In our lives, caregivers have played an integral role, from the moment we are born, during times when we are ill or incapacitated, or during old age. Their roles are indispensable, yet for far too long, they are vulnerable in the absence of legal protection. By definition of the law, a...
Many of the people and nations most affected by climate change are among the least responsible for it. Fifty-eight countries including the Philippines belonging to the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) were responsible for spearheading the Paris Agreement in 2015. This agreement seeks to limit global...
At the Global Media Peace Forum held recently, one of the resource persons proposed a revival of pagmamano, a gesture of respect among the Filipino youth who reach out and place on their forehead the hand of their parents and elders. If done habitually, this could spark a renewal of filial piety,...
President Marcos has expressed his support for the recommendation of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) Digital Infrastructure Group to make three pending bills in the Senate as “priority,” in order to strengthen the country’s cybersecurity programs. The three pending bills are the...
A bill seeking to create a pension fund for farmers and fisherfolk has been filed in the House of Representatives. Under the proposed Agricultural Pension Act of 2023, contributions of farmers and fisherfolk who are identified as “extremely poor” will enjoy full subsidy from the national and...
A bill that seeks to institutionalize a legal framework for climate loss and damage accountability has been filed in the House of Representatives. The measure — the proposed Climate Accountability (CLIMA) Act — seeks to institute policies and systems to address climate change, protect...
The recent amnesty proclamations issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. have sparked optimism across various sectors, particularly in the defense and security cluster. As our nation grapples with the echoes of past conflicts, these peace initiatives signify a bold stride toward healing and...
For Filipino senior citizens who have been accustomed to the celebration on Nov. 30 of Bonifacio Day as a non-working holiday, a brief backgrounder is in order. In 1952, President Elpidio Quirino declared Nov. 30 as Bonifacio Day, as this is the national hero’s birth date. He declared a separate...
The indispensable role of transport in today’s society is stated in the first line of a United Nations paper on the declaration of November 26 as World Sustainable Transport Day. “Transport is vital for promoting connectivity, trade, economic growth and employment.” But it “is also...
Sustainability. How are the various sectors contributing to sustainable development? What are being done to strengthen initiatives to prevent the depletion of natural resources to make them available in the future? At the second Manila Bulletin Sustainability Forum, leaders of industries presented...
A strong El Niño now prevails. Thus, declared the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday, Nov. 22. Strong El Niño is a weather phenomenon in which the average sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific is at least 1.5°C. PAGASA...
Among the various natural calamities mankind may face, earthquakes stand out as the most perilous due to their suddenness. Despite the possibility of high-magnitude quakes providing subtle warnings, the recent earthquake last Nov. 17, 2023, at 4 p.m. that affected a large area of Mindanao exposed...
