By Modesto P. Sa-onoy There is a growing apprehension that the Anti-Terrorism Bill now pending before the President will become an instrument to stifle dissent in the country. There is a rising concern that this bill, once signed into law will create an atmosphere of fear that once prevailed under martial law. Abang Lingkod Party
June 10, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy There is high possibility that within a year Bacolod City will have a hospital that had been the hope and dream of the city folks. For decades Bacolod officials, from the congressmen to the mayors had depended on the former Provincial Hospital, now the Regional Hospital. The most common justification is
June 9, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy To avoid getting the children in schools where physical distancing in nigh impossible, the Department of Education looks at television and radio as options for distance learning because these two electronic media are believed available in most homes. How true is that? Research shows that there are 18.7 million households in
June 8, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy When the government closed all schools last March, twenty-eight million students in Philippine schools were locked out from their studies. Many cried because they graduated “without ceremonies,” a dream of a lifetime. Now that the schools are to resume under new methods called “on line”, “distance learning”, and “blended method”, parents
June 6, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy Something is puzzling. According to the lawyers of the accused four Yanson children – Roy, Emily, Celina, and Ricardo Jr., there was no mention even by the presiding judge about the existence of a warrant of arrest against his clients. In a press statement, Atty. Carlo Joaquin Narvasa, lawyer of the
June 5, 2020
focus By Modesto P. Sa-onoy The focus of media on the pandemic has shifted to the developments on the Yanson family feud. One party came out with an alleged warrant of arrest against the four Yanson siblings – Roy, Emily, Ricardo Jr., and Ma. Lourdes. The press release, long and as usual with lawyer’s language,
June 4, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy It now seems certain that the Philippines will open the schools for the academic year 2020-2021. The Department of Education had been speaking about its preparations that although many had reservations nevertheless it is doing its job under the most critical period in the country’s history of education. But the task
June 3, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy The proponents of distance learning to avoid getting the children to school and in contact with their peers are now faced with a reality, part of which I already touched in a previous column – the facilities – but there are other problems that should be addressed now, late as it
June 2, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy It took just four minutes for the House of Representatives to decide last Saturday to allow the President to determine the opening of the school year. Not only will the President choose when school starts but even to decide which part of the country can open. This allows the President the
June 1, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy People are confused with different pronouncements from high officials of government as to whether there will be classes on August 24 or the statement of President Duterte that there will be none until cure to the COVID-19 is found. On the other hand, the Philippine Star reported on May 24 that
May 30, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy There are oppositions to the proposal to cancel the coming school for a year or until a cure for the pandemic is found. The opposition reminds the proponents that there are other means of education than the face to face, classroom method. Bacolod jumped into the train to praise President Duterte’s
May 29, 2020
By Modesto P. Sa-onoy There are moves to keep the schools closed until the vaccine against the pandemic is found. Since the chance of a vaccine being discovered appears too far out into the future, there is no guarantee that schools can open next year. That is of course a pessimistic view but considering that
May 28, 2020