The Local Government Code clearly defines the qualifications, roles, and responsibilities of an elected city or municipal councilor. They craft, review, and approve ordinances, resolutions, and regulations, ensuring that these are up to date and relevant for the constituents they serve. More than...
Emerging from a meeting with President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. in Malacañang last week, the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) announced that upon the President’s directive, dialysis coverage will be increased from 90 to 156 sessions; the pay-whichever-is-lower corporate policy...
There is no question about it, the jeepney is an icon that says “Pinoy” like no other symbol. Miniature jeepneys, like toys, are in department stores and souvenir shops and are popular with balikbayans and tourists because there’s nothing like it in other parts of the world. In the...
HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRIPEVINE: OUR NEW ABNORMAL Let’s be honest, it’s not often we Filipinos can legitimately say we’re numero uno in the world in some category. Back in the early years of this century, I would hear reports about how we were number one in “speed texting” and text...
MEDIUM RARE When Sebastian Chua throws a birthday party, as he did last week, it’s bound to mutate, as it always does, into an anniversary celebration or reunion. Old friends meet again, some of the new faces from last year are back. There must’ve been 300 people in Ballroom C of East Ocean...
By presidential proclamation, Feb. 25, the EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary, is observed as a special non-working day to enable the citizenry to reflect on its significance. But this year, by virtue of Proclamation No. 167 issued by Malacanang Thursday evening, Feb. 24, 2023 was declared a...
A proposal to impose carbon tax on the use of electricity to raise extra funds for initiatives against climate change is up at the House of Representatives. The measure was filed by Camarines Sur 2nd District Rep. LRay Villafuerte, together with fellow congressmen from the province — his son Rep....
The Constitution of the Philippines, ratified by plebiscite on Feb. 2, 1987, has been in force for 36 years, the longest period of uninterrupted democratic governance in the history of the Republic. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has declared that changing the Constitution “is not a priority,”...
How prepared are we in the event “The Big One”—a magnitude-7.2 earthquake triggered by the movement of the West Valley Fault—strikes in Metro Manila? The question comes to mind in the wake of the devastation caused by the magnitude-7.8 earthquake that hit Turkiye and Syria. A study...
A classic word appropriately describes the essential accomplishment of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s recent five-day working visit to Japan. It established the blueprint for the future of Philippine-Japan relations. Blueprints are “drawings that architects use to plan new buildings.”...
The Value-Added Tax (VAT) Refund Program for foreign tourists, which was recently approved by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is a welcome development. The program, which is set for implementation in 2024, is among the proposals the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) presented to Marcos to...
Barangay health workers (BHWs) play a vital role in the country’s healthcare system. They act as community organizers, educators, and primary healthcare service providers in their community. Therefore, they are at the forefront of the delivery of healthcare services at the grassroots level. They...
