By Dr. Joseph D. Lim For children, oral health is especially important. Developing good oral hygiene habits early in life can prevent a range of dental problems, from cavities to gum disease, and can establish a foundation for lifelong healthy habits. Parents and caregivers play a pivotal role in guiding children toward proper oral care …
OPINION
Silence is also political
By Herman M. Lagon There is a different kind of silence settling across many campuses lately. Not the calm silence before classes start. Not the sleepy quiet of libraries during finals week. This one feels heavier somehow. Election season comes, filing deadlines pass and suddenly everybody realizes there are barely enough students willing to run. …
Self-emptying to be properly filled up
By Fr. Roy Cimagala This is what Christ is proposing to us. It is quite intriguing, but to be sure it is what truly is proper to us. We need to somehow lose ourselves to win what is truly necessary for us. We cannot deny that we are notorious for sticking to our own will …
Fake news and the red-tagging of ‘Wicked’s’ green witch, Elphaba
By Dennis Gorecho LONDON, United Kingdom — Elphaba, the green-skinned witch in the film “Wicked,” reflects the plight of present-day activists who become targets of fake news and red-tagging. The film illustrates how truth can be distorted through propaganda in today’s “fake news climate.” I recently watched “Wicked” aboard a flight en route to London. …
Feeling it right: Empathy, sympathy, apathy
By Herman M. Lagon Knowing the difference between empathy, sympathy and apathy has quiet power. These three emotional reactions help us to respond to the suffering of others, particularly in close-knit Pinoy communities where shared burdens define relationships. Though they are similar, these emotions have rather different effects on our relationships. While empathy is walking …
Half the world faces an extra month of extreme heat due to climate change: study
Half the global population endured an additional month of extreme heat over the past year because of manmade climate change, a study found. The findings underscore how the continued burning of fossil fuels is harming health and well-being on every continent, with the effects especially under-recognized in developing countries, the authors said. “With every barrel …
The need to renovate Dumangas Port
By Emmanuel Canto It is of great importance and need to renovate Dumangas Port in Iloilo. It must be the priority of the national government. Thousands of passengers and cargo trucks pass this port 24/7 from Bacolod to Dumangas and vice versa. For the longest period of time, there is a shortage of Roll-On Roll-Off …
Gearing up new youth programs
By Sonny Angara We chaired a Senate committee on youth public hearing on measures that we believe could have a tremendous impact on young Filipinos, many of whom, for the past two years, have spent a considerable portion of their time indoors, and isolated from crowds and gatherings. Our country’s ramped up vaccination program and …
The true freedom that comes from God’s love
By Fr. Roy Cimagala That gospel episode about some Pharisees who dared to tell Christ that his disciples did not observe the Sabbath law since they were plucking corn in a field during Sabbath (cfr. Matthew 12:1-8) somehow reminds us that if we are not truly with Christ, who is the way, the truth and …
Local warrant not needed vs. Bato
By Ade S. Fajardo Alan Peter Cayetano, when he was Foreign Relations secretary, was the “principal architect” of the Philippines’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC). The solicitor general minced no words in her comment to Bato dela Rosa’s urgent motion seeking relief from the Supreme Court against his impending arrest as directed by …