Politics

From Throughout Asia: Honing Expertise in the Political Economy of Policy Reform

By V. Bruce J. Tolentino
The Asia Foundation

Economic policy reform is inherently political. Economic policies are codified into public laws, regulations, ordinances and other legal instruments that establish the ?rules of the game? and allocate access and assets among various members of the body politic. Changes in economic policy affect the status or welfare of communities in varying ways, often evoking resistance from those whose welfare or status may be diminished by the reforms.
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Bayan: AFP setting stage for Metro comeback in time for terror law implementation

MANILA — The umbrella group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan today assailed the Armed Forces of the Philippines for ?manufacturing popular clamor for the return of troop deployment in Metro Manila.?

The statement came in the wake of announcements by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that 19 baranggay chairmen allegedly want the troops back in their communities. The AFP revealed an alleged petition from community leaders asking that troops be brought back for peace and order.
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Philippines: Police, not troops, should keep peace in Manila barangays

MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino ?Nene? Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today urged the Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP) to scrap its plan to redeploy
soldiers to depressed barangays in Metro Manila now
that the mid-term elections are over.
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Philippines: Pimentel asks Arroyo to stop playing with legal holidays

MANILA — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino ?Nene? Q. Pimentel,
Jr. (PDP-Laban) today called for an end to
Malaca?ang?s distasteful practice of moving important
legal holidays to other days to give the people a long
weekend in line with the administration?s so called
holiday economics.
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IFJ Condemns Conviction of Journalists, Publishing Houses in Ethiopia

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the conviction of four journalists and three publishing houses in Ethiopia on charges they attempted to ?dismantle the constitutional system? after they published articles about the anti-government riots in November 2005 that came after elections in the country six months earlier.
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