As I was jogging near the Rizal Park the other day, I saw a large white banner with the words “Huwag kang magnakaw!” (Thou shall not steal), largely written on it. It was another of those socio-political outcries, I thought to myself, amidst yet another allegation of corruption currently being hurled against Vice President Jejomar…
Tag: Opinion
Immoral compass
By now, many of us would have heard about the massacre that had befallen 12 staffers and editors of a French weekly magazine called Charlie Hebdo at the hands of two Islamist gunmen last January 7. Within an hour after the attack, the words #JeSuisCharlie (#IamCharlie) made waves on social media to support freedom of…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Where does it start?
According to a news report published by the Philippine Star last April, around 28,000 traffic violations are recorded daily by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority. The common fines range from a minimum of P1000 for violations such as not wearing a seatbelt to as much as P10,000 for driving a vehicle not registered with the…
The problem with opinions
Almost two months ago, a chum of mine in marketing was griping to me about the latest commercial developments in campus: a Power Mac center, and a 7-Eleven in the works. “Do we really need a Power Mac and a 7-Eleven? I really can’t believe how commercial La Salle is. What’s your opinion?” he asks,…
I was never Filipino
By Eric Siy In 2005, I wrote an opinion column for The LaSallian and made the case that Filipinos should stay with Filipinos. Living (in my case, teaching) in another country was heresy. The case was to give back to the community that gave to me. Almost ten years later, I’m teaching in the United…
By Arik Aaron Abu Three to five years. On average, that is how long it takes for a student to finish a degree (or two) from De La Salle University. That is about three to five more years to enjoy the final dregs of youth. After that, the rest of your life begins. As cliché…