Since March 2020, there have been twice-a-month announcements by the government on the quarantine classification of regions, cities and towns. The Presidential Spokesman announced that an “improving” COVID-19 scenario in the National Capital Region (NCR) prompted a downgrade to normal general...
The growth of the Philippine population continues on a downtrend, as more families prefer a smaller family size. Total population as of May 2020 stood at 109,035,343, a 1.63 percent increase from 100,981,437 in 2015 or slower than the 1.72 percent uptick from 2010 to 2015. An analysis of the...
The ramped-up delivery of vaccine supplies to the country and acceleration of vaccination by local government units (LGUs) have brought about a significant increase in the public’s willingness to be vaccinated. According to Pulse Asia’s June 7-16 survey, 43 percent of respondents said they...
The escalation of cyber attacks against critical infrastructure in the United States was brought up by President Joe Biden with President Vladimir Putin in their Geneva summit last month raising the profile of what has emerged as a major global security concern. The New York Times reports that...
For centuries, overpopulation had been a dark cloud hovering over our future. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) predicted that there would be more of us by 2050 than the planet could accommodate. Based on the latest UN projections, there will be 8.6 billion of us by 2030, 9.8 billion by...
As the spiritual leader of more than 1.3 billion Catholics, Pope Francis’ health invites more than just passing concern, considering that he is now 84 years old and he continues to tackle the enormous responsibilities of his office. “Pope Francis is doing well and is alert,” according to...
First, the good news: Inflation slowed to 4.1 percent in June. This is lower than the inflation rate of 4.5 percent in March, April and May, but quicker compared with 2.5 percent in June 2020. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, whose primary goal is to ensure monetary stability, is cautiously...
It is, in the words of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, that lawyers must “conduct themselves with honesty and integrity.” These two virtues were extolled by the Chief Justice during the oath-taking of the new officers and members of the Board of Governors of the Integrated Bar of the...
Due to the resurgence of “anomalously high sulfur dioxide (SO2) emission” from Taal Volcano, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has imposed Alert Level 3 to warn against the dangers posed by a “high level of volcanic unrest.” Just a notch lower than Alert Level...
Now, the hard part begins. After co-signing a joint manifesto of commitment with the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP), the government must demonstrate its capacity to deliver the goods: further easing business regulations, completing vital infrastructure projects, and most...
Today’s celebration of Philippine-American Friendship Day evolved from the previous years’ observance of the fourth of July as Independence Day. This day in 1946 marked the end of US sovereignty: the American flag was lowered just as the Philippine flag was raised in a ceremony at the Luneta....
Much ado about vaccine passports, even if they aren’t quite new. In the pilgrimage town of Pandharpur in Bombay, India, shortly after a vaccine for plague was developed in 1897, authorities required proof of vaccination as a condition of entry for the pilgrims who would flock to Pandharpur every...
