Opinion and Commentary
Lauengco: 'Ang Init!': Thoughts on heat
April 17, 2024, 10:16 am
“What dreadful hot weather we have! It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance.” - Jane Austen These days, the topic of heat seems to be in everyone’s minds. In Metro Manila, we have had recent temperature highs of 34 to 36 degrees Celsius and a heat index of up to 41 degrees. Other… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Improving mass transport
April 15, 2024, 11:03 am
Just after the midweek holiday break last week, the Epifanio de los Santos Avenue (EDSA) once again seemed like a huge parking lot, with vehicles at a standstill as many rushed to return to Metro Manila. Sadly, the congestion on Manila’s roads has become a common sight and it’s simply… Read More
Lu: No shortcuts to becoming a successful entrepreneur
April 12, 2024, 11:30 am
A total disaster. This will happen if a planned social media marketing strategy begins on the wrong footing. The owner of a Takoyaki store who wanted to promote his product by challenging its followers on April 1 to have its logo tattooed on their foreheads in exchange for PHP100,000 is now in… Read More
Samonte: Why do we need a National Environmental Protection Agency?
April 11, 2024, 2:20 pm
To avoid the destruction of the country’s protected and heritage sites for tourism purposes, there is a need for the government to create a National Environmental Protection Agency or NEPA separate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). This suggestion was made by the… Read More
Lauengco: Taiwan earthquake: Lessons on composure, resiliency, preparedness
April 10, 2024, 8:59 am
“It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark”- Howard Ruff Last April 3, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the east coast of Taiwan. Reportedly the strongest in 25 years, the said earthquake caused several buildings to collapse and mountains to crumble. One of the many things that struck… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Bayanihan for the dry season
April 9, 2024, 11:50 am
The dry season is here, which means that we will see a spike in electricity consumption as more Filipinos turn to longer use of cooling appliances to cope with searing temperatures. Studies have shown that historically, energy demand increases by around 10 percent to 40 percent between March and… Read More
Samonte: There's a need to bring rationality to our senatorial elections
April 4, 2024, 6:02 pm
Is there a possibility in the near future that the 24 Filipino senators mandated in the 1987 Constitution will all come from Metropolitan Manila and the rest of Luzon to the detriment of the people from the Visayas and Mindanao? This question begins lingering in my mind as the Commission on… Read More
Lauengco: The tattoo prank: Online responsibilities and liabilities
April 3, 2024, 9:53 am
“It is not only for what we do that we are held responsible, but also for what we do not do.” - Moliere For the past few days, several netizens have been mesmerized by the story of a food store owner who came out with a rather unique challenge. In an online post, the food store owner issued a… Read More
Zaldarriaga: NAIA heat
April 2, 2024, 11:27 am
At the peak of the Holy Week exodus, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) once again made headlines for the wrong reasons. Travelers—many of whom are rushing for a reprieve from the hectic city life, or to be with their families for the break—had to endure the sweltering heat at the… Read More
Lu: Advancing sustainable energy for PH
April 1, 2024, 1:44 pm
Last year, during his visit to Washington in the United States, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. stated that his administration is looking into the possibility of tapping nuclear power to address the energy needs of the Philippines. PBBM is not eyeing the likes of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant… Read More
Samonte: How older Novaliches residents shed off unsavory alias names
March 27, 2024, 5:06 pm
I was born eight decades ago in a sleepy barrio of the former agricultural town of Novaliches, shared since 1948 by Quezon City and Caloocan City, two of the largest and most progressive cities in Metropolitan Manila at present. My growing-up years coincided with the time when many of the… Read More
Lauengco: On pause buttons and silent Holy Wednesdays
March 27, 2024, 1:52 pm
“Pausing puts things into perspective... “ - Denise Pass There is a new Netflix series called, “3 Body Problem” with a protagonist that could somehow see a digital countdown that no one else can. In one episode, the said protagonist is told that she would not want it to get to zero.… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Animal welfare
March 26, 2024, 12:36 pm
The recent brutal killing of the golden retriever Killua in Bato, Camarines Sur has sparked public outcry, especially from animal-loving Filipinos, as it serves as a wake-up call on the need to raise greater awareness on animal rights. The hashtag #JusticeForKillua has made headlines these past… Read More
Lu: Let us preserve our UNESCO heritage sites
March 22, 2024, 10:01 am
Finally, the cat is out of the box. The drone shot of a resort nestled between three chocolate hills undeniably provides proof that one of our valued United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) geoparks has been violated. The uproar reverberated so loudly that… Read More
Samonte: Spotlighting Filipino legislators since the First PH Republic in 1898
March 21, 2024, 10:13 pm
Most of the younger generations of the Filipino population of over 114 million at present may be interested to know that the First Philippine Republic under President Emilio F. Aguinaldo had a national budget of just PHP6,324,392 in 1899. Certainly, many observers would comment that such an amount… Read More
Lauengco: Driving on the wrong side of the road
March 20, 2024, 4:23 pm
“Hold people accountable for irresponsible behavior, that affects you and the world around you”- Trish MCarn By now, a lot of people have seen that viral video of a motorcycle rider traversing the wrong side of the skyway and smashing into an Asian utility vehicle (AUV). It is regrettable that… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Healthcare access for persons deprived of liberty
March 19, 2024, 4:12 pm
With the Philippines ranking third in the world for prison overcrowding, it is a heavily concerning reality that persons deprived of liberty in the country face deplorable living conditions that compromise their overall health and well-being. Some 165,000 people are incarcerated across the country… Read More
Lu: People’s Council: Strengthening public participation in governance
March 15, 2024, 11:52 am
On Sept. 14, 2009, the Quezon City Council approved the Participation, Accountability, and Transparency (PAT) Ordinance of Quezon City. It is an “ordinance strengthening and institutionalizing the system of partnership in local governance between the Quezon City government and the people of… Read More
Samonte: Reminiscing on FVR as PH's 12th and Centennial president
March 14, 2024, 2:54 pm
Did you know why the late President Fidel V. Ramos (FVR), the 12th president of the Philippines -- the first democratic Republic in Asia -- was also called the country's Centennial president? Well, because, it was during his six-year term from June 30, 1992 to June 30, 1998 that the Filipino… Read More
Lauengco: Food tourism
March 13, 2024, 4:48 pm
“Every country can be defined through their food … That’s the soul of a country “ -Quincy Jones A couple of days ago, I had an opportunity to go to one of Taipei’s famous Michelin rated restaurants that specializes in various types of Taiwanese beef noodle soup. Located in one of the… Read More
