Three years after the Dengvaxia vaccine controversy, the public remains doubtful of the government’s immunization programs. In just two years, two major outbreaks occurred in the country. Records show that in 2018 only 66% of the 95% target vaccine coverage was successfully immunized.  Now, PH’s Department of Health Secretary warns the public of a possible…

The worldwide practice of Labor Day is believed to have originated in the US. This came about in the late 19th century in which Americans were working 10- to 16-hour work days in bleak and dangerous conditions. Only business owners were making a profit while the employees were kept under oppressive contracts. These circumstances eventually…

August is among the most eventful months of the year in the Philippine calendar. Other than packed with national holidays, August also highlights many of the country’s unique traditions.  Buwan ng Wika (National Language Month) and History Month  The country celebrates National Language Month and History Month annually to strengthen national identity and love for…

Filipino food culture is a combination of Southeast Asian influences, influenced with a bit of Indian cuisine, and some Japanese here and there. In Iloilo City, we take pride in the diversity and quality of our food. Iloilo is popularly known in the Philippines for its great seafood but we also have a few other…

The World Health Organization (WHO) hails immunization as one of modern medicine’s greatest success stories. Since it became a public health intervention, it has controlled -- if not eradicated -- killer diseases worldwide. In the Philippines, the government’s Expanded Immunization Program of 1976 gave people access to vaccines against prevalent vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2011, Republic…

Twenty-two years ago, former President Fidel V. Ramos issued a decree dedicating the month of August in observing National Language Month. Being one with the celebration, this article highlights the country’s resurrected ancient writing called Baybayin. The Baybayin is a pre-colonial script writing system used mainly in Luzon and in several coastal areas in the…

Being in one of the poorer countries in South East Asia, many Filipinos see medical professions as a way out of financial distress. Health-related courses (i.e., pharmacy, nursing, medical technology) are annually flooded. Graduates who have the financial support or academic aptitude, pursue a degree in medicine.  There is a startling lack of doctors in…

Creative agency We Are Social and Hootsuite’s survey hailed Filipinos as the world’s top social media users for spending an average of 4 hours and 12 minutes per day. This comes as no surprise because social media’s influence is palpable. In fact, it has shaped the Filipino popular culture. While there are a lot of…

Located in the tropic of Cancer, the Philippines has only two seasons: the dry and the wet. While Americans are enjoying the summer, Filipinos are preparing for rains. More accurately, they brace for hurricanes. The Philippines survives an average of twenty to twenty-five hurricanes each year. These calamities come like clockwork with as many as…