Opinion and Commentary
Lu: Navigating the landscape of jeepney modernization
January 6, 2024, 9:37 am
On Dec. 31, 2023, the provisional authorities that allow individual operators to ply the traditional jeepneys expired. However, this was extended for another month, or until Jan. 31, 2024. This is the second extension when the same expired on June 30, 2023. With the one-month extension, we can… Read More
Lauengco: Feast of the Three Wise Men
January 3, 2024, 10:33 am
“May the wisdom that guided the Magi guide you to your own light” - Anonymous In a few days, we will be celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany or the Feast of the Three Kings as it is most commonly known here in the Philippines. It commemorates the time when, according to the Gospel of Matthew,… Read More
Zaldarriaga: New Year’s Resolutions
January 2, 2024, 10:19 am
Just before the New Year revelries, the Social Weather Stations released the results of its survey that showed 96 percent of Filipinos are entering 2024 “with hope”—the highest since the pandemic hit. The wide scale and record-high optimism sets the stage for the country this year as the… Read More
Samonte: How the first Charter Change proposal started in 1997?
December 29, 2023, 3:03 pm
Did you know that the first proposal or move to amend or change some of the provisions of the 1987 Constitution happened in 1997 and that then President Fidel V. Ramos (FVR) became a prime suspect of initiating it to pave the way for the extension of his term which was ending on June 30, 1998?… Read More
Lu: Overseas Filipino workers and the holiday season
December 29, 2023, 11:44 am
An estimated hundred thousand overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are back in the Philippines for the holiday season. This is the time of the year when they bond with their families as they endure a yearlong absence. Christmas and New Year celebrations have profound significance for OFWs. This season… Read More
Lauengco: Onward forward with an eye backward
December 27, 2023, 2:10 pm
“I have squandered my days with plans of many things… For all we ought to have thought and have not thought; all we ought to have said, and have not said; all we ought to have done and have not done; I pray, thee God, for forgiveness.”- Antonio Banderas, from the movie “13th Warrior”.… Read More
Zaldarriaga: Gearing up for 2024
December 26, 2023, 10:08 am
With just a few days left in 2023, many have started drawing up their New Year’s resolutions while preparing for the remainder of the holiday season. It is usually during this season that time pauses for many industries to give way to family gatherings and celebrations. But while many are in a… Read More
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
