ikeseneres

WHY NOT REMOVE POLITICIANS WHO ARE CAUGHT DELIBERATELY LYING? The government of Wales has announced what could become a historic first in modern democracy: removing politicians from office if they are proven to have deliberately lied to the public. My immediate reaction was simple: Why not? For years, many of us have been advocating reforms to improve accountability in government. We have laws against theft, graft, corruption, bribery, and other abuses of power. But what about deliberate lying? Some people might argue that stealing public funds is a more serious offense than lying. I agree. In fact, corruption should remain a top priority. However, that does not mean we should ignore dishonesty. After all, many acts of corruption begin with lies. Politicians promise one thing and do another. They conceal information. They manipulate facts. They mislead voters. Yet in many cases, there are no consequences. Why should that be acceptable? The Welsh proposal is not aimed at honest mistakes...

  HOW A PORTUGUESE TOURIST STUMBLED INTO THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF BUTUAN Every year, many Filipinos are taught that Ferdinand Magellan “discovered” the Philippines in 1521. I respectfully disagree. To say that Magellan discovered the Philippines would imply that he was the first person to know that these islands existed. That is obviously not true. Long before Magellan arrived, the ancient Kingdom of Butuan was already engaged in extensive trade with neighboring kingdoms and empires across Asia. Chinese historical records mention Butuan as an important trading polity as early as the 10th and 11th centuries. Traders from China, Champa (Vietnam), Borneo, and other parts of Maritime Southeast Asia already knew where Butuan was and how to get there. If so many people already knew about Butuan, how could Magellan have “discovered” it? I prefer to think of Magellan as a Portuguese tourist, explorer, or navigator who already knew where he wanted to go. In fact, he had a valuable advantage: ...

THE TWO SIDES OF BEING A CHRISTIAN Many people think that being a Christian is primarily about praying, attending Mass, joining novenas, participating in Bible studies, or going to church every Sunday. There is nothing wrong with these activities. In fact, they are important expressions of our faith. However, I believe that Christianity has two sides, and many of us sometimes focus on only one side. The first side is loving God. The second side is loving our neighbor. In the Gospel, Jesus simplified the Ten Commandments into two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor. In other words, our love for God should be visible through the way we treat other people. This raises a question that has been bothering me lately. How exactly do we express our faith through action? Many Christians sincerely want to help others, but they simply do not know where to begin. They are willing to serve but do not know who needs help, where the needs are, or how they can contribute. Does anyone ha...

LET GOVERNMENT PRIORITIZE THE USE OF ORGANIC FERTILIZERS For many years, our farmers have been dependent on chemical fertilizers, most of which are linked to imported raw materials and global supply chains. Every time there is a war, an oil price increase, or a disruption in international shipping, fertilizer prices rise and Filipino farmers suffer. The result is simple: higher production costs, lower farm incomes, and eventually higher food prices for consumers. That is why I believe the time has come for the government to adopt a national policy that prioritizes the use of organic fertilizers. This should not merely be a departmental program. It should be embodied in an Executive Order issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. or, better yet, in an Act of Congress that will institutionalize the policy for future generations. Some may argue that global fertilizer supplies will eventually stabilize. Perhaps they will. But even if they do, why should we continue relying on imported ag...

WHERE SHOULD THE WORLD BANK FUNDS FOR FARM MODERNIZATION GO? For many decades now, Filipino farmers have been complaining about the same old problems: lack of farm-to-market roads, lack of agricultural machinery, lack of irrigation, and lack of post-harvest facilities. The sad part is that despite billions of pesos spent through countless government programs, the complaints remain exactly the same. Why? Because we have been treating farm modernization as a series of disconnected handouts instead of building a complete agricultural ecosystem. At the risk of oversimplifying the issue, I would say that the common denominator behind many agricultural problems is the lack of machinery and the lack of systems to maintain that machinery. If farmers had access to working equipment, they could build small irrigation systems, improve rural access roads, process their harvests faster, and reduce post-harvest losses. Sadly, what often happens is that government agencies distribute tractors, harves...

HOW TO MAKE RICE FARMERS RISE ABOVE POVERTY What should be the real objective of rice farming? Is it merely to produce more rice, or is it to make rice farmers prosperous and financially secure? To me, the answer should be very clear. The true measure of success in agriculture is not the number of sacks harvested, but whether the farmers themselves are rising above poverty. This issue was highlighted very well by Bacolod businessman Ramon Uy Sr., who pointed out a painful reality that many of us already know but often ignore: farmers do most of the hard work, yet traders often earn the bigger profits. Why is that happening? The answer is simple. Many farmers have no bargaining power. Because of debt and lack of working capital, farmers are usually forced to sell their harvests immediately at very low farmgate prices. They cannot wait for better prices because they urgently need money for food, medicine, tuition, and daily living expenses. In effect, many farmers are trapped in a cycle ...