Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal
The beating heart of public health
January 21, 2025 4:00 pm
In both the urban centers and rural communities of the Philippines, the barangay health center stands as a beacon of hope and wellness. Or at least that is how it should be. For many of our countrymen, be it in the cities or in the probinsya, the barangay health center stands as their first, and often only, point of contact with medical care. Sadly, however, many of these centers are unable to meet even the most basic needs of their communities. Some can’t even keep over the counter headache medicine in stock, let alone the hypertension or diabetes management drugs that many elderly Filipinos rely on. Reflecting the sorry state of healthcare in the barangays, our health centers leave Filipinos chronically underserved and vulnerable.
Interrupted mandate
January 14, 2025 4:05 pm
In politics, few things are as indispensable yet as understated as the health of a candidate. We often talk about a candidate’s charisma, policy acumen, and public appeal, but rarely do we remark upon their physical and mental fitness, much less how those attributes affect the duration, intensity, and ultimate success of their pursuits for public office. The recent decision of a very popular candidate for Senate, however, has thrust the whole issue of a candidate’s health squarely into the spotlight of public awareness – and not a moment too soon.
The fine art of keeping your resolutions
January 07, 2025 11:22 pm
Resolutions are an inescapable part of the new year. Apart from being a fun thing to do, they actually do provide direction, purpose, and a tangible destination to work toward. However, the journey to achieving those goals is often complicated by challenges, detours, and the occasional misstep. Successfully achieving the goals you’ve set for yourself, therefore, is not just about envisioning what you want — it’s about creating a realistic roadmap, anticipating potential obstacles, and maintaining the determination to persevere, even when things don’t go as planned.
Works even better
December 24, 2024 4:12 pm
People often ask me why I travel so much. On any given day, I’m usually on the road to somewhere else. For the most part, I travel because it is important for the work I do. But the primary reason I have for going from place to place in the Philippines is that I am deeply in love with Filipinos – with their joy, their positivity, and with the resilience and determination of their spirit. There truly is nothing like it in the world.
A warm place that knows our name
December 10, 2024 4:19 pm
We have officially reached the month of homecomings. As you plan your journey home, by air, land, sea or waves of memory for the known limits of reality, may every road be safe and heartwarming. It is bittersweet enough that the demands of modern life often confine us to scheduled visits and distant greetings.