OFF THE BEATEN PATH President Trump declared the US-Iran war would be brief, but a month in, no end is in sight. Despite his repeated claims of victory, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, continued bombings are called for, and Iran keeps launching missile strikes at US bases in neighboring Gulf...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH For more than a week, the Middle East has been engulfed in a new wave of violence. Last week, tensions that had simmered for decades erupted when USA and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran. In swift retaliation, Iran targeted US military bases and other sites in several...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH While in the middle of doing my column for this week about Negros Island Region (comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor), I took a short break and scrolled through my X feed. Something caught my attention. I saw a tweet that quoted a tweet...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In my last column, we ended the adventure by talking about the island province of Guimaras, which is only a short boat ride from Iloilo City, Iloilo. As mentioned previously, there are four provinces in Panay Island: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo. Many people who travel to...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Last week, I posted on X (formerly called Twitter), “How can you convince Filipinos to travel to other parts of the Philippines, when it’s cheaper to fly to Hong Kong, Singapore or other ASEAN destinations, than it is to fly to some tourist destinations In the Philippines?...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In politics, few things are as indispensable yet as understated as the health of a candidate. We often talk about a candidate’s charisma, policy acumen, and public appeal, but rarely do we remark upon their physical and mental fitness, much less how those attributes affect the...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH People often ask me why I travel so much. On any given day, I’m usually on the road to somewhere else. For the most part, I travel because it is important for the work I do. But the primary reason I have for going from place to place in the Philippines is that I am...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Earlier this month, the US elections happened. Though it was an election where only Americans cast their vote, the shockwaves were felt all over the world. Leading up to the elections, a majority of the pollsters had predicted a tight race, with Republican Presidential...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH The same typhoons that can increase agricultural water supply and cause soil erosion improving its fertility, in severe and frequent measures, damage farm structure facilities. While we are yet to see the full impact of tropical storm Leon in our area of responsibility,...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Early in this brief eight-day window for the filing of Certificates of Candidacy (COCs), Filipinos cannot remain oblivious to the motions, from premature to profound, leading to the 2025 electoral exercise. Our Commission on Elections (Comelec) and advocates from the private...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In the Philippines, many roads are less traveled because of impassability. During rainy seasons, we find markers not just for distance but also for depth – how many meters deep the roads are submerged. In worse cases, these concrete structures that signify development simply...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In the face of escalating health crises, the Philippines must revisit a proven solution: the Doctor to the Barrios (DTTB) program. Established in 1993, DTTB has served as a lifeline for Filipinos living in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas (GIDAs). While the nation...
