Privilege Speech of Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond “Mong” Palatino
Delivered on January 25, 2012
Madame Speaker, my dear colleagues in the House, a pleasant afternoon.
I rise to speak on the killing of Gerardo Ortega or Doc Gerry, a radio talk show host, veterinarian and environmental defender, who was shot dead in the back of the head in a thrift store in Puerto Princesa City, where he was shopping shortly after his daily broadcast on Radyo Mo Nationwide (RMN). This week is the first year commemoration of his tragic death. I also wish …

Privilege Speech of Kabataan Party-list Rep. Raymond ‘Mong’ Palatino
Delivered on September 26, 2011 at the House of Representatives
Mr. Speaker I rise to defend the right of our youth to participate in political activities. Last Saturday, Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte urged the students to focus on their studies instead of participating in rallies. The remark was issued a day after the successful staging of a nationwide strike of students, teachers, school officials and members of concerned sectors who forged a strong unity to defend of our State Universities and Colleges …

She-Who-Cannot-Be-Named-in-the-Plenary
Privilege Speech of Kabataan Partylist Rep. Raymond Palatino
August 4, 2010
Mr. Speaker, distinguished colleagues.
I wish to speak about the events this week which I think might affect my duties as a member of this House. We are all adjusting to the new situation: a former president is now a member of Congress.
Sabi ng marami, we are now at the crossroad of history. In the President’s own words, narito tayo ngayon sa isang punto kung saan pipili tayo kung alin ang tatahakin nating landas—ang daang baluktot o ang daang matuwid.
Cliché as it …

*Rep. Mong Palatino’s speech at the Yahoo! Philippines forum on social media last Tuesday
I prepared a speech because sometimes politicians talk too much, sometimes bloggers rant too much, and sometimes activists are carried away by their emotions. Since I’m an activist, blogger, and politician, I’m worried that I might speak for more than an hour….
I started blogging in October 2004, although my first online column was written and published in 2001. Why did I decide to blog? For so many years I convinced myself and others that I became a blogger …

How much we invest on the education of the youth today will determine the kind of nation we will become in the future.

The state’s response to the 200 youth protesters has once again revealed state fascism’s angry face. Authorities are now resorting to excessive force and violence to quell righteous indignation and protest over the administration’s gluttony amidst widespread crisis and poverty.

There is a need to bust the myth surrounding the so-called sunshine industry. For behind the seemingly innocuous statistics and improving figures lie tales of exploitation, false hopes, and dim working conditions inside the call center.

Five years in the making for the country’s sole youth sectoral party-list, but better late than never and victory is still sweet for all Filipino youth.
Kabataan Party-list, the largest youth party in the country, represented the youth sector in the 2007 elections. It was the second time for our organization to run in the party-list elections. In 2004, we ran under our previous name, Anak ng Bayan, and were among the top choices for party-list based on pre-election surveys. Anak ng Bayan, however, fell prey to massive cheating. A significant …

Magandang tanghali po mga kababayan at mga kasama sa pakikibaka! Halos isang dekada na si Gloria Arroyo sa Malakanyang. Isang dekada na ring nagtitiis at lalong naghirap ang ating bansa. Para po sa amin na naging bahagi ng Edsa Dos, ang nakalipas na siyam na taon ay parang bangungot. Bakit ang People Power president ay naging “halimaw sa banga”? Imbes na pagbabago, imbes na kaunlaran, ang nasaksihan natin ay ang kabaligtaran. Kung mayroon mang pagbabago, eto ay ang pagdami ng mga tagong yaman ng First Family; at ang pag-unlad ng …

May natatandaan akong pelikula ni Jestoni Alarcon at Charito Solis na ipinalabas sa takilya noong 1989. Ang pamagat: Huwag Mong Buhayin ang Bangkay.