A rare Irrawaddy dolphin found dead in the waters of Calabanga, Camarines Sur, has suggested to scientists a rich marine biodiversity corridor yet to be discovered and explored in the eastern side of the Philippines. Named “Calab” by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Philippine Marine Mammals Stranding Network (PMMSN), the...
Category: News
Post
From pandemic to epic: amazing graces
SYDNEY—Up till boarding time at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, I continued to receive calls and text messages from friends wanting to know if I was proceeding with my trip. My departure for my nth visit to my daughter Giselle in Sydney would have been uneventful if not for the concern roused by news about...
Post
Offspring of veterans of the struggle recall martial law life and lessons
“I distinctly remember the letters our parents gave us, telling us how much they yearned to be with us, and that they look forward to the time that we can be together as a family… My parents did not impose their principles and belief on us, but rather gave us the freedom to discover for...
Post
Impunity may become institutionalized gov’t policy
In seeking to quash the inquiry of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the Philippines’ “war on drugs,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. may be institutionalizing impunity for the systematic mass violence under his predecessor. “Impunity” occurs if perpetrators of human rights violations and other crimes are able to avoid any procedure that can lead to...
Post
Macquarie to invest $1.2B in Asia’s largest floating solar plant in Laguna Lake
Singapore-based Macquarie Capital has committed to invest at least $1.2 billion in the Philippines to build a 1,300- megawatt (MW) floating solar plant on Laguna Lake, touted to be the biggest of its kind in Asia. The investment firm signed a letter of intent during the state visit of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in...
Post
For Fiat, the reward is seeing that others are helped
In 1995, a group of 15 women professionals decided that it was time to give back and be of service to their fellow Filipinos. They knew they had the capability to make a difference and that it would mean a missed opportunity if they could not make use of what they could share. They came up...
Post
Is it true that 90% of Filipino 10-year-olds can’t read?
In 2019, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and the World Bank introduced the notion of a “learning poverty rate,” or the share of children who cannot read or comprehend a simple text at the age of 10. Figures that emerged before the coronavirus pandemic indicated that the average learning poverty rate...
Post
Cyberattacks rising in the Philippines
A week ago, “Marie,” a resident of Quezon City, was preparing to share a funny YouTube video with her friends on Facebook. Her smile turned into a frown when she was told to log in. For over 10 years, Marie, 40, had not logged out, and could not readily remember her log-in details. While looking for them, she...
Post
Live theater, digital interaction educate teens on drinking issue
Filipinos consume an average of seven liters of alcohol every year, according to the World Population Review. While that might appear manageable to many, the Philippine College of Physicians recently presented numbers sufficient to give Filipino parents a nightmare: About 70% of students had their first taste of alcohol at age 14, and many of...
Post
Agrava reports didn’t answer question of why Ninoy Aquino was killed
Editor’s note: Former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. was shot dead on Aug. 21, 1983, upon arriving from exile in the United States at the airport now named after him. Fourteen months later, a fact-finding board assigned by President Ferdinand Marcos to look into the assassination submitted two reports—one by its chair and the other...