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By Jhon Axcel Beltran On the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., the late dictator’s son was able to mention his plans for reviving the economy, agriculture, health, infrastructures, technology, and education.  Cartoon by Aureus Ken Pupa However, he had missed some important and relevant points that many of us deserved to hear. Here are they: Human Rights After a catastrophic six-year term of populist and former President Rodrigo Duterte, that left thousands of extrajudicial killings because of his bloody war on drugs campaign, rights groups and advocates hoped that Marcos Jr. would address and make his stand clear about the sanctity of human rights. But as expected, he did not mention anything about it. It was also his chance to take accountability for the atrocities and human rights transgressions made by his dictator father Ferdinand Marcos Sr. during the disastrous years of Martial Law. But as we have all seen through the yea...

By Zanti Alonso Gayares and Ancelmo Miguel Catalla In his first State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. never failed the Filipinos to deliver capricious and unstable plans, especially for the education sector. Nothing new from his political campaign up to taking the oath to office. Cartoon by John Dave Poot Knowing that PH education is at a pivotal point as the country moves from the catastrophe of the pandemic, the President focused on militarization, enhancement for foreign empowerment, solidifying the atrocities of the system, and making the sector in favor of their reign一proving that the education sector of the Philippines under a Marcos Jr. administration is a continuance of the abysmal system, not far from the decays of the past. One of the main points mentioned in the SONA 2022 concerning the education sector is the review of the viability of the K-12 school system. In a recent survey of Pulse Asia, 44% of Filipinos are not satisfied with the said syst...

By Joemar Yubokmee President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, in the first few minutes of his State of the Nation Address (SONA), promised to reduce the nation’s 23.7% poverty rate to nine percent by 2028. Although a highly ambitious forecast, with the right policies and efficient utilization of the national budget, a 14.7 decline in the poverty rate is not impossible. Cartoon by Richelle De Arce Being an archipelagic country surrounded by rich water resources, numerous agricultural lands paired with the perfect climate for growing crops, and hardworking individuals for a population, it is baffling why in 2020, the agriculture sector contributed only a meager 10.18% of the country’s total Gross Domestic Product. The agricultural sector is an untapped resource that could catapult the country to being the largest exporter of agricultural products一something that would not only help those working in the sector but would also greatly alleviate the impoverished condition rampant in rural areas as raw a...

By Juliana Frias and Xy Aldrae Murillo It's not the same as it was, but the memories still stay there. Think about The Weeknd's "Blinding Lights," and Harry Styles' "As It Was," some of the chart-topping hits released in the 2020s but are heavily influenced by 80's synth pop and beats — which proves that modern music can freely and creatively get inspiration from yesterday's time. Photo courtesy of DOPE Magazine/GMA Network/Discogs/Medium It is not just the theme and the aesthetic, but songs from the past can still be a trending hit nowadays, and it is always a reminiscing moment to look back from the past. As numerous modern hits struck the public, the majority of the population (or general community) are still leaving enough space for yesterday's Last Song Syndrome (LSS) while they enjoy the trip down memory lane.  In the present, social media has now become the perfect medium that bridges the gap between decades and eras, with TikTok as a ...

Ni Nikki Coralde Matapos matalo sa nakaraang senatorial race, inanunsyo ng abogado at dating Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque na magsisilbi siya bilang private counsel ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. kapalit ng halagang P20. Photo Courtesy of Abogado/TV5 News "I confirm that I have been retained as private counsel of PBBM for the pricely (sic) sum of 20 pesos," ani Roque sa isang Facebook post. Sa isang panayam, sinabi ng abogado na hindi niya maaaring ilabas ang mga detalye ukol sa kaniyang konsultasyon sa pangulo dahil sa attorney-client confidentiality. "The attorney-client relation is only for the sole purpose of ensuring confidentiality whenever I am consulted by the President on any legal matter," paliwanag niya. Kamakailan lamang, nagkaroon ng pagpupulong ang dalawa kasama ang mga matataas na opisyal sa Gabinete, katulad nina Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile at Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra, upang pag-usapan ang posisyon ng administ...

By Bea Santina Maranan   The current foundation of our healthcare system is barely surviving the hurdles brought by the pandemic. With the untrustworthy government that regularly favors fast remedies for longshot problems, not much development can be expected from our already subpar healthcare system.  Cartoon by Billy Abistado In his first State of the Nation Address, 17th President of the Philippines Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., addressed the pandemic and healthcare plans under his administration. Marcos Jr. assured the public with no more lockdowns and the rollout of booster shots to improve immunity and lessen fatalities.  With a plummeting economy and crippling debt, it is true that we cannot afford another lockdown. It will be detrimental to our already failing economy. We can recall that after the Marcoses' return to supreme power, numerous foreign investors withdrew their money. The stock market turned red and our economy we...

By Jillian Marielle Tiraña In his first week in the session hall, newcomer Senator Robin Padilla revealed the difference in his colleagues' behavior when off-duty and during official session in an interview on July 28. Photo Courtesy of ABS-CBN News/Senate of the Philippines Padilla shared that senators would happily discourse in the Senate lounge using the Filipino language – different from their usual use of English in the session hall. But once his colleagues step out of the lounge, the senator jokingly described his fellow legislators as becoming “possessed." “Kasi Tagalog ang salita namin doon sa loob eh, paglabas doon Amerikano na lahat," the senator added. Padilla had previously filed a measure which seeks for the use of Filipino and other regional languages in official government documents, including court rulings and enacted laws. The senator cited Article 14, section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which states that both English and Filipino should be used for commu...

By Addison Pascua Malacañang on July 29 said it is up to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla to personally present to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. his plans to dilate the functions of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG). Photo Courtesy of Angie de Silva (Rappler)/PCGG/Inquirer.net During a Palace briefing, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles said the Marcos’ administration is yet to establish a policy regarding the proposed expansion of the agency’s mandate. “Since it is Secretary Remulla who has made the proposal, we’ll have to wait him to bring it up. Right now, there is no policy,” Cruz-Angeles emphasized. Remulla on Thursday conveyed his interest to expand the jurisdiction of the PCGG beyond recovering the ill-gotten wealth issue of the Marcos family, including their cronies. The justice secretary, however, clarified that he doesn’t want to abolish the agency created to run after the Marcos family. Instead, he has recommended forming an asset forfeiture offi...

By Kezo Andre Javier President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday delivered his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) as he outlined the primary agenda of his administration for the next six years. Right off the bat, he has been very clear that economic recovery and growth will be the top priority. In particular, he enumerated their target figures for the Philippine economy under his watch. These numbers may sound great but the present reality screams otherwise, a bigger burden that his government will have to carry especially in the coming months. Cartoon by  Alexia Macatuno On the general overview of the economy, Marcos Jr. stated that his administration looks to achieve 6.5% to 7.5% real growth on the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2022 while aiming for 6.5% to 8% in 2023 to 2028 . Based on data from the World Bank , the country has already been reaching these levels of real GDP growth from the past years, including the administrations of former Presidents Benigno Aquino III an...

By Rjay Castor TV host and weatherman Kim Atienza is now under fire following his statement that monkeypox is usually transmitted through men who have sex with men.  Photo courtesy of Orange Magazine/The Sun/Twitter “Chicken pox is less severe and the virus is airborne. Monkey pox is sexually transmitted, usually M to M. #kuyakimanona,” said the TV host in a tweet, responding to a netizen asking the difference between a chickenpox and a monkeypox.  Netizens slammed Atienza’s statement saying it is discriminatory and homophobic. Atienza took his defense saying he is not a homophobe and cited an article from CNBC, an American cable business news channel.  The article particularly cautioned gay and bisexual men to limit sexual partners to reduce the spread of monkeypox as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Citing WHO, the article also claimed that men having sex with men are “at the highest risk of infection right now from monkeypox.” READ RELATED STORY:...

By John Carlo Ayende Filipina tennis sensation Alex Eala booked her ticket to the W25 El Espinar/Segovia tournament semifinals after eliminating the hometown favorite Rosa Vicens Mas in a close 7-6(3), 7-6(4) triumph in Spain, last July 28. Photo Courtesy of   Alex Eala It was a bittersweet victory for the 17-year-old Eala as she offered sympathy to those Filipinos who were affected by the magnitude 7.0 earthquake in Abra last Wednesday. "I was saddened to hear about the earthquake back home. So this win goes out to all the affected families. I had a huge battle today, winning 7-6/7.6," Eala wrote on her Facebook post. The WTA World No. 282 tennis player will try to knock out another Spaniard counterpart in Spain’s No. 7 and WTA World No. 326 Eva Guerrero Alvarez on Friday, whom the Filipina had beaten in the W25 Corrois-Seixal first round in Portugal. Eala won in straight sets, but the Spanish player gave her a tough time in sealing the deal as the 22-year-old Vicens Mas fou...

By Raymond Carl Gato International concerns following the outbreak of monkeypox have pushed the World Health Organization (WHO) into declaring a global health emergency after its rapid spread throughout several countries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of this writing, reports 21,148 cases of monkeypox worldwide, with 20,804 of those cases coming from 71 countries that have never previously reported infections with the virus. The virus originated in the tropical rainforest areas of western and central Africa. Unusually, Europe is currently the global epicenter of the monkeypox virus despite it being non-endemic to the continent. 80% of the total monkeypox infection cases in 2022 are rooted in Europe. Are vaccines available? Only two vaccines have received a license from the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) to prevent the monkeypox virus; these are the JYNNEOS and ACAM2000 vaccines.  1. JYNNEOS Manufactured by the Danish biotechnology com...

By Christian Niturada Creamline exhibited its superb playing style to eliminate Chery Tiggo, 25-14, 25-20, 21-25, 28-26 and secure its semifinal ticket in the 2022 Premier Volleyball League Invitational Conference at the Filoil EcoOil Centre, Thursday. PHOTO: Premier Volleyball League Creamline’s opposite hitter Jema Galanza notched a game-high 23 points on 21 attacks, spearheading the Cool Smashers to solidify their semis spot along with Cignal on a 4-1 win-loss card. The Crossovers, meanwhile, completed the conference in last place with a 1-5 win-loss record. Tots Carlos also dropped 20 points to support Galanza in the offensive end, while team captain Alyssa Valdez registered 16 markers and 13 digs. “Okay naman yung naging game today, yung Chery talagang lalaban din talaga ‘yan. ‘Di basta basta magpapatalo ‘yan syempre pro na tayo ngayon e,” said Creamline head coach Sherwin Meneses. "Hopefully, makakuha pa kami ng isang panalo bago mag-second round para maganda yung ‘pag pasok...

By Sandra Cabangon Amid records of abuses by Saudi Arabian employers to Filipino workers, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Susan Ople is set to visit Saudi Arabia to assess the viability of lifting the deployment ban. Photo Courtesy of Fayez Nureldine (AFP)/DMW “Sa mga susunod na buwan ay magtutungo si Secretary Susan Ople sa Saudi Arabia upang tiyakin na may sapat na pwersang masisiguro na mabubuksan muli ang empleyo sa bansa, at para maisulong ang ating kampanya laban sa human trafficking," said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. In his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos presented that the government plans to discuss with Riyadh issues concerning the salary and welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) residing there to ensure they are treated properly in the country before lifting the deployment ban. “Muli nating patitibayin ang respeto at pagkakaibigan ng ating dalawang bansa,” he stated. The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) ordered the temporary suspensio...