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Kristian Bautista As Women’s Month approaches its last day, Filipinos should take a moment of introspection—a moment to reflect on why we conduct this celebration, how institutions have commemorated this month, and how we will move forward. From Alex Eala’s momentarily breakthrough in tennis to the recent flak GMA 7 news reporter Mariz Umali underwent from populist Duterte supporters, and the even more recent and showbiz-esque eviction of celebrities AC Bonifacio and Ashley Ortega on the reality show Pinoy Big Brother that would make you say, “really, on women’s month?”, social media has become a successful tool in amplifying the narratives of women, for better or for worse. However, celebrating Women’s Month serves as a reminder that discussions about women continue to be polarizing, inhibiting their ongoing collective struggles. Moreover, the existence of this advocacy itself reflects a systemic issue that continues to undermine women even in today’s age. Growing up in a household fu...

Stela Marie Eve Militante What happens when women take the mic? They don't just sing; they spark revolutions, shatter limits, and turn music into a declaration of power. This Women’s Month, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and boldness of womanhood, and what better way to honor it than through music that amplifies those very qualities, right? From commanding beats to powerful lyrics, music has long been a vessel for women to express their power, break barriers, and inspire change. Here are the five tracks that embody the essence of modern womanhood: unapologetic, multifaceted, and fearless. These anthems remind listeners on how women are ready to shake the world, encapsulated in melodies that uplift and inspire.  So turn your volume up, feel the power, and let these songs serve as a reminder that there’s nothing more unstoppable than a woman who knows her worth. Run the World (Girls) by Beyoncé Beyoncé , a global icon of female empowerment, has long used her artistry for her ...

Biel Jose Catipon The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expressed its willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar and Thailand as a deadly quake struck the countries on Friday, March 28. Photo Courtesy of Politico. The earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 resulted in 1,700 deaths, 3400 injuries, and 300 missing persons in Myanmar and about 17 fatalities in Thailand as of March 30. Its epicenter was located approximately 17.2 kilometers from the city of Mandalay in Myanmar and was also felt in Thailand. Minutes later, a 6.4-magnitude aftershock followed. "Hindi pa natin alam ang extent ng damage. So far, walang Pilipinong nasawi. Kung may mga gustong umuwi dahil rito, tulungan natin," said DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega in an interview with Dobol B TV on March 29. The Philippine Embassy in Myanmar has been assessing the situation to ensure the safety and well-being of Filipinos by conducting welfare checks in the affected ar...

Lyndon James Diesta “We shall do what women do. We shall talk.” This line, spoken in the hit Netflix series Bridgerton , highlights the importance of women in communication and languages. As one member of the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) faculty treads the challenging path of words and phrases, she has become devoted to her mission of preserving these native languages, creating a ripple of change and progress. In an effort to showcase the Philippines’ efforts to preserve the country’s dying tongues from extinction, Assistant Professor of UPLB-College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Humanities Dr. Mariyel Hiyas C. Liwanag harmonizes the playful world of games with the equally colorful realm of Filipino languages with Isabuhay — a tabletop turn-based roleplaying game. This was created as part of her doctoral dissertation from De La Salle University-Manila. Isabuhay sheds light on 22 of the nation’s 186 languages — highlighting lesser-known ones, such as the Dumag...

Fernan Carigma The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) officially included several Philippine English words in its March 2025 update, highlighting the linguistic contributions from the Philippines. Among the newly added terms are "gigil," "kababayan," "sando," "lumpia," and "videoke," along several other commonly used words in the Philippines. 'Gigil' was an "untranslatable" word, explaining that it refers to "a feeling so intense that it gives us the irresistible urge to tightly clench our hands, grit our teeth, and pinch or squeeze whomever or whatever it is we find so adorable," OED Executive Editor Danica Salazar described.  The term is widely used in the Philippines to express strong emotions, particularly when seeing something perceived as endearing. 'Kababayan entered the dictionary with two definitions: the first referring to a fellow Filipino or someone from the same place, and the second as a type o...

Jea Nicole Jacot and Adi Joaquim Tolentino The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday, March 26, reported its recent recovery of approximately P65 million funds from 54 private schools implicated in irregularities within the Senior High School Voucher Program (SHS-VP), exposing inadequacies in the program’s regulatory and validation mechanisms. Photo Courtesy of Inquirer.net. In an official release from DepEd on March 26, Education Secretary Sonny Angara stated that DepEd terminated these schools from the program following allegations of fraudulent claims for School Years (SY) 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 as of the 54 schools, 38 have fully refunded the government, while two made partial repayments. However, 14 schools have yet to comply with refund demands. “We are taking decisive steps to strengthen our validation processes, hold erring schools accountable, and restore public trust in the SHS Voucher Program,” Angara said. Angara also disclosed that the discrepancies between billing...

Joseph Azil Buena More than a month into the national campaign period, Senate race poll rankings remain largely unchanged, with candidates backed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. securing a majority and media personalities maintaining strong positions in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) monthly survey released on March 26. Photo Courtesy of Presidential Communications Office/Social Weather Stations. According to the March 2025 polls, nine of the 13 leading senatorial candidates based on public opinion nationwide were from the Marcos administration’s Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas slate. Tied in the first two spots were incumbent lawmakers Senator Christopher “Bong” Go and ACT-CIS Representative Erwin Tulfo, who had repeatedly been in the top of the polls since December 2024, both garnering 42 percent approval of the poll responses. Rep. Tulfo, an Alyansa member and a former broadcaster, had consistently secured the first spot since last year but saw a slight decline in his p...

Benedict Maravilla The Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) has terminated the procurement of the 500 million peso-worth Mayon Volcano Heritage Aesthetic Lighting following public backlash, as well as the statement of the Albay Provincial Government urging to halt the project. In a statement released on March 25, TIEZA stated that they have cancelled the project due to ‘some issues from concerned stakeholders and government agencies, and the need to obtain full stakeholder acceptability’. TIEZA also cited that the cancellation was in accordance to the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No, 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act where the Head of the Procuring Entity (HOPE) may decide to reject bids if ‘significant changes’ occurred during the project development that would make it infeasible to push through. On March 24, Acting Governor Glenda Ong Bongao of the Province of Albay issued a statement addressed to T...

Gwyneth Perseveranda The University of the Philippines (UP) Manila has unveiled its newly developed ulasimang bato or pansit-pansitan tablet as an alternative treatment for gout and hyperuricemia during the 2nd Philippine Pharma and Healthcare Expo on February 26. During the event, Professor Jade Rodriguez introduced this breakthrough, highlighting that the tablet offers a safer and more natural way to manage gout—eliminating the need for synthetic drugs that may worsen liver and kidney conditions. “Our research shows that ulasimang bato possesses powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-hyperuricemic properties. It could provide a safer, more natural option for Filipinos to manage gout without the risks associated with synthetic drugs,” said Rodriguez. The Peperomia pellucida plant—locally known as ulasimang bato or pansit-pansitan—has been clinically proven to reduce serum uric acid levels by an average of 78% within two weeks of oral intake Moreover, researchers from UP Manila's Inst...

Allen Marc De Jesus “Ang daming taong namamatay sa murang edad pero inililibing kung kailan gulay na…Itong looban mismo, looban ito ng mga patay. Matagal na kaming patay. Kung kailan kami ililibing, iyon ang pare-pareho naming ‘di alam.” Isa ito sa  linyahang tumatak sa karakter na si Dodong sa unang aklat ng trilohiya na Ang Kapangyarihang Higit sa Ating Lahat , sa isang lamay ng isang siga sa looban na kanilang tinitirhan.   Sa kuwentong ito ni Ronaldo Vivo, Jr. , bida ang karakter ni Dodong. Isa siyang holdaper na umiibig kay Che, isang sexworker, na siya namang nakatali sa pulis na si Elmer. Inakalang sangkot sa isang malagim na krimen si Dodong, na sa pagtatangkang linisin ang kanyang  pangalan, natagpuan niya ang sarili sa  sala-salabat na katotohanan ng buhay-maralita — droga, kamatayan, sindikato at kapulisan. Sa unang tingin, mahihinuhang natural na lente lang ito ng mga sosyo-politikal na problema sa isang looban katulad ng kawalan ng oportunidad, tala...

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Adi Joaquim Tolentino The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) emphasized that securing the Certificate of Program Compliance should not be the end goal for higher education institutions (HEIs), calling it the "bare minimum" requirement and urging state universities and colleges (SUCs) to seek regional and international accreditations. Photo Courtesy of BusinessWorld. In a statement on March 20, CHED Chairperson J. Prospero de Vera III stressed the need for SUCs to go beyond compliance and commit to rigorous quality assurance mechanisms that align with global standards.  As to continue the improvement of the country’s higher education system, de Vera lauded University of the Philippines (UP) Manila and Los Baños for setting an example in quality assurance mechanisms as they were exempted from the Certificate of Program Compliance (COPC) requirements. “UP Manila and Los Baños showed leadership as National University by having their programs quality assured, with documentation...

Justin James Albia Ipinagdiriwang tuwing Marso ang Women's Month bilang pagkilala sa ambag ng kababaihan sa lipunan. Higit pa sa selebrasyon, ito’y anyo din ng pagpapatuloy ng kanilang laban upang itaguyod  ang mga panawagan para sa gender equality. Pagkakataon din ito upang palakasin ang boses ng lahat ng babae — cisgender man o trans, sa pagtataguyod ng isang makatarungan at inklusibong mundo. Ngunit taon-taon, laging nasa diskusyon kung sino nga ba ang dapat na kasama sa selebrasyong ito at kung may puwang nga ba ang mga transwomen sa pagdiriwang ng buwan ng mga kababaihan.   Sana all kasali? Nagsimula ang kontrobersiya nang magbahagi sa Tiktok ang transwoman na si Jaime Casino ng mensaheng , "don't forget to also greet your trans friends ‘Happy Women's Month’ tomorrow." Isang simpleng paalala lamang sana ito ngunit hindi pinalampas ng ilang transwomen at cisgender women na naniniwalang ang Women's Month ay eksklusibo lamang dapat para sa mga cisgender wom...

Kirsten Flores Anybody in college will be stricken by the fact that budgeting is not a mere skill. It is a survival tool.  Like many students, I am living on a modest weekly allowance that has to support my academic needs, daily expenses, and the occasional craving for a sweet treat. Shockingly, how tight money could get became the least of my anxieties. What perturbed me the most was how much I did not know about managing it. It is easy to become trapped in the pitfalls of overspending when you are young and finally in charge of your finances. My first semester, I was naïve. I thought PHP 500 a week was more than enough, but this amount did not account for transportation costs, group project expenses, unplanned hangouts that can eat away at your budget, and of course; the fluctuating prices of goods. By mid-week, I’d be pondering texting my parents for “extra allowance” to keep me afloat despite my reluctance to do so.  Humbled by that humiliating experience, I was prompted t...

Fernan Carigma To create alternative pathways for teacher licensure and address the workforce shortage, senators and education stakeholders are considering amendments to Republic Act (RA) No. 7836, also known as the Philippine Teachers Professionalization Act of 1994. The Senate Civil Service, Government Reorganization, and Professional Regulation Subcommittee led by Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, convened to discuss proposals to enable teacher certification through non-traditional methods.  This initiative aims to diversify the licensure process beyond the current requirement of passing the Licensure Examination for Teachers (LET), March 19. Under RA No. 7836, aspiring teachers must pass the LET, which is administered by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC), to obtain their licenses. The Teacher Education Council (TEC) has proposed alternative certification methods, including project-based assessments, portfolios, presentations, and multimedia outputs to evaluate teaching com...