Atty. Gregorio Larrazabal

The influence playbook

February 25, 2025 4:03 pm

The 2025 elections will be fought on your feed. Can you tell who’s telling the truth?

We mourn the loss of a lady called Margarita and to this day, there are many among us who struggle with finding the words that best describe how Margarita Forés changed the Philippine culinary scene and how her championing efforts have won the hearts of so many. How I wish I could speak the language of food that she so articulately expressed, but Margarita always found a way to share her untiring enthusiasm in the lilt of her voice, her contagious laughter and keen interest on things both mundane and relevant.

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.