Magdalo vs. Magdiwang: The Factional Tragedy of the Philippine Revolution
By Karl Garcia The Philippine Revolution of 1896–1898 is celebrated as a defining moment of national courage, a period when ordinary Filipinos rose against a centuries-old colonial power. Yet within this heroic narrative lies one of the most tragic and instructive episodes in Philippine history: the factional rift between the Magdalo and Magdiwang in Cavite. … Continue reading
From Datus to Revolution: The Evolution of Filipino Resistance
By Karl Garcia The history of Filipino resistance to foreign domination is a long continuum, beginning long before the Spanish arrived in the archipelago in the 16th century. Prior to colonization, the Philippine islands were a patchwork of independent polities, each ruled by local chiefs—datus and rajahs—whose authority stemmed from kinship, trade influence, and control … Continue reading
Making Science serve the Country
Recent Tweets about proposed legislation to “institutionalize a permanent, science-based, multidisciplinary national institution for climate resilience and disaster risk reduction [to be] named the UP National Climate Resilience Institute” make me very happy as that is a very important matter for the Philippines. A scientist like Dr. Mahar Lagmay who spearheads such work is making … Continue reading
The 1987 Philippine Constitution: Historical Foundations, Structure, and Implications
By Karl Garcia The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines stands as a pivotal document in the nation’s political and social history. Enacted after the People Power Revolution of 1986, which ended the authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos, it is both a response to the abuses of martial law and a blueprint for democratic governance. Its … Continue reading
The 1973 Philippine Constitution: Structure, Contradictions, and Authoritarian Transformation
By Karl Garcia The constitutional history of the Philippines reaches a critical turning point with the 1973 Constitution—a document that, more than any other, reveals the tension between formal institutional design and political reality. Framed during a period of unrest and ratified under controversial conditions, it sought to inaugurate a parliamentary system grounded in social … Continue reading





