It’s no ordinary Friday afternoon; I write this article wondering when this pandemic will finally end. To be candid, it’s exhausting—very exhausting. There will be an uptick of COVID-19 cases, a strict lockdown would be imposed, cases would drop, restrictions are loosened, then there will be an uptick in cases again, and
January 11, 2022
By Joshua Corcuera On New Year’s Eve, news outlets reported that a certain person went home from the United States without following protocols upon arrival. Additionally, that certain person—which I decide not to name specifically in this column—attended a party without knowing whether she is positive or not of COVID-19. She turned out positive. It
January 3, 2022
As we bid farewell to 2021, we welcome 2022 with optimism and hope—hope that the future will be better for all of us. Interestingly, we are capable of making 2022 and the years to come better as we are about to enter an election year. This year is definitely better than 2020.
December 31, 2021
By Joshua Corcuera Generally, education in the Philippines this 2021 is no different with 2020—where students were taught either online or through modules. But there are increasing chances that the education sector will return to normal soon. Personally, I genuinely believe that we must return to face-to-face classes as soon as possible. This
December 27, 2021
By Joshua Corcuera Christmas is just around the corner, but the mood is not necessarily celebratory to many fellow Filipinos—especially those who hail from Visayas and Mindanao. It’s December 19 as I write this article, it will be Christmas in less than a week. We, Filipinos, have grown up with the mentality that such a
December 21, 2021
Recently, a new design of the 1,000-peso bill was released by various media outlets. Several changes were made such as using polymer to incorporate enhanced and additional security features. At first glance, however, the difference is obvious: the Philippine eagle is now prominently displayed in the obverse—replacing the faces of Abad Santos,
December 15, 2021
Philippine society in particular, and the whole world in general, has become less tolerant and more divisive. Several factors contribute to this frustrating reality. This has to change. In the past, disagreements among people over contentious topics were normal. Nothing has changed with that, and it is understandable. After all, debates and
December 10, 2021
Annually, December 10 is recognized globally as Human Rights Day—dedicated to remembering that day in 1948 where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted and proclaimed. Coincidentally, the Nobel Peace Prize would be awarded on that same date which will be received by journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for this
December 6, 2021
We are now approaching the holidays with just a few days before Christmas. And what a good time it is, isn’t it? Daily reported cases of COVID-19 have plummeted to hundreds in recent days, restrictions are becoming less severe, life is slowly returning to normal. Then came Omicron. The Omicron variant of
December 1, 2021
Last November 15, select schools returned to face-to-face classes involving grade school pupils and high school students. With the success, more schools are being endorsed by the Department of Education to implement face-to-face classes. Likewise, it was reported that the Commission on Higher Education will allow all degree programs to apply for
November 26, 2021
By Joshua Corcuera Without doubt, technology is quite advanced nowadays. We can talk to our family and friends wherever they are with our phones, and we can share news on social media, for instance. And with the pandemic causing face-to-face classes to be temporarily stopped, students can learn using technology now. But it is worth
November 20, 2021
By Joshua Corcuera When we were young, we were taught to be honest, to be truthful, not to be a liar or a cheat; hopefully, we apply these lessons in real life including in choosing our country’s leaders. Frustratingly, some people no longer care about the values of truth and integrity—values that, regardless of one’s
November 16, 2021