As the country scrambled into a panic over the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, people were forced to isolate within their homes. Driven by the need to ensure the well-being of a involved in the educational system, school administrators deemed it necessary to restrict access to school campuses. With the gradual relaxation of quarantine measures,…
Last June 11, the Lucban Municipal Police Station publicized what soon became a controversial Facebook post warning women and girls to “not wear short clothes” to prevent becoming victims of sexual assault crimes. Among many others condemning the post for its perpetuation of rape culture, Frankie Pangilinan’s tweet, “Stop teaching girls how to dress? Teach…
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A system of care
The COVID-19 crisis has in many ways exposed the incompetence of several of our country’s public officials, not just in terms of pandemic response, but also in the apparent absence of development and support for several important sectors and societal institutions over the past years. Among these key areas is the healthcare system, shoved into…
As July began, 107 days had passed since the Luzon mainland was placed under community quarantine. In what has become the world’s longest COVID-19 lockdown, the country’s quarantine period has even surpassed the 76-day lockdown of the Chinese city of Wuhan—the ground zero of the pandemic. Altered eating and sleeping patterns, increased difficulties with concentrating,…
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A quiet place: Life on sports’ new stage
Sports are well-known for many things: the fast-paced action, the loud fan chants, the competitiveness, and of course, the excitement. When the pandemic hit and forced everything to come to a halt, it felt almost counter-intuitive for the sports world. All of a sudden, stadiums went silent, training grounds were left empty, and fans, athletes,…
The forced isolation imposed on families across the country due to COVID-19 has left a massive impact on the lives of everyone involved. This has been no less true for some of the most vulnerable members of society—children. Over the past couple of months, the conventional life that a child may have known has been…
Music is intangible, yet is closely intertwined with human experience. From the radio tunes kids used to wake up to on Sunday mornings, the playlists that accompany commuters on crowded bus rides, to the certain songs that lull people to sleep at night, music has always been a part of life. Throughout time, it has…
Expecting widespread rain showers and scattered thunderstorms, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared last June 12 the start of the rainy season in the country. With the Philippines’ health sector already struggling to cope with the overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases, the onset of the rainy season may also bring with…
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The blame game
Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic has raised many questions around the competence of the country’s leaders. It seems that more focus was given to silencing critics instead of the real and more pressing issue: deterring the further spread of the virus. Some critics of the administration have once again questioned how these officials were…
Like in many other countries, coffee is one of the most popular drinks among Filipinos, creating and sustaining the country’s coffee plantation industry. Before plummeting to 110th, the Philippines was once the world’s fourth largest coffee bean exporter. Various local efforts have been enacted to revive the industry plagued by coffee rust—caused by a fast-spreading…