Category Archives: education

The Philippines’ Basic Education Crisis

By admin | August 24, 2023

Written for The Diplomat Several recent studies have pointed out the alarming deterioration of the quality of learning in the Philippines, but this was officially confirmed in the basic education report delivered by Vice President Sara Duterte on January 30. Duterte is concurrently serving as secretary to the Department of Education. Addressing stakeholders with President […]

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Mga tula ng pagpanig, paglaban, at pag-ibig sa bayan

By admin | February 9, 2023

Rebyu sa aklat na ‘Sa Aking Pagkadestiyero/In My Exile’ ni Joi Barrios. Sinulat para sa Bulatlat Bilang dating migrante, ramdam ko ang kakaibang tipo ng lungkot na pinapahiwatig ng mga linyang ito: Dito, taglay ko ang pilat na nasa noo ng bawat dayo,Markado ngunit hindi nakikita,na parang may tagabulag O ang pangungulilang kapareha ng pananabik […]

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The books I read in 2021

By admin | May 7, 2022

Published by Bulatlat 1. UP Diliman: Home and Campus by Narita Manuel Gonzales (Editor), Gerardo Los Banos (Editor). Remembering the early years of the churches in Diliman, tribute to Father Delaney, and the lives of pioneer residents in the campus. 2. China’s Long Revolution by Edgar Snow. Documenting the changes a few years after China’s […]

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The Philippines in 2021: Duterte’s Flip-Flops and Women Holding the Line

By admin | March 15, 2022

Published by The Diplomat The year 2021 saw Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte make a series of dramatic political flip-flops that characterize his final year in office. Meanwhile, several women have earned national and international recognition for their advocacy and achievements amid the pandemic and rising authoritarianism. Read more Why are Schools Still Closed in the […]

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The books I read in 2020

By admin | December 31, 2021

Published by Bulatlat 1. Cosmopolitanism: Ethics in a World of Strangers by Kwame Anthony Appiah. Thoughtful exposition on universality, differences, cultural patrimony, saving children, changing of perception through affinity with others. 2. Snows of Yesteryear: A Family in War and a Sentimental Education by Elmer A. Ordóñez. Life of an academic, activist, a scholar recollecting […]

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Ang Wikang Filipino sa Kongreso

By admin | August 21, 2021

Published by Pinoy Weekly Akala ng marami, bawal gamitin ang wikang Filipino sa Kongreso. Kapag may pulong ang komite o sesyon sa plenaryo, ang madalas na naririnig ay wikang Ingles. Ito ang pangunahing ginagamit ng mga mambabatas lalo na tuwing may debate o interpelasyon sa plenaryo. Mali ba ito? Kung ang isang institusyo’y nagpapakilala bilang […]

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What Is Bogging Down the Philippines’ COVID-19 Response?

By admin | April 1, 2021

Published by The Diplomat More than a month after imposing a lockdown in mainland Luzon, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said the order to stay at home will be extended for another two weeks to contain COVID-19. But as more cases of infection continue to be reported, the authorities have hinted at the possibility of a […]

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Pedagogy of the digitally oppressed

By admin | March 22, 2021

Published by Bulatlat Under the ‘new normal’ of internet-based learning, those at the margins of society could find themselves struggling against further exclusion. The concept of access needs further exploration beyond the popular understanding that it is mainly about the installation of broadband networks and distribution of gadgets to the community. More than the means […]

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The books I read in 2019

By admin | August 16, 2020

Published by Bulatlat 1. Blow-Up and Other Stories by Julio Cortázar, Paul Blackburn (Translator). Unfamiliar, intriguing, but creative narratives and plotlines. Stories about madness, compassion, and complexity of modern living. 2. Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan. The first few pages are surreal, apt description of Payatas. A crime novel, page-turner, and a rare look into the […]

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Activism and brainwashing: Lessons from Paulo Freire

By admin | April 22, 2020

Published by Bulatlat Reports about the alleged brainwashing of students by activist groups reminded me of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed, a popular text elucidating the role of education in social change. The book criticizes the dominant teaching methods which are undemocratic while proposing an alternative concept of pedagogy. It has become a valuable […]

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