Opinion and Commentary
Lu: Christmas and Traffic: Navigating the Festive Gridlock
December 24, 2023, 4:22 pm
Why is it that we always experience nightmarish traffic in Metro Manila during the Christmas holidays? We call it the Christmas rush when traffic is not moving at all. Filipinos call it “carmaggeddon” to illustrate the severity of traffic. The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA)… Read More
Samonte: Why there is a need for Charter Change
December 22, 2023, 3:54 pm
In my Dec. 8, 2023 column, I wrote that the 1987 Philippine Constitution will turn 37 years old on Feb. 2, 2024 despite a series of attempts by certain groups since the last quarter of the 1990s to change some of its economic provisions or even replace it entirely with a new one that will be more… Read More
Lauengco: Blue Christmas, Red Christmas
December 20, 2023, 9:48 am
“We should learn the true Christmas lesson of gentle and thoughtful kindness…”- J.R. Miller There is a Christmas tradition in the west called Blue Christmas. It happens on the longest night of the year. During this day, some churches hold a church service to honor people that have recently… Read More
Zaldarriaga: A legacy of engineering excellence
December 19, 2023, 4:33 pm
The year 2023 saw many highlights and turning points for various industries and sectors as economies worldwide forge ahead into the new normal. For many businesses, this year was all about revival and steady stabilization. Among those that saw a strong recovery this year was the construction… Read More
Lu: COP28: A global call to address climate change
December 16, 2023, 11:07 am
While Filipinos are agog with the “Kathniel” breakup, more serious issues are raging in another part of the Earth – the action-discussion on the fate of humanity – the inevitable climate change. From Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, world leaders gathered in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with one… Read More
Samonte: The dizzying population growth of former Novaliches town
December 15, 2023, 7:40 pm
During the early years of the American occupation of the Philippines until 1946, the town of Novaliches in Rizal province was abolished due to a drastically reduced number of inhabitants as a result of the two succeeding Spanish-Filipino (1896-1898) and Filipino-American (1899-1902) wars. History… Read More
Lauengco: 'Laging Handa'
December 13, 2023, 10:35 am
“A Scout is never taken by surprise; he knows exactly what to do when anything unexpected happens.” - Lord Robert Baden-Powell On Dec. 11, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP) held its 18th National Scout Jamboree at Camp Pintados de Passi, Iloilo. This year, the theme of the jamboree was… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Christmas and consumer spending
December 12, 2023, 1:41 pm
Since time immemorial, Christmas has always been synonymous with merriment for Filipinos. Whether family reunions or office dinner parties, there is no shortage of celebrations during the holiday season in the Philippines. After all, our country has the longest Christmas season in the world,… Read More
Lu: Strengthening agricultural dev’t through cooperative empowerment in PH
December 11, 2023, 8:43 am
Cooperatives play a crucial role in the Philippine economy, fostering socio-economic development, empowering communities, and enhancing financial inclusion. As of 2022, there were over 20,105 registered cooperatives in the Philippines, covering various sectors including agriculture, finance,… Read More
Samonte: Constitution survives 'Cha-cha' tries, turns 37 on Feb. 2, 2024
December 8, 2023, 2:33 pm
In less than two months from today, or on Feb. 2, 2024 to be exact, the 1987 Philippine Constitution will turn 37 years old, surviving a number of attempts to change some of its provisions or replace it entirely with a new one, providing for a shift to a federal system of government. This means… Read More
Lauengco: Philippine Bar exams musings redux
December 6, 2023, 9:42 am
“Out of the hottest fire comes the strongest steel.” – Chinese proverb On Dec. 5, the results for the 2023 Philippine Bar Examinations came out. As usual, newsfeeds were filled with photos of Bar takers crying tears of joy or sadness upon learning of the results. Like many lawyers, I often… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Contextualizing power rates in PH
December 5, 2023, 1:38 pm
Are power rates in the Philippines really expensive? Over time, the cost of electricity in our country has been criticized to be excessive in comparison to our neighbors in Asia sans any context on the predominantly influencing factors and prevailing circumstances. A 2022 study by the… Read More
Lu: Nurturing tomorrow's leaders for a sustainable future
December 1, 2023, 9:40 pm
November is designated as the National Children’s Month in the Philippines, thanks to Republic Act 10661 of 2015. Also known as the “Buwan ng mga Bata," it is annually celebrated every November to commemorate the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) on… Read More
Samonte: Quezon City Council enacts anti-hoarding ordinance
December 1, 2023, 3:31 pm
The members of the Quezon City Council (2022-2025) deserve commendation for their timely passage of an ordinance vesting the city's 142 barangay captains with the authority to prevent the hoarding of basic necessities and prime commodities during times of extreme emergencies, calamities and… Read More
Lauengco: Data-driven decision making in the LTO and other agencies
November 29, 2023, 11:21 am
“Without big data, you are blind and deaf and in the middle of a freeway.” -Geoffrey Moore Out of the 38 million known vehicles in the Philippines, only 14 million have been properly registered. In a statement issued by LTO chief Vigor Mendoza II, he reiterated that roughly 60 percent of the… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Pinoy pride
November 28, 2023, 10:10 am
More and more Filipino personalities and brands have been making their mark on the global stage, bringing pride to our country and showing the world the best that we have to offer. From beauty queens to award-winning athletes, we Filipinos can’t help but beam with Pinoy pride whenever one of our… Read More
Samonte: Reminiscing on the 1976-1978 Batasang Bayan membership
November 24, 2023, 2:13 pm
Did you know that in the second half of the 1970s, or during the martial law years, then First Lady Imelda R. Marcos, her eldest daughter and current Senator Imee R. Marcos, and former Justice Secretary and Senator Leila B. De Lima worked together at the Session Hall of the 1976-1978 Batasang… Read More
Lu: Revitalizing the Philippine coconut industry
November 24, 2023, 10:00 am
Over the years, the Philippine coconut industry has been in the doldrums. Despite our place in history as the world’s leading coconut producer, the Philippines now ranks second, next to Indonesia. India is fast catching up, and perhaps in a few years, we may become laggards in coconut… Read More
Lauengco: The 18-month rule in political preparation
November 22, 2023, 10:31 am
“Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.” - Confucius I was asked recently by someone who was planning to run for office in the next local elections as to when one should start preparing for 2025. My answer has always been the same.… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Exploring nuclear technology
November 21, 2023, 11:27 am
Last week, news of the landmark nuclear cooperation pact between the Philippines and the United States dominated headlines, marking a firm step towards achieving our government’s goal of energy independence and security. The deal is a welcome development and a signal to the rest of the world… Read More
