Opinion

Bad teeth, broken dreams!

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 15) – When taking picture everyone says, “Say cheese! Smile!” So, you do and show your teeth. The healthier your teeth are, the happier you look. Cleaning our teeth needs proper knowledge; it’s like learning how to read A-B-C, and learning how to tie your shoes. Many of us do not prioritize teeth and gum problems;  some of us would rather have their nails or hair done, than go and see a […]

Are you a hipster?

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 12) – Thick rimmed glasses, beard for men, skinny and sometimes ripped jeans, vintage clothes, and messy hair don’t care fashion. The term hipster was coined in 1940s, during the war when there is racial division. It was to reject the societal norms and mainstream to have a sense of individuality. The middle class white American youths seeks to a more carefree and opposite way to live life. During this time the […]

Take care of your teeth!

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 12) – We can’t deny that once we experience any tooth problem, our whole body is painfully affected. But said effects don’t just stop there, it can also affect our quality of life in the form of our physical, mental and social well-being.  Sadly, tooth problems can affect the way we speak, eat and socialize. These problems occur because sometimes when we already feel something is wrong with our teeth, we often ignore […]

February is National Heart Month

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 12) – Every time the month of February arrives, I know that several of you might be planning ahead of the time to set a date with your partner or plans of better ways to express your love to your family, friends and loved ones. But, more than that, don’t you know that February is also the “National Heart Month”? In the Philippines, based from Proclamation No. 1096, s. 1973, the month of […]

Advancing reform in Philippine elections

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – For the 2016 polls, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is letting the public see precinct-level results by posting them on its official website. They are challenged to carefully draw the balance in the never-ending conflict among rights and regulations, liberties and limitations, and opposing demands of the different segments of society to maintain a honest, peaceful, free and realistic elections. Senator Grace Poe advocates for the Freedom of Information Act […]

Every voter is an enumerator

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – The Commission of Elections (COMELEC) is confirmed to give the public a privilege to view the election results via their website. According to COMELEC Chairman Andres Bautista, this will be done for the sake of transparency and accessibility, allowing people to see blow-by-blow counts from 90,000 precincts, every single counting machine – essentially making each and single one of us an enumerator. This was already done in 2010 and 2013, […]

Transparency and good governance

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – The COMELEC (Commission on Elections) proposes that the election returns should be posted in their official website. This is to show the transparency of the election that can be monitored by public. Can this prove the transparency of our election? So what if we have access to that, how sure are we that this information is accurate? The Filipino citizens were not born yesterday. Our generation is too smart to […]

TATT Syndrome

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Have you been so tired lately?  No, not tired but you have no drive towards work, lack of motivation and energy. You feel depressed for no reason. You think you are tired, always tired. According to Dr. Amithava Chaudhury, a general physician, “everyone goes through periods of feeling worn out, lacking in energy and generally run down at some point in life. The feeling may be caused by overwork or […]

25 Countries you can go to without visa

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Let’s face it! Applying for a travel visa can really be a hassle. This is one of the great factors that discourage people, especially first-time travelers, from exploring the world. But hey, don’t give up! If you already have a passport, it is time to rejoice! Just with your passport, you can experience different cultures and meet new people around the globe. Do you know why? Because there are countries […]

Who is Zika?

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 8) – Who is Zika? It is actually not a person but a virus.  Borne by mosquitoes, Zika causes mild fever, skin rash (exanthema), conjunctivitis (sore eyes) and muscle pain. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days. Its name derived from the Zika forest in Uganda, where scientists first identified in 1940’s. The virus was associated with birth defects in Brazil. Since the start of 2015, Brazil has recorded 4,000 cases of […]

Election returns posted in COMELEC’s website, beneficial or not?

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 3) – It is true that in every Philippine election, negative issues and concerns have never failed to appear. According to asiafoundation.org, elections in the Philippines have been marred by allegations of widespread cheating and other electoral malpractice. The most famous (or perhaps infamous) method of cheating is called dagdag/bawas (add-subtract), when votes are subtracted from the opposition candidate and added to a favored candidate, and vice versa. Also, concerns over election credibility have […]

Medal of Valor – is it enough?

QUEZON City, Philippines (February 2) – Last January 25, 2016, two members of  the Philippine National Police – Special Action Force (SAF) 44 was awarded by President Benigno Aquino III with the Medal of Valor- the Philippine highest military honor. He also gave the PNP Distinguished Conduct Medal awards or Medalya ng Kabayanihan to the remaining members of the SAF 44. It’s already been a year when 44 brave men died in the bloody clash in Mamasapano, […]