BETTER DAYS By Sonny Angara A 2011 study by Harvard and Columbia University economists found that a good teacher — measured by how well their students improved in terms of test scores — imparts lifelong benefits. Using data on 2.5 million individuals over 20 years in a large urban district in the United States, the …
Better Days
An attitude of gratitude
By Sonny Angara The world’s major religions all extoll the virtues of gratitude. From Christianity to Islam, Buddhism to Hinduism — some reference is always made to the importance of gratefulness to achieving a good life. Even science has shown that adopting an “attitude of gratitude” yields immense benefits — including better mental health outcomes …
Demography is not destiny
By Sonny Angara Recently, London-based research firm Capital Economics said they expect the Philippines to become the world’s 18th largest economy by 2037 — up from 25th in terms of nominal GDP today. In 2012, HSBC projected that by 2050, ours would be 16th in the world. Both painted glowing pictures of our economic future, …
VAT-free medicines
By Sonny Angara Just before the year ended, the Department of Finance (DOF), the Department of Health (DOH), the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a joint administrative order that basically allowed many Filipinos to greet the new year on a more positive note. Said order — with …
Counterbalancing disinformation
By Sonny Angara Over the past few decades, we have seen an exponential growth in the use of technology and along with it, the amount of information that is being made available at the fingertips of people. A while back, the amount of content an individual can consume was dependent on his or her capability …
When we fail to practice what we preach
By Sonny Angara The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) held in January the country’s first National Galunggong Summit. This was in the wake of last year’s controversies about dwindling stocks of round scad or galunggong and the government’s subsequent moves to allow importation to stabilize prices. The aim was to rally stakeholders around …
Preventing measles outbreaks
By Sonny Angara The Department of Health (DOH) declared measles outbreaks in various regions of the country, namely Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas. In fact, more than 5,600 people have been infected since the beginning of this year. And sadly, around 70 — a third of whom were unvaccinated children …
Giving care and hope to people with cancer
By Sonny Angara Cancer continues to be among the leading causes of death in the Philippines. Based on preliminary data provided by the Philippine Statistics Authority, cancer was the third leading cause of death among Filipinos from January to May of 2022 — representing a 9.8 percent share just behind ischaemic heart diseases (18.6 percent) …
Addressing the plastic problem
By Sonny Angara The problem with plastic materials is that many of them last forever. While some types are considered biodegradable, many require industrial-level processes to be recycled or broken down to harmless materials. Plastics are very useful for many industries. For example, up to a fourth of all packaging used globally are made of …
Social pension and our senior citizens
By Sonny Angara A hallmark of Filipino culture is how we treat our elderly with respect and utmost care. Indeed, it is normal for a family to have at least one grandparent living with them — and if not living with them, then frequently visiting to make sure the children and grandchildren are doing well. With …