Public service is a thankless job. Criticisms, now amplified via social media, are part of daily life. Do little, then a public servant is deemed worthless; do more, then a public servant is accused of grandstanding or credit grabbing. It is hard to find the perfect balance but if there is one...
And some of us still haven't learned our lesson. By now, the trifecta of health protocols – wearing a face mask, social distancing, and regular hand washing – should be "ingrained" in our muscle memory. All research, whether done in the confines of a laboratory or using the expanse of...
The reopening of some aspects of the economy such as allowing limited dine-in in restaurants or permitting salons to accept clients gave a sense of hope for the business sector. With continuous vaccinations and implementation of focused lockdowns on streets or villages meant to cut the root of...
Like other government agencies that have recurring activities to implement as mandated by law, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) did not foresee the pandemic coming. The enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the various level of restrictions in several places in the country to stem the rising...
In a move that caught many by surprise, the government has extended the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) in Metro Manila by another week. The manner in which the announcement was made was as concerning as the message itself. The presidential spokesperson finally announced the...
Generally optimistic, most Filipinos see hope and readily shift to a lighter disposition whenever September 1 appears on the calendar. The day opens the four-month season of festivities amidst a cooler temperature for this tropical country, albeit also a season of typhoons and floods. For the...
The country’s agricultural sector, already hard-hit by the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last year, continued its decline in the second quarter of the year as reported by the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) earlier this month. From a 3.4 percent dip...
The distinctive achievements made by Filipino athletes led by gold medalist Hidilyn Diaz in the recent Tokyo 2020 Olympics have prompted the government to institutionalize the grant of incentives and accolades to Filipino achievers in various fields. The Olympians received numerous gifts of cash...
The culprits are in the air and we use a mask to fight a two-way invisible battle: a microscopic virus and tiny particles from the vog. The virus here is COVID, which continues to break record number of infections, while the vog is from the volcanic smog of Taal Volcano, swept by the wind...
“Still the People’s Champ” is how most Filipinos regard Manny Pacquiao despite his loss to Yordenis Ugas in Las Vegas last Saturday (Sunday, Manila time), August 21. He said he will make an announcement next month, but this will likely be regarding his political plans. His current term as...
On the 38th death anniversary of the late Senator Benigno S. Aquino, Jr., it is well to recall the circumstances of his death that led to national recognition of his heroism. When he was assassinated on August 21, 1983, there were only 51.4 million Filipinos; presently, our population is...
The Commission on Audit’s role as “watchdog” on the proper use of government resources has come into sharp focus. In his recent regular weekly televised address, President Duterte criticized its audit report calling attention to certain “deficiencies” in the way the Department of...
