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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

PHILIPPINE POLITICS November 2025 saw the government corruption scandal escalating even more dramatically. These have included arrests of officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) officials, travel bans on dozens of lawmakers and contractors, the filing of cases before the Ombudsman and Sandiganbayan (anti-graft court), and declaration by investigators that up to 1,200 individuals may face charges. State efforts at investigation expanded through unit

The Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) expresses deep concern over the persistent lack of transparency and accountability in the national budgeting process, particularly regarding the so-called “allocables” and “non-allocables.” These classifications—often obscure to the public—continue to open wide spaces for discretion, political favoritism, and inefficient use of public funds. CenPEG Chair Prof. Roland G. Simbulan emphasized that the budget must be tr

Synthesis This paper seeks to explore and analyze the Marcos Jr. administration’s consolidation of power amid a deepening crisis of legitimacy. It argues that the regime’s trajectory reveals a governance model anchored in elite accommodation, technocratic spectacle, and the selective use of reformist discourse to obscure entrenched patronage and authoritarian tendencies. While early efforts at regime-building enabled the alignment of key institutions—the legislature, judiciar

Challenges and missed opportunities Center for People Empowerment in Governance (CenPEG) Published on 05 November 2025 Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. is leading the country into a deeper alliance with the US that can thrust the country into a potential unwinnable confrontation with China. Under him, diplomacy has taken a backseat whether in relation to China or the US. In the new multipolar world, Marcos should prudently steer the country away from a policy