By Herman M. Lagon They say when something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Lately, a young inspirational speaker from Guimaras has become a social media darling — circulating through Facebook circles, confidently flaunting a résumé more dazzling than the average diplomat, scientist or artist could ever dream of. Not one. Not …
Impulses
The disruptive pope
By Herman M. Lagon Pope Francis, the beloved 266th head of the Catholic Church, passed away last Monday at the age of 88, and the world fell into a collective pause. For many of us, especially in the Philippines, where faith runs deep and personal, his death felt like losing a dear Lolo Kiko — …
Toga, interrupted
By Herman M. Lagon In the heat of April, under the stifling sun of Antique, something far heavier than the climate settled over a small-town graduation — a moment that was supposed to mark pride, turned instead into a public debate, a wave of online outrage, and a national reckoning over what a piece of …
Holy Week mystiques
By Herman M. Lagon The Holy Week in the Philippines is a profoundly significant time, blending solemn religious observances with age-old superstitions that have endured for generations. These ideas are passed down through whispers at dinner tables or stern warnings from elders, each with a mysterious aspect. Some believe they retain the season’s holiness, while …
Likes without chains
By Herman M. Lagon Sometimes, all it takes is a “like” to light up a conversation — or, for a while, to land a government worker in trouble. The recent clarification by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) on its Memorandum Circular No. 3, series of 2025 has sparked a welcome breath of reason in an …
The RoRo roulette
By Herman M. Lagon It begins, as many things in this country do, with a promising proposal on PowerPoint. Transfer the roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) operations from Dumangas to Fort San Pedro in Iloilo City, the Philippine Ports Authority suggests, as if logistics is only a matter of maps and mileage. On paper, the plan gleams. Consolidate …
When honors go bland
By Herman M. Lagon Latin honors, which used to be a mark of achievement for only a few, now seem to be all around at graduation. Cum laude, magna cum laude and even summa cum laude have become common sights onstage. This phenomenon is not isolated. Latin honors seem almost commonplace across public and private …
Beyond tasteless campaign jokes
By Herman M. Lagon In our culture, humor often breaks the tension, creates bonds and smooths conflicts. Yet there is a boundary between witty banter and blatant disrespect — especially when people, rather than ideas, become the punchline in a campaign sortie. Pasig City congressional candidate Ian Sia’s viral joke about single mothers is a …
Manners beyond words
By Herman M. Lagon In our noisy, fast-paced world, we all follow unwritten rules, consciously or unconsciously. Non-taught social norms help us interact smoothly and respectfully. They maintain order and peace in our daily lives, especially in public spaces. A simple example: No talking during a movie. It may seem obvious, but how often have …
Raising Parvane through grace
By Herman M. Lagon If parenting came with a manual, I would have fumbled through it, folded its pages and spilled coffee on its instructions. If fatherhood had a grading system, I would have submitted incomplete assignments, filed multiple late submissions and barely passed some subjects. But if there is one thing I have learned after nearly …