Impulses

By Herman M. Lagon Some mornings, the weight starts even before the first “Good morning, class.” It begins in a jeep that barely moves, in shoes that never quite dry during habagat, in a late-night message from a parent that opens with a gentle but loaded, “Quick question lang.” By the time the flag ceremony …

By Herman M. Lagon Some mornings at the ISUFST Main Campus – Tiwi Site arrive already heavy. The sun is sharp by mid-morning, deadlines hover like unspoken reminders, and faces move quickly, eyes fixed on somewhere else. Then, just before lunch, a familiar shape appears near the Guidance and Testing Office. Wolfy pads in quietly, …

By Herman Lagon A child struggling with reading is often met with pointed fingers at the school, the teacher or the system. But maybe we need to take a closer look at what happens before that child even gets to school — at home, around the dinner table, beside a parent tuning in to latest …

By Herman M. Lagon We have a way of laughing even when the news feels like a slap. My prediction since 2022 is captured in two words: “Popcorn, please.” It is the kind of line you throw when the plot becomes predictable yet too juicy to miss. Only this time, the screen is not in …

By Herman M. Lagon There is a quiet kind of joy in ticking off a full list of government errands in one afternoon. Not because it happens often, but because when it does, it feels like a miracle. No fixer needed. No dramatic sighs. Just systems that actually work — like when government offices stick …

By Herman M. Lagon I have heard worse words shouted in a barangay basketball game over a bad foul, and nobody called it statesmanship; they called it ordinary Saturday. So when Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson opened the Senate Blue Ribbon hearing on flood control anomalies by telling the “skeptics, detractors and hijackers” to “shut the …

By Herman M. Lagon There is always one in every thread. You know the type. The one who snubs joy like it is a sin, who turns your good news into a courtroom drama, and who reads your promotion or your child’s graduation post like it is a personal affront. It does not matter if …

By Herman M. Lagon The most expensive thing to wear today is not a Rolex or Hermès scarf — it is a peaceful face. It comes from a full night’s sleep, the warmth of morning sun through soft curtains, and the freedom of not needing to rush. We often think of luxury as something bought, …

By Herman M. Lagon January has a peculiar way of turning our streets into moving sanctuaries. Drums replace bells, barefoot dancers claim asphalt, and traffic gives way to prayer — sometimes clumsy, sometimes loud, often beautiful. From Kalibo to Iloilo City to Cebu City, the calendar thickens with devotion. Ati-Atihan, Dinagyang, Sinulog, Halad, Sakay Sakay, …

By Herman M. Lagon A funny thing happens in Philippine politics when English gets involved: One word can suddenly acquire the flexibility of a rubber band and the stamina of a seasoned senator. Take “forthwith.” It is a term that sounds like it was borrowed from a British courtroom drama, dusted off, then dropped on …