Opinion and Commentary

Ledesma: Confusing the enemy

PRESIDENT Rodrigo  Duterte is a killjoy. He just told Leni Robredo to shut up. In this time of the pandemic, I can fault the President for depriving us of the hilarious remarks of the Vice President. She has a natural talent for comedic repartees which are veritable catharsis given the... Read More

Ledesma: What keeps Filipinos from preparing for the future 

EVERY Filipino parent wants the best education for their children. Every working Filipino looks forward to good and comfortable retirement life. Every Filipino wants to have the best medical care as needed. All these need advanced preparation. The question is: Are Filipinos making the right... Read More

Ledesma: Vaccines reveal who your friends are

THE vaccination program in the Philippines is fraught with politics, cynicism brought about by ignorance, prejudice, and the ingrained predilection for American-made products. All these beyond the primordial and universal concern to make every individual adequately protected from Covid-19 virus... Read More

Ledesma: BTS Phenomena: Beyond culture, language, nationality 

WHAT is this craze sweeping people across the globe? It’s COVID?! It’s the vaccine?! No...It’s BTS!For those of you who have not been bitten by the BTS bug, BTS (Bangtan Sonyeonda) is a group of 7 Korean boys and is now considered to be the most popular boy band in the world.I... Read More

Ledesma: PNA survives the vagaries of time and politics

THE declaration of Martial Law in 1972 ended the era of the freest press in Asia and maybe the world over. Almost all the critical media establishments folded up including community publications and broadcast stations and sent thousands of journalists and office staff workers... Read More

Ledesma:  How did the Davao IP kids get to Cebu? 

THE so-called Human Rights watchdogs are smarting over the rescue of the minor children of the indigenous tribes who were traced by welfare authorities in the San Carlos University Talamban campus. In Cebu. The 19 indigenous people (IP) children, all in their teens, are very impressionable. How... Read More

Ledesma: WHF: More productive, healthier

ALMOST 12 months of the pandemic. Almost 12 months of the work-from-home (WFH) arrangement. Employees who are into this setup are lucky that they get to keep their jobs while millions of Filipinos have lost their jobs amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. They’re even luckier that they don’t... Read More

Ledesma: Light moments over serious issues

BONGBONG Marcos lost his case in the Supreme Court but hopefully learned an expensive lesson. An attempt to appeal his case is a futile move considering the unanimous decision of the justices to junk his case in favor of Leni Robredo. Well, this is a free country and he can go ahead try another... Read More

From the Mail: Monumental destroyer of Filipino youth rights, welfare

FOR the last 52 years, communist terrorism being perpetrated by the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army – National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) had not only caused death and wanton destruction against the Filipino people, but it has also delivered monumental... Read More

Ledesma: Why fault Inday Sara?

THE 2022 elections are fast approaching but unlike in previous years, the mood is damp and lacks the usual hoopla and excitement that characterized the presidential election in the past. I do not think that the pandemic has anything to do with it at all. Within the year, the country will be swamped... Read More

From the Mail: An Open Letter: Fact-checking a fact-checker 101

By Undersecretary Jose Joel M. Sy EgcoVERA Files recently came out with a "fact-checking" report insinuating that I have uttered statements on the status of the Ampatuan massacre case that lacked context.Thank you for the opportunity to fact-check you, Vera Files.First, the amateurish... Read More

Ledesma: Nobel Prize anyone?

THIS is something for the Ripley’s. A nominee and the nominator for Nobel Peace Prize are known way ahead of the selection and announcement of the winner.I don’t know whether the Nobel Committee had changed the rules. The last time I know, the nominations are kept secret for a... Read More

Ledesma: A clown at the LTO

THE Land Transportation Office has joined the opposition. The only difference is that the officials are more efficient in winning more enemies against the Duterte administration than the likes of VP Leni, Kiko, Trillanes, and the rest of the cabal who had been salivating to oust the... Read More

Ledesma: Be part of the solution

IT’S almost one year since the Covid-19 pandemic ruled the world. By now, we should already be experts and masters of what to do and not to do amidst the pandemic. We should already be used to living under the new normal and observing the proper protocols.But after almost a year, here I am... Read More

Ledesma: Getting ready 

DAVAO City has embarked on a special training program for its health workers in preparation for the arrival of coronavirus vaccines from Astra Zeneca. The training is done under the auspices of the Regional office of the Department of Health and the City Health Office. Davao City was among the local... Read More

Ledesma: Taking charge of oneself 

THE start of a brand new year is the time for most of us to set our plans for the rest of the year.While we busy ourselves setting the plans for the team and the organization, one very important plan that is often neglected, ignored, and overlooked is our own personal development... Read More

Valera: Exercise of freedom, not freedom from consequences

THE principle of academic freedom has enjoyed an uneven track record in the Philippines. Evidently, the UP is where you see a free public debate, academic research, discussions on Marxist-Leninist, Mao Zedong political thoughts both informal and non-formal education set up. I myself read many of... Read More

Ledesma: What of China?

CHANGES in global events mandate that our political leaders and we as a nation must be circumspect. It requires the shedding off of our prejudices and biases for in the irony of unfolding events our prejudices have become our biases and biases our prejudices.   Because of the Covid-19... Read More

Ledesma: Politics and science don’t mix

IT does not help that there is a large segment of our population who are adamant or downright afraid of Covid-19 vaccination. It is also bad because the issue of where the source or sources of the vaccines are coming from is notoriously politicized. This is most apparent in the Philippines... Read More

Ledesma: What’s the plan? 

IT'S planning season again! As we kick off a new year, different organizations, big or small, private or government, local or multinational are all into planning sessions these days. However, unlike in the previous years when these planning sessions are done either offsite or inside conference... Read More