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Opinion

Pope Francis’ invisible gifts

There was just something extraordinary about the visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines that you can’t quite explain. How could the presence of just one man unite tens of millions of Filipinos? During his visit, the people were on their best behavior, with crime rates substantially lower according to the Philippine National Police, while…

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Opinion

The numbers game

Do grades matter? It’s a question that has probably crossed all of our minds at least once (the actual number might be closer to a thousand) throughout our years in grade school, high school, and college. With another term in the books, we often find ourselves asking this question to console ourselves for our low…

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Opinion

Knowing nothing

At roughly three feet, 47 pounds, and four years of age, my little sister can ask an average of ten questions a minute. Her questions range from “Can I watch Frozen tonight, Ate?” (To which I’d usually answer yes) to “When will it snow?” (When Olaf comes), all asked in the impossibly high pitch of…

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Opinion

I was wrong

In one of my classes, a classmate of mine got into a debate with our professor. After a while, a few students started to join in, and it became a back and forth between us students and the professor. Eventually, we moved on from the debate without really deciding on who was right, but then…

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Opinion

Anti-equality

I became an expert in women’s rights and sarcasm at the tender age of ten. It was quite easy to be one for both when growing up with an older sister. Whenever I was with her, I would see everything split right in the middle. One half for me, One half for her. When it…

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Opinion

Fighting for zero

18 casualties. Considering that Typhoon Ruby was the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in 2014 and that typhoons of lesser strength in recent years have claimed more lives, 18 casualties (as of press time) bodes well for the country’s disaster management. Even if Ruby was downgraded from super typhoon status as it crossed…

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Opinion

Plebiscite, take two

After several months of meetings, Legislative Assembly sessions, consultations with community stakeholders, and delibrations, the 2014 University Student Government (USG) Constitution was all set for the plebiscite which was to be held last November 3 to 7. The aim of the plebiscite was to gain the majority approval of De La Salle University’s students on…

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Opinion

I wish zombies existed

“When Death laughs, no one else does,” says Amy Neftzger in the book entitled The Orchard of Hope.  After my brother’s untimely death in 1998, I promised myself that his early passing would not mean his complete departure from this world. I vowed to always remember him and that his death will only mean physical…

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Opinion

Scot-free

When the onscreen adaptation of Gone Girl was released last October, I was genuinely excited to witness how David Fincher and Gillian Flynn were going to translate the thriller into the big screen. As a fan of the book, I relished the twists and turns Flynn’s third novel had in store for readers, particularly the…

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Opinion

Cars vs. Manila

At a recent job interview at a market research firm, I was asked the usual recruitment questions like what are my reasons for leaving my present job, where do I see myself five to seven years from now, and the like. By the time one of the interviewers asked about my current compensation package, I…