Second Opinion

Trajectories

Today, if we ask ourselves where the Philippines is headed, we may reach entirely different…

Of PGH rats and other urban rodents 

When I was an intern at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH), my blockmates and I…

Three challenges for the public health profession

Cebu City—It is heartening to be at the annual conference of the Philippine Society of…

Doc Willie Ong’s brave cancer disclosure

Last week, Doc Willie Ong—one of the most popular doctors in the country today and…

Defense of the ‘aspin’ 

When—in a now-viral incident—the Balay Dako restaurant in Tagaytay turned away an “aspin” named Yoda,…

In praise of Philippine chocolates

Cacao (Theobroma cacao) is not native to the Philippines, having been first domesticated over 5,000…

Cultivating Philippine coffee

Over the long weekend, while visiting my good friend, the journalist Howie Severino, in Kapusod,…

The bullet train from Manila to Davao

Nagano, Japan—Riding the “shinkansen”—popularly known outside Japan as “bullet train”—is always an awe-inspiring experience, and…

Supporting—not just rewarding—success

When Hidilyn Diaz-Naranjo won her historic gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, she was pledged…

Carlos Yulo and the height of sports

In the aftermath of Carlos Yulo’s historic and breathtaking double victory in gymnastics, many were…