritize the country’s most vulnerable sectors.   In a statement, CenPEG said that while market forces play a role in determining fuel prices, the government cannot remain passive when price shocks threaten the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos.   “If government chooses not

Think tank Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) today expressed serious concern over what it described as a “very weak and watered-down” version of the proposed Anti-Political Dynasty Bill currently being deliberated in Congress.   CenPEG Chairperson Roland G. Simbulan criticized the measure for merely prohibiting multiple family members from occupying government posts at the same time or within the same term, while still allowing political clans to maintain p

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) today issued a statement following the confirmation of charges by the International Criminal Court against former President Rodrigo Duterte in connection with alleged crimes linked to the government’s so-called “war on drugs.”   CenPEG emphasized that the ICC’s confirmation of charges is a procedural legal determination that there are sufficient grounds for the case to proceed to trial. It is not a conviction, but it si

Uphold International Law: Stop Wars of Aggression and Defend the Palestinian People   The think tank Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses grave concern over the continuing wars of aggression in the Middle East, particularly the United States-backed Israeli military assault on Palestine that has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis and widespread civilian suffering. The overwhelming majority of the international community has repeatedly affirm

Widening power rifts in Philippine politics as the 2028 elections are in the horizon; corruption deepens; tensions grow in East Asia while Donald Trump attacks Venezuela in a bid to reinstall America’s sphere of influence in the western hemisphere     I. PHILIPPINE POLITICS   Corruption, Accountability, and the Marcos-Duterte Rift   Breakdown of the Marcos Jr.-Sara Duterte dynastic alliance     The Marcos-Duterte entente has collapsed, one-and-a half years since the unravelin

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses grave concern over the President’s decision to sign into law the 2026 General Appropriations Act (GAA) based on the ratified Bicameral Conference Committee (Bicam) version without removing or substantially correcting the highly questionable lump-sum and discretionary appropriations embedded in the final budget.   Despite widespread public criticism and repeated warnings from economists, civil society groups, a