PH Court clears Maria Ressa of tax evasion

Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa was acquitted of tax evasion by the Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), on Wednesday, January 18, putting an end to a raft of legal hearings opposing the said veteran Filipino-American journalist. 

The West Philippine Sea: A Pipeline Dream? 

This 2023 was opened with a historical encounter—President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. embarking to Beijing for a sit-down with China’s President Xi Jinping. Many promises and arrangements were on the agenda, with conversations jumping from durian exports to bridge constructions. Yet, there was one matter looming through everyone’s minds—the long-disputed West Philippine Sea. This “elephant in the room” has been a recurring topic for over eleven years; yet, it is continuously left in its static state. It begs the question: will it always remain unaddressed? 

Why You Shouldn’t Bother Making New Year’s Resolutions

As fireworks go off into the sky and noises such as horns tooting, pots and pans banging, celebratory cheers mark the genesis of the new year, there is one question that also begins to emerge in everybody’s minds as they hug their loved ones and smile bright for the camera: who will I be this year? 

Appointment of new AFP chief pushed DND OIC to resign

Former Department of National Defense (DND) Officer-in-Charge Jose Faustino Jr. spoke up about his recent resignation, explaining that he left the position because of the sudden reappointment of Gen. Andres Centino as returning chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), formally succeeding Lt. Gen. Bartolome Bacarro.

When the Privileged “Influencer” Misinterprets Reality: Donnalyn Bartolome

On Tuesday, January 3, singer and Internet influencer Donnalyn Bartolome sparked much uproar online with a controversial statement belittling the struggles of Filipino workers. In the now deleted post, she said, “Bakit may sad dahil back to work na? Diba dapat masaya ka kasi may chance ka na pagandahin buhay mo at ng pamilya? Trip ko pa nga may work ng January 1 dahil superstition ko may work ako buong taon ‘pag ganun. Dapat grateful kasi may work. If work makes you unhappy, I hope you find a job that will… this is just a reminder that having a job is a blessing bessss change mindset, it’s 2023!!”

BBM conducts first state visit to China

To jumpstart ties with China by discussing mutual agreements with the country in his term, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. held his first state visit to the People’s Republic of China from January 3 to 5, 2023, at the capital of Beijing.

The Pink Tax: An Overlooked Injustice

In this 21st Century, it is hard to believe that archaic ideologies and practices could still happen in broad daylight. From gender roles to stereotypes, these displays of discrimination should have been figments of the past. Yet, oftentimes, it is so blatant and normalized that it is usually glossed over. The pink tax, an age-old marketing tactic, embodies just that. 

ASHS students bag swimming MVP titles

Swimming. Through the years, what once started as a mere recreational activity has become renowned as one of the world’s most esteemed sports—pushing decades upon decades of athletes to test the limits of a discipline unfamiliar to most humans. Indeed, the ability to plunge past the unyielding resistance of water and propel past the ebb and flow of its waves with utmost precision and grace is artful talent in and of itself—a skill that, like in any other sport, doesn’t always come easy.