Farmers are the backbone of our food system, playing a pivotal role in ensuring food security. This is why every 6th of August is marked worldwide as Farmworkers’ Appreciation Day. Sad to state, however, the day is observed without much fanfare. In the Philippines, where agriculture is a...
The traffic gridlock on Aug. 5, 2024, triggered by the “Unity Walk” staged by groups opposing a Senate resolution calling for the suspension of the public utility vehicle modernization plan, once again underscored the need to address congestion in Metro Manila. Just imagine a protest...
The Supreme Court has stepped up its determined efforts to institute enduring reforms that will enhance the judiciary’s capacity to deliver real-time justice to the citizenry. Starting next week, its Office of the Court Administrator is holding webinars for judges and court personnel on...
The Filipino nation burst in jubilation as gymnast Carlos Edriel Yulo won the gold medal in the floor exercise in the 2024 Paris Olympics last Saturday, Aug. 3, duplicating the feat achieved by weightlifter Hidylin Diaz when she brought home the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal at...
The first week of August sends a reminder on the importance of breastfeeding with the observance of World Breastfeeding Week led by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and national health agencies. “Closing the gap: Breastfeeding support for all” is the theme of the 2024...
The poor performance of our students in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) has elicited many comments on the education program and suggestions on how to improve it. In the 2022 PISA, the Philippines landed in the bottom 10 out of 81 participating countries in areas...
No need for reclamation. That, in a nutshell, was the clear message of Senator Cynthia Villar to all and sundry when she appeared as guest of the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel on July 31, 2024. She joined other senators and the public in clamoring for an end to reclamation, especially in...
Construct more water impounding facilities. This was the marching order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. given twice in succession this month — the first was on July 13, 2024, days ahead of the flooding that swamped Metro Manila and neighboring provinces; and the second on July 27,...
Beyond expediting the release of funds and imposing a price freeze on basic goods, the declaration last week of a state of calamity in Metro Manila and five adjacent provinces exposed perennial shortcomings in governance over essential concerns ranging from garbage disposal to environmental...
Nearly a million Filipino teachers, who are admired for their dedication to duty in shaping and developing young learners’ minds and character, have long endured slow progress in their career development. More auspicious horizons now beckon — a good augury for the new schoolyear that starts...
The heavy rains brought by Super Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) on June 24, 2024 flooded many areas and showed the preparedness of government agencies to respond to the extraordinary rainfall dumped on the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon, and several...
At his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. elicited 125 rounds of applause and two standing ovations. The entire audience stood up first when he declared anew that the West Philippine Sea is ours, then thanked the armed forces who have...
