By Herman M. Lagon I finally got a rare chance to Netflix-binge this weekend — an unexpected luxury for someone who usually spends weekends catching up on school paperwork, articles and half-finished project proposals. While browsing mindlessly, I stumbled on “What’s Next? The Future With Bill Gates” (2024). I expected a tech-heavy snoozefest. Instead, I found …
Impulses
Enrile without edits
By Herman M. Lagon The news of Juan Ponce Enrile’s passing at 101 rippled through social media faster than most breaking news alerts. People reacted in wildly different ways: some offered condolences, others dusted off old family stories about curfews, raids or uncles who …
NOAH and the deluge of politics
By Herman M. Lagon There are storms that soak us, and storms that should sober us. Typhoon “Tino” did both. Cebu’s grief — cars stacked like toys, homes swallowed whole, families torn from roofs — asked a hard question: Why did this happen despite warnings? As Typhoon “Uwan” churned in, that question should not fade …
Restitution makes sense
By Herman M. Lagon There are hearings you watch for noise, and hearings you watch because something in you whispers, “This one matters.” The most recent Senate exchange on the Discayas’ bid to become state witnesses felt like both. Teachers watching the feed during …
Resilience without the blindfold
By Herman M. Lagon There are moments when a word meant to uplift begins to sting. I felt that recently at the PGCA – Iloilo 2025 seminar at Iloilo Grand Hotel as Philippine Mental Health Association Executive Director Dr. Carolina Uno-Rayco walked us through the tender architecture of mental health — the stress we carry, …
Respect wears sneakers
By Herman M. Lagon You often notice them before they even say a word. The teacher who starts the day with a simple nod, the janitor whose smile never misses a morning, the colleague who finishes what they promise — without needing a nudge. They are not the ones chasing attention or collecting awards. But …
Planet first, people next, profit last
By Herman M. Lagon Ron Garan saw Earth from space for real — not just in science books or videos. It looked like it was glowing. Like it was alive. But what surprised him most? How thin the air is that keeps us all safe. Just one blue line between us and forever darkness. One …
Tax ng ina mo
By Herman M. Lagon A teacher in Bulacan opens her payslip on a Friday morning and feels the familiar sting: another few thousand gone to taxes. She sighs, thinking of potholes, blackouts and flooded classrooms. That night, she scrolls through a video of a lawmaker’s daughter unboxing her third designer bag of the month. The …
Should we be afraid of AI?
By Herman M. Lagon Fear has always been humanity’s oldest operating system. People once feared the wheel would destroy old ways. Later, they thought electricity might wake up ghosts. Today, AI writes our essays, answers our quizzes and even pens breakup songs. The question “Should we be afraid of AI?” is no longer for techies — …
‘Chosen’: Grace beyond the screen
By Herman M. Lagon A week ago, my daughter Parvane introduced me to “The Chosen” series on Netflix. While Typhoon “Tino” roared outside our home in Lapuz Norte, I spent the long hours watching the series — four seasons straight. It came at the right time: quiet days, howling winds and a restless heart looking …