By Herman M. Lagon In a time when truth can sound a lot like confidence, the most dangerous lies are those dressed in faith. We have seen it before. Leaders who sound so certain you start second-guessing yourself. Followers so committed they would endure anything if promised salvation. It is not a new story — …
Impulses
Real talk from the pope
By Herman M. Lagon There are days when the news feels more like noise than meaning. A headline flashes — loud, sharp — an insult here, a response there, and it all starts to feel familiar, almost predictable. But every so often, something feels different. Not louder, just steadier. The recent exchange between Donald Trump …
Diskarte beyond the diploma
By Herman M. Lagon The first lesson about diskarte rarely comes from a classroom. It arrives quietly, often early, sometimes uninvited. It is learned while watching a parent stretch a week’s budget across 10 days, or while figuring out how to get to school when the last jeepney has already left. For many of us, …
Money hunt for views
By Herman M. Lagon If you have not seen it yet, someone in your circle has. A content creator drops hints on social media: There is money hidden somewhere in a public place. A crowd gathers. People run, search, collide, shout, laugh, and sometimes fall. Cameras are ready. The clip is edited tight — quick …
No work, no pay, period
By Herman M. Lagon There is a familiar scene many workers know by heart. The clock moves, attendance is checked, and a missed day means less money. Teachers know it. Nurses know it. Factory workers, cashiers and contractuals know it too. That is why the recent push to apply a “no work, no pay” rule …
Not just a transport strike
By Herman M. Lagon The taxi smelled faintly of gasoline and menthol candy, the kind drivers chew to stay awake past lunch. It was a Sunday, quiet enough for conversation, and I asked the driver how things were. He did not hesitate. “Sir, net ko na lang mga trescientos singkwenta sa dose ka oras.” Around …
Why medals are not enough
By Herman M. Lagon Every graduation has its rituals. Mothers adjust collars with nervous hands. Fathers clear their throats more than usual. Students grin for photos while quietly wondering what comes after the applause. Then come the honors — medals, ribbons and Latin words that sound grand during graduation. In many of our homes, they …
The trap of illusory authority
By Herman M. Lagon There is a strange moment that happens when you step down from a position of authority. It is not dramatic. No orchestra plays. No one announces, “You are now ordinary.” Instead, it is quieter and more dangerous. People still greet you the same way. They still ask for your opinion, online …
Doctors who show up
By Herman M. Lagon There are government programs that look good in press releases and disappear the moment the camera leaves. The Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) program is not one of them. It has survived because the need has never left. In 1993, then Health Secretary Juan Flavier started DTTB to send physicians to …
A nation on the edge
By Herman M. Lagon There was a time when a P1 fuel hike could already send transport and progressive groups to the streets — whistles, placards, radio voices full of urgency. Many Boomers and Gen Xers remember that. Today, diesel has crossed P100 in some areas, gasoline is also on its way, and the reaction …