By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   THE giants are devouring our mountains. Protect the Cordillera and Sierra Madre mountain ranges. No to logging. Revisit all mining permits, quarry permits and lands converted into subdivisions. Pass the National Land Use Act. Local government units (LGUs), pass a Municipal/Provincial Land Use Plan. Kutsara…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   RECENT satellite imagery revealed significant deforestation in the Sierra Madre mountain range, causing public outcry and debate, with environmental groups expressing concern over its impact on the ecosystem of Sierra Madre, referred to as the “backbone of Luzon”, as it resembles a huge spine or…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo    I am in Aklan, visiting two places, Boracay, an island in Malay town and Habana in Nabas. Boracay has a unique quality that attracts all kinds of people, especially tourists and leisure seekers, local and foreign. Habana, on the other hand, attracts development workers and…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   WE like to convince ourselves that we are preoccupied with important things, disregarding those around us. We take them for granted because they are always there, with no conditions. However, we are at a loss when all of a sudden, they’re gone, to pursue their…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   POLITICIANS often underestimate the common sense of ordinary citizens. To them, the public is there to give them votes, in exchange for their “little mercies” during elections and disasters, where their names appear on every donation they make, taken from the public’s collective taxes used…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   RECENTLY, so many “pa-cute” reels of politicians pass through my feeds, on Facebook, Thread, Instagram, and X. Some of them pose like harmless, beautiful, desirable faces, love teams, others post tender moments with their families, others lace the reels with humor, even rehashed curses, the…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   THE weather bulletin from PAGASA announced that severe tropical storm Paolo (Matmo) is expected to make landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora today, Friday morning, October 3. Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 was hoisted in several parts of Luzon as Paolo developed into a…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   I am looking at “The Butt Song from Hell”, detail from Hieronymus Bosch’s 15th-century triptych, “The Garden of Earthly Delights”, depicting a hellish chorus singing a song while the devil is inscribing the notes on the buttocks of a tortured figure in the hell panel….

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo   IN 1981, September 21 was declared by the United Nations (UN) as International Day of Peace, a global observance dedicated “to strengthening the ideals of peace through non-violence and a temporary worldwide ceasefire” through Resolution 36/37. In 2001, the UN General Assembly passed a second…

By Virginia Jasmin Pasalo    THE last time I had my glasses on was a few hours ago, while reviewing the files of three NGOs where I used to be a Trustee. I recall having gone down to the ground floor to cook. That was around 7:00 p.m. After having…