By Herman M. Lagon It is one thing to name a problem. It is another to remove it from a system that has quietly learned to live with it. When EDCOM II Executive Director Dr. Karol Mark Yee spoke about ending “mass promotion,” he was not just pointing to a flaw. He was opening a …
OPINION
Trump ‘not satisfied’ with new Iran proposal
US President Donald Trump said he was “not satisfied” with a new Iranian negotiating proposal, as peace talks remain frozen despite a weeks-long ceasefire. Iran delivered the proposal text to mediator Pakistan on April 30, the IRNA news agency reported, without detailing its contents. “At this moment I’m not satisfied with what they’re offering,” …
Labor Day, and the work that does not rest
By Herman M. Lagon Labor Day in the Philippines has always carried two moods. On the surface, it looks like a pause — banners, speeches, maybe even a long weekend if one is lucky. It feels like a moment where work politely steps aside. But beneath that is something quieter, something most workers don’t really …
Never hesitate to beg for miracles
By Fr. Roy Cimagala Nothing is lost if we dare to ask God for some miracles or some special and extraordinary favors. If God sees that it would really be for own good, he will surely grant it. If not — and he can only be the one to know if what we are asking …
Social media must have stronger obligations to prevent child exploitation: official
Social media platforms and messaging services should have stronger obligations to prevent the online sexual abuse or exploitation of children, an official said, as the Philippine government strengthens its resolve to protect children from this. Barbara Mae Flores, the officer-in-charge executive director of the National Coordinating Center against Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children …
Trials of trust: From ICC to impeachment
By Ignacio R. Bunye In the span of a single week, the Filipino nation has been confronted with headlines that cut to the core of our collective conscience: the International Criminal Court (ICC) confirming charges against former President Rodrigo Duterte, the overwhelming public sentiment favoring an impeachment trial for Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, and President …
LUCs on unequal ground
By Herman M. Lagon There is a quiet truth in Philippine higher education that rarely finds its way into graduation speeches or glossy brochures: Where you study still shapes how far you can go. Not because of ability. Not because of effort. But because of something far less visible — who funds your school, and …
One month phone-free: Youngsters try digital detox
Getting around without Google Maps. No longer scrolling Instagram at the bus stop. Ditching your headphones to hear the birds sing. In March, a group of 20- and 30-somethings in the US capital swapped their smartphones for basic flip phones and embarked on a one-month digital detox, part of an emerging movement of young Americans …
The hidden dangers behind smoking
By Dr. Joseph D. Lim Smoking is widely recognized as a major threat to general health. Its impact on oral health, however, is often underestimated. The mouth is one of the first parts of the body exposed to tobacco smoke, making it particularly vulnerable to damage. From bad breath and tooth discoloration to severe diseases …
Staying grounded in the scrolling world
By Herman M. Lagon There are talks you politely sit through, and then there are those that quietly follow you home. UP Visayas Chancellor Dr. Clement Camposano’s message during the recent 93rd Charter Anniversary of the Rotary Club of Iloilo belonged to the second kind. No grandstanding, no overworked lines — just a steady question …