THE Philippines is an archipelago with a coastline that stretches more than 18,000 kilometers. Its coastal waters cover an area of 266,000 square kilometers where 70 percent of its 1,489 municipalities are in the coastal area. It is the fourth longest coastline in the world. It is home to millions of people for whom the sea is part and parcel of their lives. Imagine the impact of an oil spill! 

About 72 percent of adults reported reading the Bible; 53 percent picture books; 52 percent short stories, 48 percent romance novels, and 48 percent newspapers and reference materials. Moreover, books are prohibitive to many.

President Duterte is the LGUs’ only hope to resolve the issue on National Tax Allotment and we are fortunate that he was a former Mayor and he knows the plight of LGUs. This will be one of Duterte’s greatest legacies for the country. It will not bode well if he just passes this problem on to the next administration. 

So how do I deal with racists friends like this former classmate?

The 6th State of the Nation Address of President Benigno Aquino III addressed his administration's latest accomplishments on the matters of employment, education and economy. Now, let's recount his revealing speech.

It has been only just a few months when I was still referring to myself as a “future media practitioner” and writing post-SONA essays was a chore.

More than a month ago, I chanced upon on television the first presidential debate of the Democrat Party for the 2016 US Elections. Aside from the candidates’ conscious effort to attack their opponents merely on positions in various issues and platforms

The PCS is inviting communication professionals to register as new members!

The agricultural community’s ability to lobby for measures in favor of this sector is now at one of its highest level ensuring the field’s continued development.

Therefore, this idea should be considered as a part of the government’s poverty alleviation program.

Early this year, I was one of the first to float the idea of a Duterte-Duterte tandem in the 2022 elections, with Davao City Mayor Sara "Inday Sara" Duterte-Carpio as candidate for president and her father, incumbent President Rodrigo "Digong" Duterte, as candidate for vice president. My reason for doing so is for continuity in the programs, policies and projects that were started by Digong, which can only happen if the next president belongs to his inner circle or his closest political ally, and his daughter, Inday Sara, is the best and most qualified person who can do that. At the same time, a "Leni Robredo situation," one where the vice president is more of an obstructionist and opportunist who causes unnecessary disruptions to government programs, policies and projects, and shamelessly smears on the image of government and the country before a local and foreign audience, should not happen again, thus the idea of having Digong becoming vice president after serving as president for six years.

The Philippines can't afford to waste any more time on reforms because it risks again being labeled as the sick man of Asia. Vietnam is next in line to become the factory to the world as China becomes more prosperous and wages continue their upward trajectory. It is high time we do away with the practice of being our own worst enemy.

It is about time we upend the traditional paradigm of invitation-only legislative consultations by putting a more inclusive and participative system in place.