THE VIEW FROM RIZAL One of the unresolved “debates” in academic and historical circles – and even among ordinary Filipinos is this: who should be our national hero – Dr. Jose Rizal or Andres Bonifacio? Several scholarly writers who have tackled the subject matter have done us great service...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Since 2011, the Department of Education (DepEd) has been spearheading the country’s celebration of the National Reading Month. The celebration aims to inspire our youth to adopt and stick to the habit of reading. During this month, schools will be doing activities to get them...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Last week, the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) celebrated its 54th anniversary. It was a privilege to become part of the agency, having served as its general manager twice, although just for short periods. I was glad because the celebration focused on a body of water...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL The recent plebiscite conducted in the province of Bulacan was an interesting sidelight in this year’s Barangay-Sangguniang Kabataang Barangay Elections (BSKE). In the plebiscite, Bulacan voters were asked whether or not they approved ratifying a proclamation signed by former...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL When my eldest daughter was nine years old, she asked me this question: “Dad, why is there an All Saints Day?” I was not ready to answer that question. My mind raced back to my days in Marist School, hoping to recall what our teachers may have taught us in Religion class...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL In the olden days, the barangay chairman was called barrio captain. Kapitan del Barrio, our elders used to call them. Much earlier, he was “tentyente del barrio” – the successor of the “cabeza de barangay.” His position must be so important that from Barrio Lieutenant,...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Late last week, traditional and online media outfits went to town with stories on the country’s richest provinces, cities, and municipalities. The stories were based on the audit report of the Commission on Audit as of the end of 2022. We are elated by the fact that the...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Last weekend, we woke up to the shocking news that Israel’s southern cities were attacked by elements of Hamas – a Palestinian armed group. What made the news “shocking” was the number of Israelis allegedly killed and kidnapped by the attackers, including some 260...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Tomorrow, Oct. 5, the world will be celebrating “World Teachers’ Day.” When my eldest daughter was in sixth grade, I remember her asking me this: “Dad, why do we celebrate Teachers’ Day?” Her question sent me scampering for a backgrounder on this annual celebration,...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Tomorrow, Sept. 14, several government and private sector organizations will gather in Antipolo City to celebrate the success of a partnership. The officials of the provincial government of Rizal, the city government of Antipolo, the Department of Environment and Natural...
The Antipolo City local government on Tuesday, Aug. 6, announced the city's latest achievement bagging the highest recognition in the 2023 Calabarzon Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) for its outstanding nutrition program implementation of the National Nutrition Council's (NNC) Philippine...
THE VIEW FROM RIZAL Before there were social media influencers, there were AM radio broadcasters, newscasters, and commentators. The latter ruled the airwaves until about the late 1990s before social media captured our attention and became our chief source of entertainment, news, and...