Archives for Politics

Loyalty vs. Competence

Loyalty vs. Competence
by | May 1, 2025 | No Comments

Just weeks after the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) proclaimed on January 25, 2019 that the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) had been ratified through the January 21 plebiscite, I sat down with a sense of guarded optimism and wrote a two-part column titled “Four Enduring Challenges to Revolutionary-to-Ruler Transition” (https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BxkAvd2RG and https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1W1CUYgELE). It was my small contribution, a humble roadmap of sorts, for what would soon become the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Or, so I thought. Drawing lessons
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Mt. Kabalukan Not Just Watching, But Listening

Mt. Kabalukan Not Just Watching, But Listening
by | April 30, 2025 | No Comments

In our community in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, certain slogans rise and fall like tides—repeating themselves in critical political moments, like background chants to our unfolding public story. One of them, increasingly familiar across Facebook captions, TikTok reels, and YouTube videos, especially during moments of political reshuffling and electoral frenzy, is the solemn line: “We hear and we obey” (sami‘na wa ata‘na). It sounded during the 2022 presidential elections. It resurfaced earlier this year during the second extension of the
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How Social Constructivism Makes Sense of Burkina Faso’ Young Lion

How Social Constructivism Makes Sense of Burkina Faso’ Young Lion
by | April 29, 2025 | No Comments

Just these Easter holidays, over cups of native coffee partnered with Maguindanaon delicacies with a former classmate and fellow Shari‘ah counselor in Cotabato City, we found ourselves talking about someone halfway across the world: “Have you heard about that young guy in Burkina Faso?” “The one challenging the old powers? The one saying they will stand on their own?” We laughed—not because it was funny, but because it felt familiar. Sub-Saharan Mindanao indeed. It felt like looking in a mirror.
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On This Day, a Wound Speaks

On This Day, a Wound Speaks
by | April 28, 2025 | No Comments

Today, we unsheathe another sword. Today, we release into the world a book that was never meant to be merely read—but to be felt, grieved, and acted upon. Today, The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem: Tracing the Roots of a Historical Injustice by Professor Christopher Ryan Maboloc officially sees the light of day. And in doing so, it demands that we, too, open our eyes wider to a history that has long been buried under broken promises, muted
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“The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem”—Published Today!

“The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem”—Published Today!
by | April 28, 2025 | No Comments

We’re thrilled to announce that our fourth title for 2025 is officially out! 🚀 🎉 “The Politics of Peace and the Mindanao Problem: Tracing the Roots of a Historical Injustice”by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc (ElziStyle Bookshop, 2025).🔗 Grab it here: https://bit.ly/PoliticsofPeace or here: https://amzn.to/3EpBJ3S This milestone means we’re still right on track with our goal: one new title every month! 📅✅ Here’s our 2025 lineup so far: 📖 January – BARMM Barangay Justice System Training Manual (link coming soon!)📖 February
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Social Constructivism’s Unmasking of Syria’s ‘Liberator’

Social Constructivism’s Unmasking of Syria’s ‘Liberator’
by | April 26, 2025 | No Comments

It happened too fast. Nobody—neither the West’s analysts nor the Arab street’s coffee shop prophets—predicted it. The fall of Bashar al-Asad in a matter of 11 days (Nov 27 – Dec 8, 2024) felt like a strange dream. Or a well-rehearsed play. Maybe both. In the end, it wasn’t the Syrian people who reclaimed Damascus. It wasn’t the widows of Aleppo or the orphans of Homs. It wasn’t the exiled poets, the broken rebels, or the dusty boys with slingshots
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Unsheathing Another Sword

Unsheathing Another Sword
by | April 12, 2025 | No Comments

As soon as I put down my sword (‘mic’) for the 3-day conversations on the tri-justice legal framework of the BARMM Barangay Justice System, I had to immediately unsheathe another sword (‘pen’) to meet the target publication date – April 28, 2025 – for the next ElziStyle Bookshop release, THE POLITICS OF PEACE AND THE MINDANAO PROBLEM: TRACING THE ROOTS OF A HISTORICAL INJUSTICE by Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc. Shifting from Conversationalist to Editor/Introduction Writer means doing the E and
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Training Manual’s Real Authors

Training Manual’s Real Authors
by | April 11, 2025 | No Comments

During my visits to the 15 selected barangays across the BARMM over two months to write the BARMM BARANGAY JUSTICE SYSTEM TRAINING MANUAL, I would always begin with my usual introduction to the Lupon members, explaining that I was not there to author the manual but merely to serve as their scribe. “The real authors,” I would tell them, “are none other than yourselves. You—who have lived through countless disputes and found resolutions in ways only you can. You are
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Thank You, MILG and SUBATRA!

Thank You, MILG and SUBATRA!
by | April 10, 2025 | No Comments

Thanks to the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG-BARMM) and Support to the Bangsamoro Transition (SUBATRA) for the invitation to be part of the conversations on: * Overview of the BARMM Barangay Justice System * Understanding Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples’ Customary Laws and Their Relevance to the Barangay Justice System * Understanding Moro Religious and Customary Laws and Their Relevance to the Barangay Justice System * Learning the Techniques and Skills in Conflict Resolution * Demonstrating the Techniques and
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Breaking the Mental Health Break

Breaking the Mental Health Break
by | April 6, 2025 | No Comments

My personal thanks to the university for blessing us with those much-needed few days of Mental Health Break. At least we get to somehow reclaim and regain whatever’s left of our sanity. Feel free to blame it on the Instruction overload, if you will. Paradoxically though, we’re using this short break to dive headfirst into yet another source of insanity — Research overload: Editing and writing the Introduction to the forthcoming ElziStyle publication, THE POLITICS OF PEACE AND THE MINDANAO
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Top Seller in March 2025

Top Seller in March 2025
by | April 1, 2025 | No Comments

As it’s already the month of April 2025, let me share with you ElziStyle Bookshop’s top-selling title on Amazon during the previous month of March (Sha’ban-Ramadan-Shawwal): * Muhammad Taqih Misbah Yazdi, A CURSORY GLANCE AT THE THEORY OF WILAYAT AL-FAQIH, trans. Mansoor Limba, US$12.99, https://amzn.to/3Yi7TVr ABOUT THE BOOK “A Cursory Glance at the Theory of Wilāyat al-Faqīh” is a profound and timely exploration of one of the most pivotal doctrines of contemporary Islamic political thought. Authored by the renowned scholar
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Not Just Commemoration, But Truth

Not Just Commemoration, But Truth
by | March 18, 2025 | No Comments

While I was barely a few minutes into my 30-minute presentation on the Sulu Exclusion at a recent philosophy conference, I could already sense that something was coming from a young professor—one from a city that was among the Tres Marías during the SPCPD days. Seated in the middle of the hall, his eyes were locked in, his attention razor-sharp. It was as if he was dissecting every word I uttered, measuring each phrase against his own convictions. I was
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Top Seller in April 2024

Top Seller in April 2024
by | May 1, 2024 | No Comments

As it’s already the month of May, let me share with you ElziStyle Bookshop’s Amazon top seller in the previous month of April (Ramadan-Shawwal). It’s also the top seller last September: * Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, RADICAL DEMOCRACY IN THE TIME OF DUTERTE, US$10.64 (Discounted from the Original Price: US$17.99), https://amzn.to/4bmdcrb  Order Form (FREE Shipping throughout the Philippines by using the Coupon Code RDDNewReader): Want a sneak peek of the book before buying your copy? Grab your FREE SAMPLE copy
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Top Seller in September 2023

Top Seller in September 2023
by | October 1, 2023 | No Comments

As it’s already the month of October, let me share with you ElziStyle Bookshop’s top seller in the previous month of September (Safar-Rabi‘ al-Awwal): * Dr. Christopher Ryan Maboloc, RADICAL DEMOCRACY IN THE TIME OF DUTERTE, US$10.64 (Discounted from the Original Price: US$17.99), https://amzn.to/45cUBKD   Order Form (FREE Shipping throughout the Philippines by using the Coupon Code RDDNewReader): Want a sneak peek of the book before buying your copy? Grab your FREE SAMPLE copy here:   About the Book “Christopher
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Top Seller in July 2023

Top Seller in July 2023
by | August 1, 2023 | No Comments

As it’s already the month of August, let me share with you ElziStyle Bookshop’s top seller in the previous month of July (Dhu’l-Hijjah – Muharram): Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi, ISLAMIC POLITICAL THEORY (LEGISLATION), VOLUME 1, trans. Mansoor Limba, US$25, https://amzn.to/459WU1u      Want a sneak peek of the book? Grab your FREE SAMPLE copy here:     About the Book Embark on a journey into the depths of Islamic political theory with the erudite scholar Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi’s “Islamic Political Theory
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