Former Senate President Manny Villar OF TREES AND FOREST One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown is the disruption in terms of employment. A July, 2020, National Mobile Phone Survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) revealed some depressing numbers as adult unemployment reached...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a sobering assessment last week on the development of a vaccine against COVID-19. WHO officials said that “it did not expect widespread immunization against the novel coronavirus until mid-2021”....
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay GOVERNANCE MATTERS Ever since the government placed Metro Manila and major urban centers under a lockdown, our people have been living in a state of constant fear. The fear is real, not existential. It is brought on by economic uncertainties and the day-to-day...
Former Senator Atty. Joey Lina FINDING ANSWERS With many unprecedented challenges facing our education system this school year 2020-2021 in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, it is understandable why some people feel jittery. Despite assurances from the Department of Education that nationwide...
PEACE-MAKER Jose de Venecia Jr. Former Speaker of the House Tensions in the South China Sea have once again escalated in the midst of the recent heated exchanges between the United States and China. The two countries recently conducted their respective military exercises in the South China Sea. It...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar Ironically, the piece of legislation providing for the celebration of National Heroes Day — Republic Act No. 3827, passed by the Philippine Legislature on October 28, 1931 — did not specify any particular hero. And so while we have days...
GOVERNANCE MATTERS Former Vice President Jejomar Binay Last week, Congress received from the Executive the proposed budget for 2021 totalling P4.5-trillion. The budget reflects government’s optimism that the economy will be able to rebound from the recession triggered by the extended lockdown...
FINDING ANSWERS Former Senator Atty. Joey Lina Will the United States of America break up into a white and colored country? Now, more than ever, the degree of divisiveness is getting clearer. Eventually, as the polarization sharpens, the conservatives in the US will not act on the deep-seated issue...
PEACE-MAKER Jose de Venecia Jr. Former Speaker of the House We are saddened by the recent passing of our old family friend, spiritual adviser, and shepherd of the Roman Catholic flock in the archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan for 18 years, from 1991 to 2009, Archbishop Emeritus Oscar Cruz. He was such...
FINDING ANSWERS Former Senator Atty. Joey Lina These are difficult times and the near future is beset with uncertainties as the coronavirus pandemic continues its rampage. Around 5.2 million Filipino families or 20.9 percent of the population found themselves with nothing to eat at least for once...
OF TREES AND FOREST Former Senate President Manny Villar It is the nature of great men and women that, long after they have died, their footprints remain embedded in the memories of their nation. Such is the case of Manuel L. Quezon whose 142nd birth anniversary we observed just last week. In fact,...
GOVERNANCE MATTERS Former Vice President Jejomar Binay I came across two recent developments that convey all too clearly the absence of harmony among the key agencies and institutions undertaking the crucial work of addressing the pandemic and its myriad effects on our economy and everyday life....
