The world’s global temperatures are rapidly rising at an alarming rate caused by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, the industrial revolution, and other greenhouse gas emissions that trigger a cascade of temperature change leading us to the point of no return. The Arctic sea ice declined by about 10% in the past 30 years. Today, 95% of the oldest and thickest ice in the Arctic is almost gone, and scientists believe that most of the central and eastern Himalayan glaciers could virtually disappear by 2035.

Another year, another national budget is set to be approved, one of which is the budget for the Confidential and Intelligence Fund (CIF). What would have been your guess if the proposed budget for CIF this year had not yet been announced? One, it's lower than last year; or two, it's higher this time. Well, if you chose the latter option, you hit the nail on the head.

Today, July 4, marks the Philippine Republic Day, also known as the Philippine-American Friendship celebration; only a few weeks shy from our very own Independence Day.

A global superpower and a rising commonwealth seem to be an unlikely pairing, but this accounts for a cultural and historical tie borne more than a century ago. The United States is considered our closest western ally after colonizing the country during the end of the 300-year rule of the Spaniards in 1898, which then followed the short-lived but bloody Philippine-American War from 1899 to 1902. Since then, both of our countries have basked in the bilateral benefits of trade, assistance, and industrialization.

Last August 24, entrepreneur-engineer Slater Young released a video about the launching of the infrastructure model, “The Rise at Monterrazas,” a major-scale development project that features premium condo-like units on the slopes of the mountain of Cebu. According to Young, it took about 300 design revisions before they came up with the Banaue Rice Terraces-inspired design, as this type of project with complexity and detail requires thorough research and vast knowledge in science, architecture, and engineering. However, conflicting perspectives online started to buzz and counter its 'amusing' promises.

In an era where almost everything, if not everything, is driven by  advancements and people fully adopting modern ways of life, indigeneity seems to be the only thing that is viewed with a backward lens, or worse, it may not be viewed at all. Indigenous people groups (IPs) are nearing obliteration as they continue to experience disparity and deprivation, preventing them from preserving their cultural identities in this fast-paced and capitalist-driven society.

As a Viscan, I used to see VSU as a diverse, student-friendly, and liberal school. Students are free to wear whatever they want, dye their hair to any funky color, and have as many tattoos and piercings to their heart's content. With this picture in mind, it's quite understandable by now that, the campus has a vibrant community of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, and Asexual + (LGBTQIA+) members who are sashaying their ways into expressing who they truly are, and we love to see it.

The first time I ever witnessed police brutality was around 14 years ago. My family had a habit of watching TV Patrol before eating dinner, and as a kid, I would mindlessly do my homework while the show was on. I didn’t pay much attention to everything, but one specific night, the newscaster disclaimed some very disturbing content. I raised my palms to my face to cover my eyes from the scene, as advised by my parents, but to our surprise, the audio from the news report was far more distressing; it narrated about a man lying naked on the floor with his genitals tied to a rope. The rope was being pulled by a police officer like you would with a string toy. The man screeched and cried in pain as the officer audibly made noises. This was later sensationalized as a “torture” video, shocking millions of Filipinos, and traumatizing me as a little kid. 

This day marks the seventh year since the passing of The Hague ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which rejected China’s nine-dash territorial claim on the West Philippine Sea and ruled in favor of sovereignty rights for the Philippines. But the victory wasn't as prized as it was made to be, as China grows aggressive in the West Philippine Sea while the Philippines focuses on appeasing the opponent.

The University Student Electoral Board (USEB) just released the results of the University Supreme Student Council (USSC) and College Supreme Student Council (CSSC) elections for the upcoming academic year 2023-2024. But I bet you haven’t checked the names of the winners yet, you just took a sigh and said “Well, of course, this person won,” as if it was predetermined.