Last August, CoverStory ran a piece I wrote on three simple ways to lessen screen time. That was six months ago and, like a dutiful patient out of rehab, I am reporting on how it has been, some losses and some gains, since I weaned myself off my phone. Suffice it to say that it...
Tag: technology
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Data centers raise concerns for energy-burdened households
In a low-income community in the Metro Manila suburb of Fairview, a large rectangular structure is rising near a busy highway clogged with vehicles, commuters, and commerce. Few passersby realize that this building is one of four data centers that will be built in Fairview. Together, they will draw up to 124 megawatts (MW) of...
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Addicted to your phone? Here are 3 simple ways to lessen screen time
It’s ridiculous to me that I’m writing a list article in the year of our Lord 2025. But my excitement over finding the cure to my cellphone addiction demands that I employ the listicle’s simplicity. Friends, I have found a way out! It’s totally doable, and it doesn’t require anyone to download an app that...
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When apps are gamified, workers rarely win
On a Thursday afternoon, just after the lunchtime rush, a pack of motorcycles pulled into a narrow alleyway in a Metro Manila city. Their riders parked their bikes in front of a makeshift rest area. The space resembled a typical “tambayan.” Equipped with a wall fan, and a water and a charging station, it was...
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Experts to tackle AI, mental health issues in conference
The World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation (WAPR) Philippines will hold its annual conference to discuss contemporary developments and current concerns in mental health in the country on Nov. 28-29 at the Pag-asa Hall of the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City. Actions for harnessing new technologies and new concepts in the promotion...
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UP-organized conference on AI to showcase cutting-edge applications in critical sectors
With the 2024 Nobel Prize hailing the scientific breakthroughs that made artificial intelligence (AI) technology possible, the University of the Philippines has gathered experts for a conference underscoring AI’s profound impact on society, modern science, and the research community. “AI Horizons PH ’24: Conference on AI-Powered Research and Innovation” scheduled on Oct. 24 and 25 at...
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Computer donation to benefit 53 schools in Angeles City
Operating on the principle that access to computers is essential for students, iQor Philippines, a managed services provider of customer engagement and technology-enabled business process outsourcing solutions, has donated 413 refurbished computers to the Department of Education (DepEd), benefiting 53 schools in Angeles City, Pampanga. The handover event, titled “Empowering Communities Through Education: iQor and...
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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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Pagbilao residents assured of free Wi-Fi access under partnership
PAGBILAO, Quezon—Local residents will soon have free access to the internet under a partnership forged between municipal officials and a leading provider of digital connectivity. A memorandum of agreement was signed last March 25 by key officials of Pagbilao, a first-class municipality of Quezon, and Integrated Digital Outdoor (IDo) Solutions at the municipal court. “Today...
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Theft of millions of Filipinos’ personal data eroding public trust
The series of data breaches at government agencies has resulted in the theft of millions of Filipinos’ personal information not only once but twice or even thrice, in gross violation of their right to privacy. Understandably, the theft is causing Filipinos to lose trust in the offices that keep their personal data even as the...