Metro Manila’s decades-long focus on car-centric planning has left its streets inhospitable to pedestrians and cyclists. My research revealed that 71 percent of residents cite insufficient infrastructure as a key barrier to daily mobility, while 72 percent point to high costs and funding constraints—and 59 percent confess a strong preference for private vehicles over public or active transport . These attitudes underscore a deeper issue: without rethinking how projects are fi

In an era where algorithms curate our newsfeeds, drive our cars, and even assist in medical diagnoses, understanding artificial intelligence is no longer optional—it’s essential. AI isn’t an ethereal force; it is a collection of mathematical models trained on vast quantities of data. Like any powerful tool, it carries the promise of tremendous benefit and the risk of unintended harm. As these systems become ever more deeply woven into our daily lives, here are the 10 things a

Walk through any Philippine city, and you’ll quickly notice something missing: children. Or more precisely, spaces for children. Our streets are loud and dangerous, our sidewalks narrow or nonexistent, and our public parks—where they exist—are often neglected, overrun, or designed with more concrete than care. Yet children are everywhere, living in these environments, shaped by them daily.

We are more connected than ever—and more lonely than we’ve ever been. Across the world, and increasingly here in the Philippines, loneliness is quietly becoming one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time. It cuts across age, income, and geography. Young professionals working in crowded cities, elderly individuals living alone in rural barangays, overstimulated teens glued to screens—all are feeling the same hollow ache of disconnection.

As artificial intelligence surges forward—rewiring industries, reshaping economies, and redrawing the boundaries of possibility—we must ask ourselves a question too often ignored: Whose voices are we building this future for?

These were the thoughts running through my mind on the train to London AI Week where I am slated to speak about a future where AI truly serves humanity. Around me, people spoke in German, Polish, Tamil, and English. The mix of languages reminded me that while the world grows more connected, the digital world remains linguistically lopsided. If you asked your phone in Polish for a definition of multimodal AI, you might get a passable response. Ask in Tamil, and it may struggle

When I first set foot on the London School of Economics campus, I expected rigorous lectures and dense reading lists. What I didn’t anticipate was how profoundly LSE would reshape my worldview—and my trajectory. Much like the dynamic, layered neighborhoods Jane Jacobs championed, my academic experience here has thrived on intellectual diversity and the unexpected intersections of ideas. One day I’m immersed in rational-choice political models; the next, I’m unpacking postcolo

Every morning, thousands of single mothers from Davao to Dagupan face a brutal dilemma: they must choose between relying on relatives or friends to watch their children—often at great personal and economic cost—or stepping out of the workforce entirely. Latest data from both government and NGOs reveals some 15 million single parents in the Philippines, nine out of 10 of whom are women...

In an age when climate ambition often outpaces climate action, governments—both local and national—risk trading substance for spin. From glossy sustainability reports to grand pledges of “net zero by 2050,” greenwashing has become the siren song of public institutions hoping to meet political deadlines without upsetting entrenched interests. Yet, as citizens demand real progress, we need tools that pierce the rhetoric and verify the results...

Digital colonization isn’t a metaphor — it’s an unfolding reality encoded in every algorithm that shapes our lives. As artificial intelligence systems permeate decisions on credit, policing, healthcare, hiring, and beyond, they risk entrenching the same inequities and power imbalances that defined historical empires. Left unchecked, these digital systems standardize norms drawn from narrow cultural, racial, and socioeconomic perspectives, effectively “colonizing” minds, marke

Now that the national tally is complete and the ballots have been counted, the significance of the youngest cohorts’ turnout cannot be overstated. Filipino millennials and members of Generation Z, long dismissed as disengaged or apathetic, mobilized in historic numbers and delivered their verdict at the polls. Of the 68.4 million voters registered, 40.2 million came from voters under 45, a demographic majority that has spoken with unprecedented clarity...

I still remember the hush of the Aldwych library at 11 p.m., my only companions the low hum of fluorescent lights and the reassuring creak of ancient floorboards. Back in Diliman in Quezon City, as an evening student at the Malcolm Hall – College of Law, I was accustomed to the evening chorus of jeepneys winding through University Avenue, the lively banter of street vendors outside the campus gates, and the ever-present sense of urgency as communities pressed against infrastr

I have long warned that AI’s rapid advancement could parallel historical patterns of colonization. If AI truly represents a black swan event—a disruptive moment in history—then we must confront what happens when 99 percent of the world’s languages are left behind. This is far more than a linguistic concern; it strikes at the heart of accessibility, representation, and digital equity. If we do not change who leads AI development, we risk inaugurating a new era of digital colon

For years, our basic education system has insisted that children in kindergarten and Grades 1–3 learn exclusively in English—an approach at once colonial in origin and deeply counterproductive. On the one hand, it outright bans instruction in the very languages spoken at home; on the other, it leaves young learners grasping at a foreign tongue before they have mastered the fundamentals of reading and reasoning...

There is no civic act more powerful, more fundamental, or more intimate to the Filipino people than the simple act of casting a ballot. Each time we line up under the heat of the sun or the threat of rain, we carry our hopes, our frustrations, and our dreams for the future in a single sheet of paper or the press of a button. Yet this ritual—so central to the promise of democracy—can too easily be taken for granted, surrendered to indifference or cynicism. To safeguard our rep

Walang ibang gawaing sibiko na mas makapangyarihan, mas pangunahin, o mas malapit sa puso ng sambayanang Pilipino kaysa sa simpleng akto ng pagboboto. Sa tuwing nakapila tayo sa ilalim ng init ng araw o sa banta ng pag-ulan, dala natin ang ating pag-asa, pagkabigo, at mga pangarap para sa hinaharap sa isang liham na papel o sa isang pindot ng button. Gayunpaman, ang ritwal na ito—na sentro sa pangako ng demokrasya—ay napakadaling ipagsawalang-bahala, isuko sa kawalan ng malas

With just one week remaining before Filipinos march to the polls, our archipelagic democracy finds itself awash in campaign colors—red, yellow, pink, and green fluttering from lamp posts, storefronts, and the sleeves of fervent partisans. For years, voters have endured long queues and unpredictable weather to exercise their constitutional right. Yet true victory will not belong to any one color or coalition; it will belong to the Filipino people only if every ballot is protec

National identity is vital for a country aspiring to chart its own future independently amid global pressures. For the Philippines, a country rich in diverse cultures and languages, fostering national identity begins fundamentally in the classroom, with the choice of language as the medium of instruction. While the widespread use of English is often highlighted for its global economic advantages, insisting on English as the official language of education inadvertently weakens

When I began the consultancy report Future Proofing Metro Manila, my mission was clear yet ambitious: to reimagine our city as a place where everyday life feels simpler, healthier, and more fulfilling. Metro Manila's residents currently lose up to 117 hours annually stuck in rush-hour traffic. Only 29 percent express satisfaction with healthcare, and our pollution index sits alarmingly high at 89.9. These figures highlight an urgent need for deep-rooted, systemic change rath

Sa bawat sulok ng mundo kung saan may bumuboto, sinusubok ang demokrasya—hindi lamang ng mga nagbibilang ng boto, kundi ng mga naniniwalang may halaga pa rin ang kanilang tinig. Sa pinakamabuting anyo nito, ang demokrasya ay kolektibong pangarap ng isang bayan na naghahangad ng mas magandang kinabukasan. Ngunit sa pinakamahina nitong kalagayan, isa lamang itong tahimik na pag-asa na maaaring patahimikin ng takot, kalimutan sa kawalang-interes, o wasakin ng panlilinlang.