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WHEN CAN CHARITY BECOME A REMINDER OF INEQUALITY?

WHEN CAN CHARITY BECOME A REMINDER OF INEQUALITY? My answer is cut and dry. Whenever and wherever there is poverty, there is inequality. But do we really need to see charity to be reminded of that inequality? I say no. We only have to look around us, starting with the communities where we live. We do not need to be reminded that ours is a country where millions of people struggle to make ends meet. The official figures tell one story, but the everyday experiences of ordinary Filipinos tell us another. The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that poverty incidence among Filipinos was 9.7 percent in 2025, or approximately 11.08 million people. This is based on a specific income threshold for meeting basic food and non-food needs. I respect the official methodology, but I personally believe that if we include people who are technically above the poverty line but are still unable to live decently, the number of economically distressed Filipinos could be much higher. My own estimate is...
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A DUTCH STARTUP HAS DEVELOPED A CONCRETE THAT ALLOWS MOSS TO GROW ON ITS SURFACE

A DUTCH STARTUP HAS DEVELOPED A CONCRETE THAT ALLOWS MOSS TO GROW ON ITS SURFACE What if our concrete walls could grow moss instead of simply collecting dust? A Dutch startup called Respyre has developed a special type of concrete, which it calls Mosscrete, that allows moss to grow directly on its surface. This is an interesting innovation that combines construction technology with nature. In case you missed it, this is practically a five-in-one product. It builds structures, grows moss on its surface, helps capture airborne pollutants, cools buildings through moisture evaporation, and provides small habitats that support urban biodiversity. Talking about green technology, what could be greener than a technology that actually grows green moss? The concept is relatively simple but promising. Unlike ordinary concrete, which does not provide suitable conditions for moss growth, this specially formulated material has a surface texture and composition designed to encourage moss to attach an...
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FIGHTING FIRES WITH SOUND WAVES INSTEAD OF WATER

FIGHTING FIRES WITH SOUND WAVES INSTEAD OF WATER We have heard of fighting fires with chemicals instead of water, but have you heard of fighting fires with sound waves? Surprising as it may seem, what is even more surprising is that the inventor is a 17-year-old girl from Mexico named Ángela Karime Venegas Hernández. She developed an experimental firefighting device called VORTEX TECH, which uses low-frequency sound waves to extinguish small flames without using water or chemicals. Working with her uncle and mentor, she reportedly spent almost a year developing and improving five different prototypes. Her efforts earned her a Gold Medal at the International Science and Invention Fair 2026 in Indonesia. But should we be surprised that a young inventor from a developing country could come up with such an innovation? I don't think so. We have seen many young inventors from developing countries, including the Philippines, come up with remarkable ideas. The bigger question is whether we...
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GASIFICATION AS ANOTHER SOLUTION TO THE SOLID WASTE PROBLEM

GASIFICATION AS ANOTHER SOLUTION TO THE SOLID WASTE PROBLEM I am encouraged by the recent innovation of a Cebuano agricultural engineer, Engr. Victoriano "Vic" Ocon, who developed a locally designed gasification system that can reportedly reduce the volume of solid waste by as much as 96 percent. Engr. Ocon, president of Vic Metal Fabrication and Environmental Services, Inc., received the 2026 Presidential Filipinnovation Award, together with a ₱3.5-million grant to further develop and deploy his technology. This is something worth celebrating. Why should we always depend on imported technologies when our own Filipino engineers can develop solutions to our problems? Gasification uses high temperatures and a controlled, limited supply of oxygen to convert suitable waste materials into synthesis gas, commonly called syngas, which contains combustible gases such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This gas can potentially be used to generate electricity or provide heat. The process...
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INCINERATION DISGUISED AS PYROLYSIS

  INCINERATION DISGUISED AS PYROLYSIS I read some reports about the discussion of Dr. Jorge Emmanuel, Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering at Silliman University, during the Waste-to-Energy Summit held on April 30, 2026, at Golden Peak Hotel. His discussion of Dumaguete City’s experience with waste-processing equipment purchased from Suki Trading Corporation deserves the attention of every local government unit (LGU). In May 2021, Dumaguete City awarded Suki Trading a contract worth ₱21.9 million for a pyrolysis-gasification system and other equipment intended to convert waste into useful products, including hollow blocks, pavers and organic fertilizer. By October 2021, the city was testing machines intended to process garbage into construction materials. Official city reports described an ambitious attempt to solve a longstanding waste-disposal problem. But what happened afterward? In July 2025, Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria ordered the pyrolysis unit, plastic ...
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IS FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIGENTS FINALLY BECOMING A REALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES?

IS FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIGENTS FINALLY BECOMING A REALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES? To put it mildly, providing free legal assistance to indigent Filipinos is easier said than done. Our Constitution guarantees that poverty should not deprive anyone of access to the courts and adequate legal assistance. But how many poor Filipinos can actually obtain a lawyer when they need one? Fortunately, there is reason to hope. The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) does its best to provide free legal representation, but the problem is one of supply and demand. Public attorneys handle heavy caseloads, and their offices cannot always accommodate everyone who needs help. A judge may appoint a lawyer to assist an accused person, but where will that lawyer come from if everyone is already busy? There are nongovernment organizations, law school legal aid clinics and volunteer lawyers doing commendable work. However, their services are not always available in every community, especially in remote areas. No...
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LET’S REGULATE LAB-GROWN MEAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

LET’S REGULATE LAB-GROWN MEAT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE I do not want to sound like an alarmist, but lab-grown meat is no longer science fiction. It is already a commercial reality in some countries, and I believe it is only a matter of time before Filipino consumers encounter more of these products. Let me clarify one important point. Lab-grown meat is not necessarily genetically modified meat. Genetically modified meat, in principle, could still come from an actual animal whose genes have been altered. Cultivated meat, on the other hand, is produced by growing animal cells in a controlled environment. It is not simply a plant-based substitute, nor is it necessarily made using 3D printing. Some manufacturing techniques may use 3D printing, but the essential process is growing animal cells. So, what should we call it? Cultured meat? Cultivated meat? Cell-grown meat? Whatever name manufacturers choose, should consumers not be entitled to know exactly what they are buying? I remember controver...
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