In one of the speeches of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. during his working visit in New York, a line resonated with Filipinos, especially those who have been far away from their land of birth for too long. The President said, “Let us reverse the brain drain. Ibalik natin ang galing ng...
The President’s Executive Order No. 3, which makes the use of face masks optional in outdoor settings, is like a “surprise visitor” — a lot of people welcome it since it is another step toward normalcy but there are also others who frown upon its timing. It should be noted, however, that EO...
Filipinos are known for their respect to the elderly, whether it is their grandparents, a senior in the community, or even an elder stranger encountered on the road or in a mall. At a young age, we were all taught to honor the elderly by not raising our voices in front of them, asking their...
Today is Sept. 1, the first day of the “ber” months; and if going by tradition (which the pandemic can’t change), it is the start of the longest Christmas season in the world. Weather-wise, the coming months will be cooler, sometimes disrupted by typhoons and weeks filled with rain; it can...
For so long, the agriculture department considered itself like a prodigal son. Compared to its brothers and sisters such as the education, public works, and defense departments which have always taken a big slice of the annual national budget, the agriculture component was left with crumbs, after...
It is only through a “very high level of vaccination rate” if a nation wants to have a strong “wall of immunity” that could prevent transmission and avoid the repeated infection peaks observed during the pandemic. This is what the Mayo Clinic advised nations around the world who have...
Soon, the famous Walled City of Intramuros in Manila may turn into a water world. This was the warning raised by the Intramuros Administration (IA) amid the adverse effects of climate change and the rapid urbanization in Metro Manila. Ramil B. Tibayan, head of the Cultural Properties Conservation...
The Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) has suspended the procurement of non-common use supplies and equipment (Non-CSE) for government agencies. In a statement on Tuesday, Aug. 16, Dennis Santiago, PS-DBM executive director, announced the indefinite suspension on the...
The Procurement Service-Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) on Friday, Aug. 12, has turned over to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) documents related to the controversial Department of Education (DepEd) laptops. Dennis S. Santiago, PS-DBM executive director, said they also...
We do not need to ask if a commuter, driver or pedestrian has seen a line of vehicles parked along the streets, taking over sidewalks and even outer lanes, most often at residential areas. Such a sight is not out of the ordinary anymore. They are part of the landscape in a barangay, residential...
Even before the start of his new administration, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. already called for a review of the K-12 program, noting that “there is need to improve the quality of education in the country.” He deplored that Filipino students are lagging behind their Asian counterparts,...
For so long, the plight of our overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) have filled pages of newspapers and space on social media. They are dubbed as “modern-day heroes” but they are treated like “third-class citizens” in their land of birth with voluminous requirements and excruciating red tape,...
