INSIGHTS

This BARMM elections analysis by Telibert Laoc flags two concerns ahead of the 14 September 2026 Parliamentary Elections. First, some Lanao del Sur municipalities like Tagoloan pack thousands of voters into just a few polling centers, raising access and rights issues. Second, registered voters exceed official population counts in 126 barangay—44.3% higher in Tagoloan. Laoc urges COMELEC to review polling-center access and reconcile the voter-population gaps through transparen

This piece by Telibert Laoc analyzes a July 2026 Pulse Asia survey on why Filipinos hesitate to sign a people's initiative petition for an anti-political dynasty law. Laoc argues the five leading reasons expose deeper flaws in Philippine representative democracy: citizens left uninformed about laws, restricted candidate choice dominated by political families, weak public trust, privacy concerns, and fear of reprisal.

A familiar argument against a serious anti-political dynasty law is that if the prohibition reaches relatives up to the fourth civil degree, the candidate pool will run dry. It sounds practical. It sounds cautious. But it is also deeply revealing.

The COMELEC, together with Hiraya Initiatives for Change and Progress and the Democratic Insights Group, convened an online consultation with school presidents and administrators on 06 May 2026 as part of the In-School Youth for SK 2026–2028 initiative.

The COMELEC, in partnership with the of Hiraya Initiatives for Change and Progress, and the Democratic Insights Group, convened a Listening Session with SK officials and youth leaders on January 26, 2026, as part of the exploratory efforts for the In-School Youth for SK 2026–2028 Project.

This paper advances a systems strategy for democratic representation in the Philippines anchored on representation, complementarity, and gender parity. It approaches women’s political participation not only as a question of candidacy, but as part of a broader effort to shape more complete and humane governance.

The following piece was written on the occasion of the film showing of A Thousand Cuts by De La Salle University’s Student Council in commemoration of “People Power at 40: Apat na Dekada ng Pagkakaisa Laban sa Diktadurya” on February 27, 2027.

Telibert Laoc, co-founding trustee of the Democratic Insights Group and senior professional lecturer at the Department of Political Science and Development Studies of the College of Liberal Arts at the De La Salle University in Manila Delivered at the POLISCY Watch “Tracking the Trillions” on 31 January 2026 at 507 Yuchengo Hall, DLSU Manila

The 2025 Philippine national and local elections were held amid one of the country’s longest and most intense heatwaves, with heat indices climbing to 42–47°C across several regions. This case study highlights how COMELEC and partner agencies adapted to extreme heat, revealing both strong institutional resilience and gaps in climate‑risk planning.

This case study examines the intersection of electoral technology and democratic trust during the 2022 Philippine national elections....

Download Part One of our Insights Series on the 2022 Party-List Elections in the Philippines.

Download Part Two of our Insights Series on the 2022 Party-List Elections in the Philippines.

Download Part Three of our Insights Series on the 2022 Party-List Elections in the Philippines.

Republic Act 11054 (2018), the Bangsamoro Organic Law, envisions a multi-party system as a means to empower citizens and ensure that...

Females comprised 43 percent of the candidates in the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK or village youth council) elections last month. This was...

DIG's Telibert Laoc and Luie Guia discuss the interrelated conditions that affect democratic representation in the Philippines during a...

Philippine politics has come up short. It has not provided true democratic representation in society. The World Economic Forum refers to...

There were no candidates in over 11,000 of the 360,000 (3 percent) elective positions in the Sangguniang Kabataan elections in 2018. ...

The Democratic Insights Group thanks Project PARTICIPATE for its invitation on November 7 to “review and recommend areas for amendments...

The Democratic Insights Group, a non-profit organization under Philippine laws, respectfully offers its comments on Bill No. 29. These...