“Tinimbang ka Ngunit Kulang” (We have fallen short of benchmarks) is one of the country’s movie-classic. Its theme was borrowed by the Movement for Good Governance (MGG), a coalition of reform-minded individuals and organizations. Firmly believing that the country...
I cry very easily. I cried in our summit last year as we recited our pledge of commitment to Filipino children. I cried when Synergeia returned to Marawi after years of absence. I cried after seeing a half-empty classroom in Barira, Maguindanao because most of the children were absent and...
Once there was an Emperor who thought he was so brave and powerful. He surrounded his palace with soldiers so that the people would be scared. They would obey his command. He was never gentle and always rough in speaking and in his actions. He thought they made...
The doctor shook his head after examining Nonong. His little patient has become thinner and lost some weight. His body temperature is up and he has a slight fever. He looks pale and the color of his cheeks is gone. The Philippine economy is just like Nonong. Every quarter, a doctor...
There was once a beautiful forest at the foot of the mountain. The trees bore sweet mangoes, luscious avocados, red rambutan, and juicy guayabanos. Beautiful flowers grew along the forest path. There were daisies, chrysanthemums, and sampaguita. Birds of all colors flew and sang. At...
We meet several bullies in our life. He was the big kid in elementary school who asked for your crayon or else. She was the teacher who shamed you in front of the class because you did not do your assignment. He was the office mate who organized a rally against you. Or he was the...
Once upon a time, there was a kingdom by the sea. The air was fresh and crisp. The sky was so blue. The wind was soft and the grass sparkled with the morning dew. Until one day, darkness covered the kingdom. The people were suffering from a plague. Factories, offices, and stores...
Studies on the economics of ageing deal with the costs of a growing number of old people who are now dependent on their children and government. Their recommendations deal with improving pensions and social security systems and tend to look at an ageing society as a burden. This was further...
Many of us grew up fantasizing about Batman as a superhero. Unlike Superman, he did not come from planet Krypton and devoid of super human powers. But he is able to do incredulous work because of dedication to his mission and leadership qualities. I have started to call some Mayors as...
Reading about a plague terrified me when I was a kid. Watching its effects dramatized in movies gave me nightmares. Although it has been given a benign name, a pandemic is a plague that brings death, fear, and untold misery. The paranoia is crippling. We are afraid to go...
I cannot help but become emotional when I discuss the unequal distribution of income and wealth in the Philippines with my students. On-line discussions make it is more challenging to elicit their powerful reaction. I am unable to see whether my students are troubled by the unequal...
Having been accustomed to hosting and participating in zoom workshops, I thought that organizing a virtual conference will be a breeze. I was thinking beyond my head. Staging a virtual summit is as difficult as organizing a national conference in- person. Certainly, there are advantages...
