OF TREES AND FOREST Cash, as in physical notes and coins, has apparently been dethroned. According to the 2024 Status of Digital Payments in the Philippines report released by the Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the share of online payments in monthly retail transactions has risen to 57.4...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Part 1) What’s in a name? It’s amazing how, sometimes, one’s given name is truly a reflection of one’s personality. Cynthia (woman from Cynthus) is apparently one of the nicknames of the Greek goddess Artemis, who together with her twin brother Apollo was born on...
OF TREES AND FOREST I grew up during the time when Holy Week or Mahal na Araw was solemnly observed. There were no distractions that time. There were virtually no programs on TV except Holy Week related programs and movies like The Ten Commandments and Spartacus. Even radio stations...
OF TREES AND FOREST The World Happiness Report for 2025 was released by the United Nations last March 20, 2025, which was also International Day of Happiness. The report does not only rank countries by their average levels of life satisfaction but also explored “the impact of caring and...
OF TREES AND FOREST It is a very controversial question. Should government regulate social media? On one hand, we know, and some of us have experienced first-hand the dangers of social media that is completely unfettered. I have been a victim of this. Most recently, I had to post a proof of...
OF TREES AND FOREST “Helping mothers is really my advocacy. As a mom, I know the difficult and multiple roles we have to play. I want to fight for Filipino moms.” This was from Camille, my daughter. I have heard her talk about this when meeting with her campaign team and they were...
OF TREES AND FOREST In the past, I have frequently discussed how a good manager needs to be sensitive to changes in the business environment whether it be political, social or demographic. The same is true in politics. Politicians and public servants need to be responsive to...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Part II) I do not consider myself an alarmist. In fact, I almost always see the glass half-full than half-empty. But I also think that a good manager, whether in government or the private sector, needs to be aware of certain situations that may impact the...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Part I) Two surveys released by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) one week apart this new year really piqued my interest. No, they are not surveys about the senatorial candidates for the 2025 national elections (although I would find that interesting as well). The two...
OF TREES AND FOREST The first New Year’s resolutions were made some 4,000 years ago. Since the ancient Babylonians started pledging their allegiance to the reigning king or crowned a new king, and made promises to repay debts in the year ahead in order for the gods to bless them in the new...
OF TREES AND FOREST Why do we celebrate the new year? Why do we go through all the trouble of going back home to the provinces or gathering everyone around the dinner table before the clock strikes midnight? There is a psychological importance to bidding goodbye to the old year and to welcoming a...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Second of two parts) One of my staff asked me recently: “Sir, what was your Christmas like when you were growing up 25 in Tondo?” I do not know why but my memory immediately took me back to Mary Johnston. Mary Johnston Hospital (MJH), run by the United Methodist Church, is...
