It is quite ironic that the children of fishermen who provide us with food have a higher rate of malnourishment and stunting. This is according to the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) data from a National Nutrition Survey. Citing a study...
Where does our garbage go? That’s a good question to think about after Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin “Benhur’’ Abalos Jr. disclosed that only 1,107 out of the 1,634 local government units (LGUs) all over the country have access to...
Traffic congestion in Metro Manila remains a big problem. The 2023 TomTom Traffic Index released recently showed that Metro Manila has the distinction of having the worst traffic congestion among 387 metropolitan areas in the world. It took motorists in Metro Manila 25 minutes and 30 seconds to...
Four years ago, on Jan. 30, 2020, the Department of Health recorded the first Covid-19 case in the country, a Chinese national. After the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared “an end to Covid-19 as a public health emergency on May 5, 2023,” the total death toll stood at 66,453....
Sustainable growth that brings about prosperity for all Filipinos — with no one left behind — is the strategic vision that underpins the socio-economic development programs of the national government. Since the launching of AmBisyon Natin long-term development program in 2015 during the...
The new face of the learning system has started to appear in the classrooms of Makati public schools. They call it the “smart classrooms” where learning tools are today’s essential gadgets for information, entertainment and communication. In these smart classrooms, the blackboard is a...
Eighty-five percent of all public utility vehicles (PUV) are expected to be consolidated as cooperatives or corporations under the Public Utility Vehicle Modernization Program (PUVMP) by April 30, 2024. That is an expectation of government after President Marcos granted a three-month extension of...
There are no plans to impose new taxes this year. Finance Secretary Ralph Recto stressed this in a briefing on Jan. 24, 2024, as he cited inflationary pressures. “When you impose taxes, that is also inflationary. So, I don’t think now is the time to impose [new taxes],” the new Finance chief...
Cyber crimes continue to pose a big problem around the world. As technology becomes more sophisticated, so is cyber threat. In fact, multinational cybersecurity and anti-virus provider Kaspersky projects that sophisticated cyber threats will rise in 2024. This is another problem the Philippines has...
Significant gaps in healthcare, infrastructure, education, and agriculture need to be addressed for the Philippines to attain upper middle-income status within the current administration’s term – and move ahead toward attaining the national vision of $11,000 income per capita. This was declared...
At a Cabinet meeting last week, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel, Jr. announced a comprehensive plan “to increase agricultural productivity, lower food cost, ensure food security, and make farming and fisheries a more bankable investment alternative.” The eight-point plan...
The Pasig River is being prepared to join the ranks of famous rivers in the world which can draw in locals and tourists for river cruises, dinners at riverside restaurants, sports events, or for a morning walk. On Jan. 17, a spray of fireworks lighted the sky over the riverbank behind the Manila...
