Category: Column

The Philippines is approaching a moment that could define its economic destiny for generations. Beneath its mountains, islands, and waters lie many of the minerals that will power the next technological revolution, yet history has repeatedly shown that resources alone do not determine who prospers. Countries rise not because they possess what the world needs, but because they know how to transform what they possess into industries, knowledge, and lasting power.

Any time issues emerge, people in every generation look for someone or something to blame. These days, one of the newest targets is online gaming. Parents, educators, legislators, and gamers have all recently debated the possibility of outlawing online gaming in the Philippines. Although there are legitimate worries about gaming addiction and how it affects youth, just banning online games is a foolish answer that fails to consider the wider picture.

The train meant for you will never pass you. The train meant for you will stop in front of you for as long as you’re not entering it.

As students, after a buoyant and restorative sabbatical break from the previous school year, we are often suffused with anticipation of a school year that awaits us, with mood boards freshly pressed from the printer and bucket lists brimming with boxes yet to be checked as a new school year unfolds before us.

I yearn that maybe, just maybe, leaders could be more aware of what’s going on in their country because they miss out on people working overseas. Not just OFWs but also other nationalities and people, they never know that someone might be waiting for them to return home safely. 

Kaya sa usaping ito, ang paninindigan ay malinaw: ang batas ay para sa tao, sa katarungan, at hustisya. Pagpapalaya ito sa taong nilulupig ng asawa nitong nabulag na ng kasalanan kung kaya’t hindi na kabanalan ang nananaig sa pagsasama.

Sometimes, a beautiful street with the usual noise of everyday life can be unusual. Because in just a snap, grounds began to tremble beneath people’s feet, turning ordinary moments into scenes of fear and uncertainty.

Success should be seen not only in report cards, but also in the development of responsible, compassionate, and capable individuals. No grade is worth losing yourself for. The pursuit of excellence should inspire us to grow, not convince us that we are only as valuable as the numbers printed on a report card.

The Senate floor increasingly resembles a hall of mirrors where officials no longer distinguish between protecting the institution and protecting their own feelings inside it.

When student voices are filtered, edited, and silenced before they reach the page, freedom of expression becomes an exercise in restraint. In the Philippines, the shutdown of an online student publication reveals how censorship is no longer only an act—it is a practice. It moves through drafts, algorithms, and platforms, dictating what can exist before anyone listens.