HOTSPOT The Philippines has recognized Palestine since September 1989. Right now, we are among 138 member-states of the United Nations that recognize the State of Palestine. All member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, with the exception of Myanmar, also recognize Palestine. In...
HOTSPOT For the rest of us who have always been told by government officials “walang pera” when we inquire about social services, the revelations about confidential and intelligence funds give us a feeling of being lied to, defrauded or scammed. The figures are staggering. President Duterte...
HOTSPOT As of press time, drag artist Pura Luka Vega (PLV) is still detained at the Manila Police District on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 36 Manila for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012. Bail has...
HOTSPOT As I write this, we in our Manila Science High School (MaSci) barkada are still in shock by the passing of our classmate and stalwart friend Eddie Akim on Wednesday night at a hospital in Dagupan City. What limited news we have swiftly spread among batchmates, straight to our group chat for...
HOTSPOT I’m as stunned as many others by what transpired at a press conference this week at Plaridel town in Bulacan. I’m just happy and relieved that Jhed Tamano and Jonila Castro are alive and free. Others like missing University of the Philippines students Karen Empeno and Sherlyn Cadapan...
HOTSPOT An official of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board this week said that provisional fare hikes may be approved by November, in response to petitions and pleas from transport groups and jeepney drivers. This is understandable because as Ibon Foundation points out...
HOTSPOT Did you see the video from the National Bureau of Investigation about the successful use of an ID photo showing a monkey to register a SIM card? Did you read about a senator’s suggestion that a citizen should only be able to register only one SIM card and be made to pay for extra ones? In...
HOTSPOT As I write this, the songs “All I Want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carrey and “Christmas in our Hearts” by Jose Mari Chan are back on the airwaves and through streaming, to herald the start of the world’s longest Christmas season. From our country to everyone else’s, we...
HOTSPOT While many appear to be worried or panicking about prospects for change in the 2025 midterm elections and even the 2028 presidential elections, we’re not seeing any concerted effort around the Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) happening on Oct. 30, 2023. Each of our...
HOTSPOT The recently-released “Digital 2023 July Global Statshot Report,” published by global agencies We Are Social and Meltwater and with help from scores of 10 partners, reveal how fast and how deep the media landscape has changed. Many of the report’s findings should be interesting to...
HOTSPOT A big downpour might have marred and shortened the University of the Philippines Diliman’s commencement exercises last July 30, but nothing can detract from the sheer achievement of the Class of 2023. A record 2,243 out of UP Diliman’s 3,359 baccalaureate graduates received Latin...
HOTSPOT Decades ago, the terms were “payola” and “attack-collect, defend-collect.” Now, there are new, more powerful players in the shaping of public opinion who researchers say use the terms “retainer” and “pay per post.” Hats off to researchers Fatima Gaw, Jon Benedik A. Bunquin,...
