On July 3, the world lost Lolit Solis — a sharp-tongued, fearless, legendary columnist and TV personality. To many, she was a firebrand of Philippine showbiz — an industry voice who held power to account, never afraid of a scoop, a scandal, or a showdown. But to me, she was something far quieter, deeper, and more personal: She was my Nanay.

“You’re too ambitious.”
“It’s impossible.”
“Nothing ever changes here.” These are the words that people say when you tell them you want to fix cities like Manila. That you want to make public transport dignified. That you believe sidewalks should exist — and actually be walkable. That informal settlers should have secure housing, not just eviction notices. That urban life in the Philippines can be fair, efficient, and even joyful. Some say it’s naïve. Others say it’s madness

In “Side Show,” now playing under Sandbox Collective’s daring and evocative staging, director Toff de Venecia revives more than just a cult classic musical — he resurrects a story of identity, visibility, and shared humanity, breathing new life into the tale of conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton. The result is both haunting and heartfelt, a theatrical experience that lingers long after the curtain call.

Every monsoon season Metro Manila rehearses the same grim tableau: traffic crawls through brown water, families stack furniture on second storey landings and city engineers scramble to restart stalled pumps. Even with a quarter trillion peso flood control budget, the country still shoulders about US $625 million in average annual losses—a figure the World Bank warns will climb as storms intensify and land subsides.

Am I scared of AI? I am. And this is precisely why I’m talking about it. Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly reshaping every aspect of our world. It has already begun transforming critical sectors such as healthcare, finance, education, communication, creativity, and social connectivity. AI's potential to address complex global challenges, optimize processes, improve efficiency, and foster groundbreaking innovations is remarkable. We stand at the brink of an unprecedented

At 34, I’m preparing for my graduation. I’ve just finished ironing my gown for the ceremony, and I find myself reflecting on the long road that brought me here. I was born with a speech defect. Until Grade 5, I had an English tutor to help me find and strengthen my voice. The fact that I now write a biweekly column for Manila Bulletin feels, in many ways, like a quiet miracle. But it’s also a testament to what I’ve seen firsthand: the transformative power of education. This i

When I went to London, I was a bit lost—not just geographically, but personally. I didn’t really know what I was looking for. I’d wander around aimlessly, sit on park benches, explore tiny alleys, and just people-watch. But in all that quiet observing, something clicked. I started to realize that there’s no better education than being able to travel the world and see how different communities live, build, and thrive.

When I left the Philippines, I thought I was chasing only an education. What I didn't know then was that I was also running into a mirror—one that would reflect not just the world beyond our borders, but everything we still lack, everything we could become.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming the backbone of economic growth, public services, and even national security. Yet its benefits—and the power to set its rules—are overwhelmingly concentrated in a handful of wealthy nations. For countries across Africa, Latin America, and much of Asia, this imbalance not only stifles homegrown innovation but also risks perpetuating a new form of digital dependency.

Informality within Metro Manila’s barangays often carries the stigma of deficiency — crowded alleys, makeshift housing, insecure tenure — but a closer examination reveals rich potential for community-driven renewal.

Ipinapakita ng mga natuklasan mula sa pag-aaral na “Assessing the Viability of the 15-Minute City Model in Metro Manila” na mas sabik na ngayon ang mga Pilipino na palitan ang mahabang biyahe tungo sa isang pamumuhay na nakasentro sa kanilang pamayanan. Sa isang survey ng 420 residente — pantay na hinango mula sa inner-city districts, informal settlements and outer suburbs — 82 porsiyento ang nagsabing mas gusto nilang manirahan, magtrabaho, at mag-access ng mga pangunahing s

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...