Nothing Is Wasted, It Only Changes Form
Albert Einstein once said, “Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it can only be changed from one form to another.” He was describing the law of conservation of energy, a…
Category: Opinion & Editorial Columnists
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Dancing in Peace, Not Pressure
Lately, I’ve been thinking about pressure. Not just financial pressure—though many are feeling it—but the quiet pressure to keep up. To succeed faster. To feel like we’re earning enough, saving…
Déjà vu: ICE detention centers and WWII American concentration camps
A news article from Reuters, February 2, headlines, “ICE to Spend $38.3 Billion On Detention Centers Across the US.” $38 billion is a lot of beds. Have we been here…
American Democracy: Death by a Thousand Cuts
Last week, during an interview on a podcast with Dan Bongino, Trump called for Republican officials to “take over voting procedures in 15 states.” He added, “We should take over…
Black History Month and what it explains about America
Civil rights demonstrators march during the 1960s, carrying signs calling for equal rights, integrated schools, and fair housing. The movement contributed to legal and institutional changes that continue to shape…
Writing roles gain visibility in tech, but data shows limited job growth
As artificial intelligence reshapes the workplace, writing skills are increasingly embedded in technical roles, even as government labor data shows limited growth for writing-centered jobs in the tech sector. Reports…
A Life Blessed by God Always Results in Blessing Others
“A life blessed by God always results in blessing others.” I couldn’t stop thinking about that line as I celebrated my friend Ruth’s 65th birthday. It was a memorable day—yes, even…
Applied Knowledge
Pages open, understanding abundant – yet action remains the unanswered question. Applied knowledge begins when reading gives way to conduct. Knowledge is rarely the problem. Translation into action is. Most…
Impeachment as a constitutional stress test
Impeachment in the Philippines follows a constitutionally defined path that moves through separate institutions. The House of Representatives initiates and evaluates impeachment complaints, the Senate of the Philippines conducts a trial only if articles…
A weak peso and the hidden cost borne by overseas Filipinos
A Philippine 20-peso coin is seen among other denominations. As the peso falls to historic lows, the impact is felt far beyond currency markets, pushing up daily costs at home…
Walking into the storm
When the storm arrives, the difference is not strength but direction. The cows turn away and run, stretching the struggle longer.The bison turn into the wind and walk through, shortening the…
The New Year myth : Change, repetition, and the self we carry forward
We love the idea of New Year, New Life because it flatters us. It suggests that time itself will do the hard work, that crossing an invisible line on the calendar somehow…
On Dado Banatao and the documentation of Filipino achievement
Dado Banatao, Filipino-American semiconductor engineer and Silicon Valley entrepreneur, in an image used for the Philippine commemorative stamp “My story could be your story,” honoring his contributions to science, technology, and education….
Guarding the Blessing: What Our Words Cost Us
As a new year begins, many of us reflect on our finances—how to earn more, save better, and steward what God has entrusted to us. But there’s another form of…
Why the Philippines still needs an anti-dynasty law
Original copies of the 1987 Philippine Constitution, including signed documents from the Constitutional Commission, displayed under glass. The charter mandates Congress to regulate political dynasties, a provision that remains unenacted nearly…
The Holy Reset: God Wants to Restore What You Lost This Year
If you had told me the year would start with LA fires, evacuation alerts, and a business slowdown, I probably would’ve sighed and said, “Well… that’s not exactly the way…
What we allow, we become
Protesters display signs calling for systemic reform during a public rally addressing long-standing governance concerns in the Philippines. In one of his interviews with journalist Cathy Yang, Ramon del Rosario…
Beyond the Myth of Self-Preservation: Reconsidering Aguinaldo and Tirad Pass
By Eliseo Art Silva Each December 2, the Philippines commemorates the Battle of Tirad Pass, where the legendary “boy general,” Gregorio del Pilar, and sixty men made their final stand against…
The rise of ad hominem politics
Personal attacks increasingly shape political arguments in the Philippines and the US. Citizens play a crucial role in identifying and resisting these tactics to keep public debate grounded in fact….
EDITORIAL | Thanksgiving in a year of strain and clarity
Thanksgiving arrives this year with a sharper edge. The events of 2025 have tested institutions, strained families, and forced communities to confront exactly what holds us together when systems falter….
Editorial: In the path of every storm, and still unprepared
Storm damage reflects the recurring toll of powerful weather systems on vulnerable communities and the urgent need for long-term risk reduction. (Photo courtesy of MDRRMO-Pandan) The Philippines has lived with…
On the quiet math of kindness
We do not truly know what goes on in people’s lives. People carry more than they let on, and what we notice is usually only a fraction of the truth….
When politics plays with lives: the lesson America nearly forgot
The 2025 shutdown closed federal institutions and created hardship for federal workers nationwide. In Washington, D.C., World Central Kitchen stepped in to serve free meals to affected employees and families….
Doing things right vs doing the right things
Management thinker Peter F. Drucker (1909–2005) first posed the timeless question, “Are we doing things right, or are we doing the right things?” – a challenge that continues to resonate…
Certainty is the true test of justice in the Philippines
Former Senator Anna Dominique “Nikki” M. Coseteng, President and Director of Diliman College under the Diliman Educational Corporation, continues to lead in education and civic advocacy. Her long public service…
The Blessing in the Release
You probably thought this would be an article on being grateful — after all, it’s Thanksgiving, and that’s what everyone writes about this time of year. But surprise! I want…
Heart of survivance: Aloha ‘āina as resistance and renewal
Abigail Lopez (Editor’s note: This essay was the winning entry in the 2024–2025 Abarquez Essay Competition at California State University, Northridge.) Growing up in the diaspora, I often attempted to…
The work behind wonder : Life lessons from Shohei Ohtani
Photo from @Shohei Ohtani instagram Before Shohei Ohtani became the most extraordinary player of his generation, he was a teenager quietly learning how to organize his dreams. At Hanamaki Higashi High…
Editorial : The U.S. law that tried to send Filipinos home Remembering the Repatriation Act of 1935
Filipino farmworkers harvest crops circa 1930s–1940s. Their labor was vital to the agricultural boom, yet their contributions were often overlooked in mainstream histories. – Photo from Bulosan.org A reflection on a…
The Power of Our Words in Breaking Financial Poverty
Have you ever noticed how quickly our words shape our reality? Especially in the area of finances, what we declare often sets the direction of our lives. Many people live…