(Last of three parts) In the predigital age of media, the printed word was king, and newspapers ruled. If an event wasn’t in the papers, it never happened. In the mid-1970s, newsrooms were shifting from “hot metal” to “cold type”—from molten lead and oily typesetting machines to early computers, photo-typesetting, and paste-up. For many, that...
Category: Specials
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It was every bit the promised ‘Thrilla in Manila’—and more
(Second of three parts) This oft-quoted line from Dick Young of the New York Daily News has not lost its shine 50 years after Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought each other nearly to the death in probably the most brutal—and greatest—boxing match in history. Young was among the sportswriting gods who descended on the...
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Barefoot and larger than life: My (un)forgettable exclusive with Muhammad Ali
(First of three parts) The elevator door opened to the ninth floor of what was then the Manila Hilton, which the then world heavyweight champion would call home for a fortnight before what he himself christened the “Thrilla in Manila.” Photographer Eddie Alfonso and I were startled to see a bemoustached man waiting at the...
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Rising seas, rising hopes: Why the Philippines can lead in green energy
Every year, Filipinos brace for typhoons. The seas are creeping ever closer to our shores, drought constantly threatens our farms, and heat waves are stretching our health systems. The Philippines has been called “ground zero” for climate change, and for good reason: It ranks among the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world. At first glance,...
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When AI goes berserk, be prepared to die
On July 4, 2005, I died a violent death. Then, in 2018, I died again, this time of natural causes. In both cases, my obituaries were written. Yet here I am today, still alive but close to dying, a centenarian tycoon quietly admiring my art and watching my kids run the empire I built. How...
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All the presidents’ contractors: For 20 years, Malacañang has been unable or unwilling to stop corruption in public works
For the past two decades, across four presidential terms, the same contractors have been awarded the largest public works contracts. Whether the president is a Marcos, a Duterte, an Aquino, or an Arroyo, many politically-connected firms have outbid all others, cornering a disproportionate chunk of lucrative public works projects funded from the people’s taxes. Through...
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Five reveals from the flood control data
Between July 2022 and May 2025, the first three years of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s presidency, the government funded 9,855 flood control projects worth over ₱545 billion. We analyzed those projects and the companies that got the contracts to build them. Massive flooding in recent months have put these projects in the harsh glare of public...
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Bats on campus: Walkers learn vital lessons on biodiversity protection
ILOILO CITY—As the fading sunlight gave way to the soft glow of street lamps, faint squeaks overhead mingled with the chatter of a small crowd pointing excitedly at silhouettes darting across the sky. Students, scientists and conservationists were observing the flying mammals in their natural habitat in the first “bat walk” organized by the Philippines...
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Unforgettable: More than a million mourners turned up for Ninoy Aquino’s funeral
Editor’s Note: Exactly 42 years after the fact, have Filipinos come closer to finding out who ordered the murder of the former senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. at the airport that now bears his name? The ranks of those who should know have thinned considerably, and knowledge of who masterminded the deed is in clear...
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The Philippines launches a 15-year action plan for biodiversity conservation
ILOILO CITY – Top environment officials have launched the Philippine Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (PBSAP) 2024-2040 to implement the country’s roadmap for biodiversity conservation and align it with global conservation targets. “If we want to leave this planet in a better shape than when we found it, when we were born, then it is...