In accordance with law, Dec. 8 of each year is observed as “a special non-working holiday in the entire country to commemorate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Principal Patroness of the Philippines.” The Philippines is among 25 countries in the world that have set aside a...
The three-day National Vaccination Days, which concluded yesterday, Dec. 1, 2021, was one for the books. It may not have reached its original target of a total 15 million vaccinations (and later scaled down to nine million), but it was a success, with the first day alone setting a world record at...
Just like medical frontliners, the Department of Health started last Monday administering booster shots to senior citizens and immunocompromised individuals. The DOH also announced they can also choose to receive a booster shot of a vaccine brand different from the ones they had before. This...
“Dispense the shield but not the mask.” With these words, the President has now lifted the mandatory wearing of face shields in almost all parts of the country, especially those in Alert Levels 1, 2, and 3. Face shields, however, may still be worn voluntarily depending on the individual, but...
The two-day 47TH Philippine Business Conference (PBC) opens today with the theme “Innovation.PH: Economic Recovery for All.” The 47th PBC, chaired by Cathay Land President Jeffrey T. Ng, has pursued innovation as a continuing theme since last year as businesses must embrace innovation to thrive...
Coming on the heels of the strictest quarantine regime in August and September, the economy grew by 7.1 percent in the third quarter, slower than the revised second-quarter growth of 12 percent. This exceeded the 4.8 percent consensus market forecast and fanned hopes for a strong finish possibly...
The virtual summit of Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN) leaders began on Oct. 26 minus one participant. Myanmar’s junta chief had been excluded on account of the regime’s inability to comply with the five-point consensus plan drawn up last April after the unexpected ouster of its...
Sustainability paradigms are shifting and these are being driven by technology innovations, emerging industries as well as the re-calibration of global commerce that will then result in transformation of consumer-preferences. On the core of all these developments, however, is the urgent need for...
Filipinos do not have to look back as far as Typhoons Ondoy and Yolanda to remind them of catastrophic natural disasters. Fresh on the headlines and social media are scenes of devastation wrought by Typhoon Maring in the north, the country’s 13th tropical cyclone for 2021 and the second this...
Public service is a thankless job. Criticisms, now amplified via social media, are part of daily life. Do little, then a public servant is deemed worthless; do more, then a public servant is accused of grandstanding or credit grabbing. It is hard to find the perfect balance but if there is one...
And some of us still haven't learned our lesson. By now, the trifecta of health protocols – wearing a face mask, social distancing, and regular hand washing – should be "ingrained" in our muscle memory. All research, whether done in the confines of a laboratory or using the expanse of...
The reopening of some aspects of the economy such as allowing limited dine-in in restaurants or permitting salons to accept clients gave a sense of hope for the business sector. With continuous vaccinations and implementation of focused lockdowns on streets or villages meant to cut the root of...
