Category: University

The Rundown: Duque and PhilHealth execs to face charges, new PhilHealth chief appointed, US marine’s release blocked, voter registration resumes

Investigation on corruption allegations in the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) took another step forward as the Senate Committee of the Whole recommended last September 1 the filing of criminal charges against officials allegedly involved in fraudulent schemes within the agency. With the top PhilHealth post left vacant amid the controversy, President Rodrigo Duterte has […]

‘LEAP into Art’: DLSU holds first-ever online weeklong LEAP

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has rendered physical face-to-face sessions impossible this Term 3. Yet that has not stopped the University from pushing through with student activities. Last August 24 to 28, the Lasallian Enrichment Alternative Program (LEAP), themed LEAP into Art, offered students a myriad of alternative classes held through webinars and activities on Zoom […]

Closing the gap: A question of access behind the vaccine race

The search for life-saving treatment is becoming increasingly intertwined with sociopolitical realities. The launch of Sputnik V, a Russian COVID-19 vaccine candidate whose name is a callback to the Soviet-era satellite, has become a symbol for what some—not least billionaire-philanthropist Bill Gates—have called the “vaccine race”.  Yet, as some vaccine candidates begin Phase III of […]

On debt row: Assessing anxieties over government debt

Shuttered storefronts, vacant schools, empty airways—these are only some of the sights that typify what the International Monetary Fund dubs as the “Great Lockdown”. In a massive disruption of economic activity, the COVID-19 pandemic that already pushed many businesses into bankruptcy has also left five million Filipinos out of work, now dependent on government assistance […]

Recall process debated anew, BLAZE2020 Batch VP resignation approved in online LA session

After removing it from their agenda last session, the Legislative Assembly (LA) finally resumed deliberations on the proposed recall process guidelines for University Student Government (USG) officers last Saturday, August 29. The Assembly also approved the resignation of a batch student government officer and the immediate appointment of his replacement. Recall process ‘subjective’ Following the […]

HAYAG forum examines key facets, structural issues within the PH gov’t

Growing flaws and a chain of injustices in the three branches of government were dissected in a forum titled HAYAG: The Three Branches of the Philippine Government and Its Functions held last August 21 via Facebook Live, organized by the DLSU Political Science Society. Educator and policy advisor Richard Heydarian, Free Legal Assistance Group Chairperson […]

The Rundown: Metro Manila back to GCQ, Masbate tremor, Philhealth ‘sabotage’

Last Monday August 17, strict quarantine measures over Metro Manila were again eased as the government reverted the region’s status back to a General Community Quarantine (GCQ) to aid the ailing economy. Despite the containment effort, however, COVID-19 cases continue to rise, approaching 200,000 cases nationwide. As of Monday, August 24, the Department of Health […]

Hontiveros, Bag-ao call for good governance in COVID-19 pandemic response

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on society and the economy, good governance remains crucial in ensuring a coordinated government response. It was based on these themes that Dinagat Islands Gov. Kaka Bag-ao and Sen. Risa Hontiveros shared their insights in a webinar titled Taking The Lead: Good Governance in the Time […]

LA passes tabled resolutions, withdraws ‘untimely’, unfinished resolutions

The Legislative Assembly (LA) convened through Zoom last August 22 to discuss and approve several resolutions, including resolutions tabled in their previous session last August 7. Among the deliberations held by the Assembly were the establishment of detailed guidelines for the Arrows Express Shuttle Service, the resignation of a batch representative, and a statement on […]

With ABS-CBN’s franchise denied, what happens now?

The ABS-CBN shutdown is a chilling reminder of the state’s power to silence the opposition, but also of the importance of journalists continuing their work amid a bleak time for their profession.