NIGHT OWL The Philippines does not need panic. It needs execution. A recession is not the base case: the IMF still projects Philippine growth at 5.6 percent in 2026. But complacency would be a mistake. Official data show growth slowed to 4.4 percent in 2025 from 5.7 percent in 2024. At the same...
NIGHT OWL One of the most important pieces of advice I have ever received did not come wrapped in grand words. It came in the form of a simple question from one of my mentors in the UK: Why can’t you seem to focus on your research? At first, I did not know how to answer. My struggle was not about...
NIGHT OWL There are honors you do not expect to receive, especially when your earliest experiences taught you to expect limitation instead. Receiving the Programme Director’s Prize is one of those honors. The Programme Director’s Prize is awarded for an exceptional contribution to the classroom...
Oxford, United Kingdom — Anna Mae Yu Lamentillo has been awarded the Programme Director’s Prize, an honor presented to a student who has made an exceptional contribution to the classroom and cohort. Recipients are selected by a panel of judges that includes the Programme Director and the...
NIGHT OWL When people speak about Oxford, they often speak about its history, its prestige, and its excellence. They speak of it as though it exists somewhere above ordinary life. But what Oxford taught me most was not grandeur. It was bravery. Standing at the Holywell Music Room and speaking on...
NIGHT OWL National identity is vital for a country aspiring to chart its own future independently amid global pressures. For the Philippines, a country rich in diverse cultures and languages, fostering national identity begins fundamentally in the classroom, with the choice of language as...
NIGHT OWL The United Kingdom, despite being a highly connected society with widespread internet access and advanced cybersecurity infrastructure, explicitly prohibits online voting. British voters still physically mark their choices on paper ballots, a practice that might seem outdated in...
NIGHT OWL In every corner of the world where ballots are cast, democracy is tested—not just by those who count the votes, but by those who believe their voice still matters. At its best, democracy is the collective dream of a people charting their own future. But at its most vulnerable, it...
NIGHT OWL We are living in a time of transformation. From the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and escalating conflicts to the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and the deepening climate crisis, the world is undergoing profound and overlapping shifts. The field of...
NIGHT OWL Marriage in the Philippines is no longer the inevitable milestone it once was. Among Gen Z Filipinos—the country’s youngest adults—a quiet but profound shift is underway. A recent survey conducted by Arkipelago Analytics reveals that only 40 percent of Gen Z respondents say they...
NIGHT OWL Climate change is no longer a distant threat looming on the horizon — it is a present reality demanding immediate, unified action. In 2024 alone, we have witnessed an unprecedented surge in ocean temperatures, illustrating just how rapidly and dramatically our planet is changing....
NIGHT OWL The Philippines has long prided itself on being one of the more progressive nations in Asia when it comes to gender equality. Women have held high positions in government, business, and civil society, and the country has consistently ranked well in global gender parity indices. But...
