Guinaran: The parable of the dead leaf

AUTOMATIC gliding doors are toys for kids. At the Brisbane airport, a boy around 3 years old must have enjoyed making the gliding door area a playground. He held his feeding bottle containing orange juice and was walking in and out of the lobby. I was wondering who his mom was and at one point he approached her. His ectomorphic mother was busy smoking outside. When mother was done with her many obnoxious puffs, they both got in. The automatic door slid open and the autumn breeze blew, wafting a dead leaf as they entered.

Nalzaro: Against all odds

THIS is not to intrude into their personal lives. But since this is already public knowledge, we cannot avoid that this is a subject for public discussion since the personalities involved are public figures and a public official for that matter.

There are even people who want to know the personal life of Super Bobby Nalzaro even if I am just an ordinary person, much more the life of prominent individuals in our society, especially those in politics. Even their private lives are always subject to public scrutiny. That is how pakialamero the public is.

Wenceslao: Rain-filled days

RAIN continues to, should I say, bedevil our days (okay, nights too) since the weather bureau Pag-asa grudgingly admitted that, yes, we are smack into the wet season.

The stronger rainfalls mostly visited Cebu at night, which affected us who are at work until late evening. For those who were already home when the rain came, the only discomfort may be the noise of the raindrops pounding the roofs and the rolling sound of thunderstorms. The cold that the wet climate brought obviously made for a more comfortable sleep.

Seares: Annabelle and unspent election donations

YOU’VE heard of that hopelessly trite saying about people running for public office “for the fun(d) of it.”

The fund in the fun, many of us thought, would come from occupying the office once elected. Not from mere running which, it appears, could also make the cash pour in.

Honeyman: Education: will anarchy rule?

ONE of the many neglected areas when the Department of Education was pushing for what has become RA 10533 is the interaction between secondary and tertiary education. We believe that, correspondingly, the tertiary sector should carry on as though nothing has happened.

For Eastern University president Michael Alba speaking at his Alma Mater St. John’s Institute, Bacolod City on Saturday 8 June said that implementation of RA 10533 would result in no college freshmen in 2016 and no freshmen or sophomore students in 2016 and 2017.

Sanchez: Equal value

AS PEACEMAKERS, mediators should give parties in conflict equal value, regardless whether one is rich, the other poor. Or between that of a woman and man, an hacendero or a farm worker. Or for that matter, a member of a moderate organization versus a member of a radical union.

I drove that point as my core message during a talk on conflict resolution among members of the 3rd Civil Military Operations Battalion Infantry (Spearhead) Division, Philippine Army.

Luczon: Surviving to a new adjustment

IT WAS nonetheless curious of how things went when the first day of operation at Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental commenced with its first arrival of passengers and at the same time its first flight off Northern Mindanao.

It was historic for some, with frenzy like it’s a new opening of a shopping mall and it was like living the dream for the residents there, especially the children, who might have seen the airplanes up-close for the first time.

Palasan: Taxi robbery

It is the other way around.

It’s good that Lumbia airport has closed traffic for commercial flights. The taxi drivers there virtually robbed their passengers. A ride to Pueblo de Oro would cost you P200 when it would normally cost P70 in a metered-ride. And you are not the sole passenger. You would be in company with other passengers similarly situated: Ashen or red-faced due to the realization that they have been robbed.

Editorial: Fighting dengue

THE Department of Health (DOH) is already bracing for a rise in dengue cases in the country, particularly in Visayas and Mindanao with the disease's peak season August and September just around the corner.

From January 1 to June 8, the DOH Dengue Surveillance Report listed 42,207 cases including 193 deaths, and the number is expected to increse in the coming months.

Mendoza: Benefits of the official agency email

DIRECTOR'Ss Cut: (This portion features the thoughts of DepED 11 Regional Director Gloria D. Benigno, CESO IV to all stakeholders and recipients of the efforts to improve the basic education) "I am your team leader, you are my team mates, together, let us work as a team."

During the training of trainers for Grade 2 and Grade 8 of the K to 12 Enhanced Basic Education Program (EBEP), it was promised that the edited teachers guide and learning materials for students would be made available within June of the current year.

Editorial: Our pets, our duties

ASKALS” make the best guard dogs. They are fierce, loyal, cheap and replaceable.

That is a perception that’s still widely held despite the shift of the times. “Askal” has gone out of favor since the slang—combining “aso (dog)” and “kalye (street)”—literally refers to an animal left to roam on the streets.

Mongaya: CPA v. City Hall

CEBU City Mayor Mike Rama is at a loss at how to deal with efforts of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) to assert its ownership over a piece of land above the tunnel entrance that connects with the south coastal road beside the old Cebu Customs building and fronting the Cebu City Hall.

The CPA has fenced the property it claims. It cited laws to back its claim. CPA police are there to enforce. On the other hand, Cebu City officials still have to legally research the matter. City officials can only effectively use police power by citing the legal basis for its counter-claim.

Pangan: Needed: More ST Scholars

TODAY, I would meet with some of the best and brightest students at the Philippine Science High School-Central Luzon campus at Clark. I would not be faulted if I'd be mortified, nay, petrified even in the company of S&T scholars. These budding scientists are much needed by the country, if only to make it globally competitive, yes, in the face of advancing and stiff competition.

Mercado: Inside j

ANENT Father’s Day I remember two remarkable fathers and their true to life stories.

The first is the story of a successful entrepreneur (coffin making, ceramics) in the town of ST. He fell in love with his lovely young “inaanak” (goddaughter) who lived with her family in a hovel just across his mansion.

Olivas: Mag-ingat sa 'Akyat Bahay Gang' -- Albayalde

PINAG-IINGAT ni Senior Superintendent Oscar Albayalde, acting provincial director ng Pampanga Police Office, ang mga may-ari ng bahay sa lalawigan na mag-ingat sa Akyat Bahay Gang.

Ito’y matapos nag-operate na naman ang nasabing criminal gang sa ilang bahay sa Pampanga noong nakaraan at nitong kasalukuyang buwang ito.

Cayading: Yamashita Treasure: Is it real or fiction?

BASED from documents and stories from reliable sources who have actual experiences of accumulating data during World War 2 on some important pointers/facts about the Yamashita treasure. For years, I have heard from numerous sources different stories about the Yamashita treasure that is buried here in the Philippines. I’ve heard from my very own father that somewhere near our Riceland in my hometown huge amount of gold bars were hidden there. Many treasure hunters from various places are so interested to find this treasure but most of the time failed.

Luzano: Mannabako Idiay Senado… Nabasnotan

DIPAY laeng limmamiis ti bara ti isyu iti panagsigsigarilyo ni Apo Pinoy, adda manen simmaruno nga ASUK. Daytoy ket idiay met senado wenno akingato a pagpandayan ti linteg. Bimmanaten ni Senadora Pia Cayetano gapu iti reklamo dagiti empleados mismo iti senado. Adda ngamin kano dagiti senador a sukir a sumurot iti annuroten ti RA 9211 wenno ti Tobacco Regulation Act of 2013 a mangiparparit iti panagsigarilyo kadagiti public places, confined areas kas dagiti ospital, eskuelaan, medical clinics, public terminals ken adu pay a disso.

Capili: Socialized condominium unit

HOW would you like to own your socialized residential condominium unit? If the pending bill in Congress filed by Bagong Henerasyon Party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera- Dy (House Bill No. 5446) will become a law, condominium developers will be required to allocate twenty percent (20%) of their developed condominium project for socialized condominium units. This means that a great majority of our middle class wage earners and self employed sectors can avail of this privilege.

Bomogao: Kalayaan 2013: Continuing our national consciousness and spirit

WE SHOULD have faith in our leaders and our leaders have faith in us. Giving our best to serve our country is what matters most. If a law is unfair our unjust, the people had the right to oppose. The reason for gaining our independence is Liberty –- “our freedom.” We have to do something, to give our best, no matter what the price is, to continue that great wave of patriotism our forefathers left in our hearts.

Bunye: The BSP and other central banks in the world

WITH the economy performing very well, the upcoming anniversary of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on July 3 will definitely be sweeter. It is a great feat for one of the youngest monetary authorities in the world.

Established in 1993, the BSP (www.bsp.gov.ph) replaced the old “Central Bank of the Philippines,” which was founded in 1949. It was created by virtue of the 1987 Philippine Constitution and the New Central Bank Act, which gave the bank fiscal and administrative autonomy from the Philippine government.

Custodio: Father's Day

HAPPY Father's Day!

I am so glad that Father's Day celebration is becoming more and more popular each year. Not that it needs to be a competition between mothers and dads. It is just that I feel that both parents are on equal footing when it comes to raising children.

Cruz-Busto: Good to be back

IT'S been months since I last wrote a piece. I just retreated and there were many reasons for that. First, I have transferred to another assignment, which is a breather, I must say, because I am back in line for exciting endeavors.

Second, I had to experience acquiring learning technical knowledge and skills again. But there are no regrets. I am happy to be doing all these things, after several years.

Vugt: New Evangelization

THE Superiors of the International Mission Congregation held a conference in Rome on April 23 – 27, 2013.

The central theme of that conference was the ‘New Evangelization.’ This theme is very significant for the Church of today, because new evangelization means preaching the Good News in a secularized world.

Estrada–Meneses: Men in my life

MOST of my friends who know me by heart can easily sense if I am happy, sad, elated or guilty. Simply because my life has been an “open book” to them since time immemorial.

And thanks to Facebook, I can rant all the inconveniences and misfortunes of life including the unfinished Mcdo meal that the waiter had to clear. Heck, the problem of eating alone and going to the comfort room to pee. But there are just some things that some people do not know about me.

Dacawi: Losing Chelsea and Black

The youngest kidney patient undergoing hemodialysis treatment at the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center has gone to the great play room in the sky.

Ten-year-old Chelsea Benito had yogurt for breakfast on her hospital bed early last Tuesday morning. After washing it down with water the kid told Billy, her 43-year-old dad, it was her last meal.

Cariño: D’ Cousins

WE USED to play this game, Jessica, her older brother Joey, and moi.  The point was for Joey to sing a song while he accompanied himself with a guitar and for Jessica and I to guess the title of the song he was singing.  Sometimes he would be just one or two lines into a song, and one or both of us guessers would already be screaming out the title.  “Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you, tomorrow I’ll miss you, remember...” All My Loving!  “It’s been...”  A Hard Day’s Night!

Dumaguing: Heart transplants fast facts

If you or a loved one has a damaged heart that can’t be fixed, a heart transplant may be needed. A heart transplant is a type of surgery wherein a damaged heart is replaced with a healthy heart from a donor who has died. Only people with very damaged hearts are likely to need a transplant, which means all other means of medical, non surgical treatment has failed to improve the heart's function. Transplantation is seriously considered when a person has high risk of dying from a heart disease within one or two years.

Padilla: Philippine – American Friendship Day Celebration just around the bend

ONE OF the most significant international event being celebrated in our country is the Philippine – American Friendship Day set on July 4. The red letter day is just around the bend, at least 18 days from today. We have all the reasons to observe the special day with joy, prayers and meaningful activities, especially so that Magandang Baguio was an American Dream City at the start of the 19th century.

Cayading: Effects of television on babies and toddlers’ lives

TODAY, so much television programming is aimed at young children. Much of it appears to be educational: teaching the ABCs and life skills.   When is it appropriate to introduce a baby to television, and what do parents need to know about this topic?    As one of the Responsible Parenting advocates, I usually mentioned and advised to parents not to overexpose their kids to TV watching.  But more often than not parents of today cannot avoid letting their toddlers stay in front of their TV.

Sun.star essay: An education story

EVERY pupil in the towns is in public schools now, in classrooms needing repair, in classes under the trees, in gyms, in school offices. The others are in normal venues of learning, those that we know of—with enough rooms, enough chairs, enough blackboards, enough papers and pencils, and enough workable wash rooms.

But there are much more problems than what we watch or read about in media. In 2011-2012 there were 20.48 million students in 45,000 public schools. In the next year, there were 21.49 million children. This, with the beginnings of the implementation of the K to 12