By Herman M. Lagon The moment I stepped into Healthway (Qualimed) for my colonoscopy, I felt the usual mix of nerves, surrender and curiosity. It was not my first time — gastroenterologist Dr. Ramel Ramon Balbastro also handled my procedure back in 2020 at St. Paul’s Hospital — but every screening feels personal. In my …
Impulses
No filter: St. Augustine
By Herman M. Lagon If saints had yearbooks, Augustine of Hippo’s senior quote might be: “Lord, grant me chastity and self-control … but not yet.” It is blunt, funny and painfully human — like him. That quote, tucked into his famous Confessions, does not read like some sermon from a marble pedestal. It feels like …
The quiet beauty of math
By Herman M. Lagon There is something profoundly elegant about mathematics that slips past classroom walls, hides beneath the bark of trees, swims through ocean waves, and hums in your favorite song. Math may not use flowery words, moves or paint, but it speaks through patterns, rhythm and quiet logic. Einstein called it “the poetry …
The other heroes
By Herman M. Lagon This Monday, August 25, we mark National Heroes Day once again. It is a date thick with reflection — on revolutions fought, sacrifices made and the courage required to stand for something greater than oneself. Just last week, we remembered the martyrdom of Ninoy Aquino. Not too long ago, we honored …
Mental health on the ground
By Herman M. Lagon Some jobs are so woven into community life that we hardly notice them — until a crisis hits. Across the country’s barangays, Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) are the neighbors you know — dropping by to check your blood pressure, bring vitamins or remind you about the kids’ vaccines. In my recent presentation at the International Social …
Rights, respect, restrooms
By Herman M. Lagon A simple trip to the restroom in Iloilo turned complicated when a transgender woman was stopped at Marymart. In seconds, a simple trip to the restroom turned into a viral flashpoint. Phones came out, videos spread, and netizens quickly chose sides. Soon the age-old question was back on the table: Whose …
Heroes do bleed too
By Herman M. Lagon There are moments in history when a person shows up not as the perfect hero, but simply as the right person in the right place at the right time. On August 21, 1983, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr. stepped off a plane knowing the risks, armed with nothing but conviction and a …
Vice Ganda punchline
By Herman M. Lagon We have always known how to laugh in the face of hardship. From the streets of Quiapo to small-town plazas, humor has never been just pastime; it has been survival and protest rolled into one. That is why the uproar over Vice Ganda’s “jet ski holiday” skit feels exaggerated — and …
50 years of grace
By Herman M. Lagon Fifty is a curious number. Some dread it, as if crossing into half a century means losing relevance, energy or purpose. Others celebrate it, clinging to the cliché of the “fabulous 50s” as if youth can be stretched with collagen, vitamins or Zumba classes. For me, 50 is simply a pause …
In love, age is just a number
By Herman M. Lagon Love does not always follow the rules — or the calendar. In a world obsessed with timelines and age-appropriate milestones, May-December romances often catch people by surprise. These are relationships where one partner is significantly older than the other, and in our culture, they often raise more eyebrows than wine glasses. …