Michael Tan

Jan 13, 2025 | plus.inquirer.net | Michael Tan

It was encouraging to read that the Department of Justice and the University of the Philippines’ College of Law have signed an agreement to “revitalize” the country’s criminal or Penal Code, which would consolidate a code signed into law in 1930 and since supplemented by about 10,000 other laws.

Dec 9, 2024 | plus.inquirer.net | Michael Tan

It was heartening to read that the Integrated Bar of the Philippines has inaugurated the IBP Human Rights Awards, the first recipients being three members of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL): Edre Olalia for Luzon, Kristian Jacob Lora for the Visayas, and Antonio Azarcon for Mindanao.

Sep 23, 2024 | plus.inquirer.net | Michael Tan

The last 30 years or so have seen a “high tide” of populist leaders throughout the world, the most number in history of leaders elected by people who were convinced that these leaders would fight for their welfare by challenging existing elite parties and politicians. These populists transcend ideologies. In the United States, we see the rise of far-right populism, exemplified by Donald Trump, who became president in 2017 and tried unsuccessfully to stay in power, as many populists do.

Sep 16, 2024 | plus.inquirer.net | Michael Tan

It’s amazing how cats, and to some extent dogs, have been making it into the news around the presidential race in the United States, started by Republican candidates for president and vice president who are fiercely against immigration. But let’s call a spade a spade; it isn’t just being anti-immigration but racism. It started out with rumors that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were abducting pets and eating them.

Sep 9, 2024 | plus.inquirer.net | Michael Tan

In not too ancient times, we learned if classes were suspended by listening to the radio or television for announcements of Typhoon Signal No. 2 or higher. It was the intensity of the typhoon that determined the suspension. These days, it doesn’t matter how strong the typhoon is, or if there is even a typhoon. The key is the rains, and the possibility of flooding, which can occur even with mild typhoons, or with just plain monsoon, usually the habagat or the southwest winds bringing in rains.