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Securing privacy: Browsing the interconnected world with VPNs

From government offices to companies to anonymous hackers, the internet has become a nest of prying eyes. Data has become a commodity—from companies engaging in data sharing deals to government surveillance of online activity and data harvesting. With the public becoming more aware of the importance of data privacy, the Virtual Private Network (VPN) industry…

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Will you be (hista)mine?: Body talk and allergy medications

“I didn’t know it was [made from shrimp],” narrates Noelle Gloria (I, AB-ISJ), referring to one New Year’s Eve when she was hospitalized after eating a serving of bagoong. She recalls that allergic reactions manifested in the form of numbing hands, difficulty of breathing, and shaking of the body despite taking Claritin, a brand or…

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A year later: Diwata-2, the second Philippine microsatellite

Outer space is home to many fascinating things; many have naturally been formed there, like the Moon, and others sent out by mankind, such as artificial satellites. Satellites are defined as objects orbiting around a larger object like a planet, with some of the most popular examples being the International Space Station and Sputnik 1—aiding…

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An ever elusive mystery: The science behind attraction

“It’s also true that like the Moon—a trigger of its own legendary form of madness—love has its phases,” said Dr. Richard Schwartz, an associate professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School (HMS) and a consultant to McLean and Massachusetts General hospitals. Schwartz—whose research interests revolve around social isolation, loneliness, social connection, and lasting marriage—claimed in…

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DOH Learning Sessions on 2019-nCoV ARD unmask truth on virus outbreak

“What’s happening right now is the fear of the unknown,” stressed Department of Health (DOH) Human Resources Management Officer Ebenezer Bonbon in a series of discussions entitled Learning Sessions on nCoV held at the University Student Government (USG) Students’ Lounge, third floor of Br. Connon Hall yesterday, February 5.  The talk, which delved into the…

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Truths and tensions: On DOH confirmation of first nCoV case in PH

In December 2019, a newly identified disease from Wuhan, China caused an outbreak.  The epidemic has since spread across other locations, including, Macau, Taiwan, Australia, Cambodia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, The Republic of Korea, United Arab Emirates, United States, Vietnam, Hong Kong, India, and the Philippines.  Now, 7,824 are…

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Wary of water: Reviewing the International Disaster Conference 2019

Consider for a moment the power of water: without it, agriculture would be impossible and sanitation would be an afterthought. Yet, in excess, it can flood cities, drown life forms, and cripple even the mightiest economies. During the International Disaster Conference 2019 held at The Peninsula Manila last November 21, matters concerning the depletion of…

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Alon!: Art meets awareness against marine plastic waste in SDA exhibit

The Philippines is the third-largest plastic waste polluter—contributing six percent of the world’s total share of mismanaged plastic waste—only behind Indonesia and China’s 10 and 28 percent, respectively. These are alarming figures, as plastic materials are unsustainable from their creation to their disposal. Marine animals can mistake plastic wastes for food, such as in the…

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Deconstructing sustainability, food wastage concerns of unli-KBBQ establishments

Every year, approximately a third of the world’s food is lost or thrown away, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.  In the Philippines, efforts to reduce food waste have been initiated but not all have been successful. Although Republic Act 9003 or the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000,…

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Afflicted: Examining the re-emergence, outbreak of infectious diseases

“The only protection [a] community can have is [through] vaccination,” pushes Assistant Regional Director III Dr. Ma. Paz Corrales, from the Department of Health’s (DOH) National Capital Region Office, referencing the last September’s poliomyelitis outbreak. The Philippines had been polio-free for 19 years—until a new case suddenly emerged in 2019. Now, with eight confirmed cases…