The latest tropical depression had already exited the Philippine area of responsibility, but the rain persisted. In the morning, the weather bureau put out a thunderstorm advisory for Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon, and sure enough, it poured hard all afternoon before the skies gradually lightened on that evening of Sept. 21, the...
Category: Specials
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Remember Ninoy Aquino’s murder on Aug. 21
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to move the national commemoration of the murder of the late former senator Benigno “Ninoy’’ Aquino Jr. from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23 continues to be met with protest. Aquino, a key opposition leader who fought the dictatorial rule of the President’s late father, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., was assassinated while...
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Grab fares surge under opaque algorithm
Rica Torres, 37, used to take a Grab car almost every day to take her six-year-old son to and from school. The app-based service was more convenient than riding a jeepney, a tricycle, and crossing an overpass. “I don’t want my son to go through all those because it saps his energy or sours his...
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Quest for gold: Weightlifter Elreen Ando hopes the second time’s the charm
The name Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo needs no introduction. Most Filipinos know who she is—a historic figure, having won the Philippines’ first gold medal in weightlifting in the Olympics; a trailblazer, who proved what Filipino athletes are capable of; and, of course, a national treasure, who turned a nation’s dream into reality. But there won’t be a...
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Quest for gold: Paris is boxer Nesthy Petecio’s ‘final mission’
Nesthy Petecio made it abundantly clear—Paris 2024 is the last time she will compete on the Olympic stage. The lingering injuries she could once ignore, feel more serious now. The rest she used to sacrifice to get in more reps of training, feels as valuable as ever. Father Time is slowly catching up to her...
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Quest for gold: Gymnast Carlos Yulo seeks revenge in Paris
Carlos Yulo entered the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, hoping to become the first-ever Filipino gold medalist in artistic gymnastics. He had all the momentum to pull it off, too. After all, Yulo was the reigning world champion in floor exercises. However, his dreams went up in smoke after committing costly mistakes in the qualifying round....
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EJN wins SOPA Award for greenwashing collaborative reporting
Earth Journalism Network (EJN) was “thrilled” to have been awarded the prestigious Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Award for Excellence in Reporting on the Environment for its collaborative reporting project, “It’s a Wash.” “This award honors work that demonstrates high standards of reporting on an environmental topic of significance,” Sam Schramski, EJN’s special project...
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Quest for gold: For EJ Obiena, pressure is a privilege
All eyes are on pole vaulter EJ Obiena as the Philippines makes its bid to capture the ever-elusive gold medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics. It’s no secret that much is expected of Obiena in his upcoming campaign. He’s the second-highest ranked pole vaulter in the world, after all, and he knows there’s a ton...
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Facebook, other traditional socmed platforms wane as news sources in PH — Digital News Report 2024
Adult Filipinos are relying less on Facebook and other legacy social media platforms for news, increasingly turning to video-centric TikTok amid changing news consumption habits. The trend mirrors the global decline in traditional social media usage for news as detailed in the Reuters Institute Digital News Report (DNR) released on June 17. This year’s report...
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Ilonggos recall Freedom Day moments in ‘Cry of Santa Barbara’
ILOILO CITY—While the Cry of Pugad Lawin in Luzon often takes center stage in history books as the trigger event of the Filipinos’ open revolutionary struggle to gain independence from the Spanish colonial regime, another pivotal moment took place in the Visayas, specifically Panay Island. The first sparks of rebellion flew in Barangay Jelicuon in...