People versus mining
THAT government is still giving out Mindanao, big-time, seeing prosperity in an industry that history has shown could not bring sustainable in a particular area and to the poor when all the world is talking about conserving biodiversity remains to be a puzzle.
Streetgirls rule!
IT SEEMED just yesterday when the girls had their first encounter with a football and they butted and dribbled the ball in their sandals, slippers, and house clothes.
Now, they have the making of real winners.
Indak-indak from a newbie's eyes
AFTER 25 years... yes, it took 25 years for me to finally brave those hot streets and gawk at Indak-indak instead of settling down in front of the television to watch in the comfort of my living room.
The thought of wading through the crowd and suffering the sting of the Davao sun had...
A masterpiece of emotions
NO FLASH, no click-clicking of the camera during silent moments, no standing. Now you are official, ballet artist par excellence Agnes Locsin said as soon as I settled down on my seat and brought out my camera on the last night of the "Sayaw, Sabel" show in Davao City last August 1.
Fuda Hospital: An option for cancer
"AT THE risk of antagonizing doctors in Manila, I would say, when you're first diagnosed, come straight to Fuda." This was what Kathleen David, a breast cancer survivor, told Karen Davila when she talked about her experience at Fuda Hospital in Guangzhou, China.
Magic Bastos: Isn't the bastos you think
"WERE you the one who sent the link?" I wrote on dive buddy Czaldy's chat window when a link popped up there that read: "www.magicbastos.com".
With such a URL address, you will never know what kinky stuff would pop up.
Czaldy confirmed it was him. He would later relate that another...
Today's lumads
FOR many of us, lumads (indigenous peoples) are the costumed people from whom we derive our ethnic music and dances from. They are also those who come down from the mountains every Christmas season to go caroling, and just meander around in the city.
To many still, they are looked down on...
Sayaw, Sabel
THE figure was flipping and turning in what comes across as more like an epileptic seizure in slow, intense motion than someone dancing the ballet. At least, that was what it looked like to a person more acquainted with classical ballet and the tutus.
Voices from the Margins
LAMITAN, Basilan -- A profusion of yellow gumamelas, held at bay by recycled plastic cola bottles, strikes a colorful counterpoint against a row of red roses in a corner garden of the Claret School in downtown Lamitan.
PC's for students
ANGELO Brian Peliño is one of the brightest and most promising high school seniors at Francisco Bangoy National High School (FBNHS) in Sasa, Davao City. He ranked first in many national competitions. He won first place in national spelling competitions twice.
But Angelo Brian is not just...
The Church on the RH Bill
THE word immoral is used to describe a behavior not in conformity with accepted standards or principles; wicked; and lewd.
This is how the Catholic Church see the controversial "Reproductive Health and Population Development Bill" or RH Bill that is still being debated at the Lower House...
Special Report: The paradox of education
IN WHATEVER way it may be argued that the Constitution says education must be accessible to all, if the State itself is not in a condition to respond, then such right cannot be executed nor exercised to this purpose; especially those who cannot afford or are kept away from school because of...
Eagle Week and it's one week of fun
IN A generation raised with computers, mobile phones and remote controls, and get their music and videos not from the regular music shops but from downloads in the internet, shouting agitation slogans, raising clenched fists, waving red flags and just showing anger against the system just no...
A different Summer Art
THE children, all girls, didn't look like they were excited about the activity. A good number of them were getting impatient and just wanted to get the program over with.
One particular girl was making her displeasure well-known: stepping on the stage and making fun of the young girls...
Macadamia in Davao
TREES are very important but with the thinning of our forests today, the Philippines experiences temperature spikes brought about by climate change.
This need not be through reforestation (new plantings) and reforestation (replanting of deforested areas) of non-forested lands.
...
From Juan Tamad to Juan Tama
WE ARE just about to embark on what is the hottest contest ever, if we were to base it on the campaign expenditures poured and the forms in which every candidate have found a way to skirt around that Commission on Elections (Comelec) restriction on how much a candidate can spend.
Summer art with a message
IT WAS one of those summer art workshops that abound whenever school is out. But this one, which had their "graduation" of sorts last week at Trellis Restaurant in Matina Balusong is part of an ongoing advocacy of an unassuming local artist cum art-teacher, who carries his message of...
Rage vs injustice
THE fifth month of what was described as the most shocking murder in the country was remembered with rage, sorrow, and artistic expression in the city, Friday.
A glorious past re-lived
IN 320 AD, balangays that could travel the vast maritime trade routes to as far as Madagascar in Africa and Easter Island off South Pacific were already part of our seascape.
Nine specimens of these balangays were discovered in Butuan City in 1976, of which three have been excavated and...
Sacrifices for a future
MIGRANT workers spend most for the education of their brood of siblings, a study made on the “Working conditions and remittance behavior of Davao City OFWs and their families” revealed, a clear indication that what spurs Filipinos to work overseas is to build a better future for those left...
Once just a dream, now a reality
EIGHT years ago, it was only a dream. A dream that seemed far-fetched then is now a reality.
A regional initiative started by Secondary Education Chief Luzminda O. Onor when she was still a supervisor in English of the Department of Education 11 is now a national event.
...
Women teachers flying high
TWELVE women based in Davao City have successfully finished the course on Master of Arts in Humanities Major in Women Studies offered by St. Scholastica's College (SSC) Manila in partnership with Assumption College of Davao (ACD) that provided the venue for the women's learning process.
Dreaming big
REMEMBER those streetgirls featured here just a few weeks ago who were learning to play soccer? They have completed their football clinic and have learned to love the sport -- including the fervor for the future that this sport seem to fan among the young, restless, and erstwhile hopeless.
Hosting NSPC the Davao way
"IT IS magical."
That was how Department of Education Undersecretary Vilma L. Labrador described the 69th National Schools Press Conference hosted by Tagum City, Davao del Norte in Davao Region in her closing message on February 25, 2010.
Red card vs abuse
“MURAG dali tan-awon, lisod diay himoon (It looked easy, but it's hard to do)," a young girl mumbles as she tries to keep a soccer football within her kicking stride at the Tionko Football Fields in Matina, late afternoon Friday.
