In his "Hot Manila" social media page, veteran journalist Alan Robles has this to say on one reason why flooding in Metro Manila and elsewhere remains a perennial issue:


Garbage culture

The recent spate of violence right inside our schools shouldn’t be treated as a political issue. To me, it’s more of a cultural and societal issue.

'Dapat magturong tamad na lipunan’

The recent shooting incident in Tacloban City has brutally shown how vulnerable our children can be to outside influences – peer pressure, social media, information at our fingertips.

Wrong approach to school violence?

Recently, Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto gave a reflection on what, I believe, governance should really be.

On gardening and governance

The first week of the impeachment trial of Vice President Sara Duterte has passed – and to me, surprisingly, it was one of the most boring political dramas I’ve ever seen.

'Bloodbath' what?


Here we go again.

Yet another shooting, yet another call for “blanket bans” – bans on violent video games, bans on social media use among minors.


Avoiding responsibility

I have maintained the belief that in this age of digital media, social media, content creation, and misinformation (and disinformation), a formal declaration of Martial Law such as made in 1972 is no longer needed.

Today, blanket bans of websites or even cutting off Internet service – all in the name of national security and people's safety – is enough.

The recent, sudden bans of Reddit and Discord is just the beginning.

So are the reported plans to restrict access to Meta (Facebook, Messenger and Instagram) and requiring people to register via their National IDs. (Given the persistent problems we are having with our National ID system, I believe such a plan would be a logistical nightmare both for Meta and government agencies.)


Martial Law is now online

Just to be clear here: I am not going to talk about a certain brand of cigarettes in this column.

When ‘hope’ becomes a commodity

When will ‘Pila Ulit, Pila’ end?

Patriotism, or love of country, has often been defined as loving your country and still accepting its faults. 


'Love' an unloving country?

The (Un)Common Sense column by OpinYon News columnist, James Veloso.

(Un)Common Sense

Latest News