A mid-career teacher arrives at a graduate class already tired. When it begins with a long lecture and a recall-based exam, people listen and nod—but the energy never really arrives. The same teacher, a week later, joins a different class where the session begins with a case pulled from a local
June 27, 2026
The silence before a major test is not calm. It is cautious—the kind that tells you students are trying not to make mistakes before they even begin. Nothing looks different—the boards, the teacher, the lesson—but the mood has already turned. The room starts behaving like a waiting shed for scores. In
June 26, 2026
Some phrases are not just spoken—they are lived. Like faded uniforms or borrowed slippers, idioms quietly cling to our days. In our classrooms, barangay halls, and Facebook threads, these phrases tumble out of our mouths as naturally as sighs. Yet behind their humor or charm often lies more honesty than most
June 25, 2026
There was a time when turning 18 meant little more than pancit, spaghetti, a borrowed microphone, and a cake trying its best in the humidity. In the late 1990s, at least in many circles I knew, the grand debut was not yet the giant creature it has now become. Yes, there
June 24, 2026
When I was a boy at Bo. Obrero Elementary School in the mid-1980s, my teachers would remind us every day: “Kung wala pa basurahan, dal-a anay sa bulsa (If there is no trash bin yet, keep it in your pocket for now).” It was simple: tuck candy wrappers in your pocket
June 23, 2026
A few days ago, while having coffee with friends, somebody cracked a joke that drew more laughter than it probably deserved. “If political dynasties are the ones writing the anti-dynasty law, that is like asking mosquitoes to draft anti-dengue measures.” Everyone laughed. Then everyone paused. Because some jokes are funny for
June 22, 2026
I have lived in Iloilo City for five decades, but Bacolod has never been a stranger. I spent two long childhood summers with my relatives there, took my civil engineering board review at UNO-R in 1998, and today I shuttle as a graduate student of the University of St. La Salle—crossing
June 20, 2026
Tab Baldwin’s resignation was always going to be big news. For nearly a decade, he was one of the most recognizable faces in Philippine collegiate basketball. Four championships, countless victories, and a reputation that stretched far beyond Katipunan. So when word came Monday that he had stepped down following the deaths
June 19, 2026
Most people attend review sessions expecting answers. One aspiring teacher left with more questions. What began as a discussion about the drug war eventually became a conversation about discernment, human dignity, and the example being set before future teachers. I have never believed that teachers should leave their political views at
June 18, 2026
Tab Baldwin’s resignation was always going to be big news. For nearly a decade, he was one of the most recognizable faces in Philippine collegiate basketball. Four championships, countless victories, and a reputation that stretched far beyond Katipunan. So when word came this Monday that he had stepped down following the
June 17, 2026
Development often looks like billboards of expressways, malls, and condominiums. But behind these images are lives that remind us progress cannot be read from GDP charts. A child in Samar eats watery porridge. A fisher in Banate returns with empty nets because trawlers sweep the sea. A teacher in Quezon City
June 16, 2026
In every organization—from schools to professional organizations—election season feels predictable. Out come the polished speeches and the photo-ready smiles. Pledges of “service,” “commitment,” and “vision” fill the air like confetti. But once the spotlight fades and the paperwork piles up, many of those loudest in promise become the hardest to find.
June 14, 2026