By Herman M. Lagon When news broke that the Department of Education (DepEd) was proposing to remove ethics from the Senior High School (SHS) and college general education curriculum, many educators, thinkers and citizens winced, some in confusion, others in silent dismay. It felt like watching the final scene of a film where the hero, …
Impulses
Promotion by default
By Herman M. Lagon In a public high school in Iloilo City, a Grade 9 teacher scanned her class list and sighed. Out of 43 students, eight could not read a full sentence. Some had not returned since September. But come April, nearly all would receive identical report cards: promoted. In a school in Barotac …
The clock, the code and Chiz
By Herman M. Lagon Walking the fine line between law and delay, Senate President Chiz Escudero is balancing the Constitution with a ticking clock. Calm and calculated, he has become the quiet centerpiece of the ongoing drama surrounding Vice President Sara Duterte’s impeachment. Yet the spotlight is slowly shifting from the accused to those possibly …
Putin’s sunken cost dilemma
By Herman M. Lagon Beyond all expectations, the war in Ukraine has persisted; hence, the issue of why Putin has not yet stopped it remains. Countless lives lost, a damaged economy and military conflicts — why then continue? The solution seems to lie in a psychological trap called the “sunken cost” fallacy, whereby the more …
Shepherding the streaming age
By Herman M. Lagon It was almost poetic. In 1925, the year when Pope Pius XI instituted the Feast of Christ the King to reaffirm spiritual authority during rising secularism, the average life expectancy globally hovered around 35 years. The world was recovering from war, electrification was still trickling into rural homes, and childbirth remained …
The perfect storm for Kiko-Bam
By Herman M. Lagon It started with a faint mumble from across a cramped café table — someone sighing, “The elections are rigged anyway.” She said it not as a provocation, just a weary comment that barely rippled over the murmur of grinders and steaming milk. But somehow, the line stuck. Not because it was …
The party-list puzzle
By Herman M. Lagon The word “youth” carries weight. It signals energy, hope, idealism, and rebellion. So, when a group like Duterte Youth appears on the ballot, many assume it champions the voices of students, young workers and those on the edge of adulthood. But in our kind of politics, names often conceal more than …
Newton’s endless legacy
By Herman M. Lagon Every now and then, humanity comes across a profoundly transformed mind that makes the world never look the same again. As someone who has spent 23 years teaching physics in high school and college, Sir Isaac Newton is the ultimate example for me. Teaching his laws of motion or solving the …
Driving through tics
By Herman M. Lagon Riding with Marlon Fuentes was unique. Early this year, when I booked a ride in Pasay City to catch a conference, his profile caught my eye: Over 5,000+ trips, 1,000+ badges, including 1,500+ for “Excellent Service,” and an almost perfect rating. His honest admission: “I have Tourette’s Syndrome” stood out. I …
Senior High rewired
By Herman M. Lagon Revisiting the Senior High School (SHS) Program is not just an academic exercise. It is a civic and moral duty, especially for those who have walked the long corridors of curriculum implementation. Having served as associate principal and later as principal of the Ateneo de Iloilo during the initial rollout of …