Finland once again showed the world the path to happiness even as heavy social media usage eroded personal well-being among young people across the planet, the World Happiness Report 2026 said. The report, produced by the University of Oxford’s Well-being Research Centre, in partnership with Gallup and the United Nations, found life satisfaction among under …
OPINION
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 …
The mercies of God
By Fr. Roy Cimagala That lamentation of Christ because some people did not ask for forgiveness for their sins in spite of the many blessings given to them (cfr. Matthew 11:20-24) should strongly remind us that no matter how sinful and helplessly wretched we feel we are, God is always eager to forgive us if …
‘Happy (and safe) shooting!’: Study says AI chatbots help plot attacks
From school shootings to synagogue bombings, leading AI chatbots helped researchers plot violent attacks, according to a study that highlighted the technology’s potential for real-world harm. Researchers from the nonprofit watchdog Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and CNN posed as 13-year-old boys in the United States and Ireland to test 10 chatbots, including ChatGPT, …
Muntinlupa City @ 31 — A reflection on systems, service and people
By Ignacio R. Bunye If you had been at the newly refurbished Muntinlupa Sports Center during Muntinlupa’s 31st cityhood anniversary, you would have felt it right away — this wasn’t just another program with speeches and plaques. It felt more like a reunion of an entire ecosystem. City officials, councilors, barangay leaders, DepEd and court …
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 …
Social media impacts youth wellbeing: UN happiness report
Heavy social media use is undermining youth wellbeing in many countries, according to a UN-sponsored report that put Finland at the top of its “happiness” index for the ninth year running. This year’s World Happiness Report highlighted the impact of social media as many countries impose or mull legislative restrictions on social media use for …
Bad oral hygiene linked to cancer, heart attacks
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim It’s normal to have bacteria in your mouth. But harmful bacteria have been linked to a host of health problems. Medical scientist Glenda Davison and microbiologist Yvonne Prince, who have researched the oral cavity, explain why it’s so important to practice good oral hygiene. Poor oral hygiene can lead to …
In the world but not worldly
By Fr. Roy Cimagala In that gospel parable describing the Kingdom of Heaven as a treasure buried in a field and as a merchant searching for fine pearls for which the main characters would be willing to sell everything they had just to get that treasure and those fine pearls (cfr. Matthew 13:44-46), we are …
How US-Israeli war on Iran is upending global business
The US-Israeli war on Iran is rattling businesses worldwide, driving up energy prices, squeezing supplies of critical raw materials and raising questions about the reliability of trade routes critical to the flow of goods from food to car parts. Below are the main disruptions so far: Travel chaos The war has led to tens of …