As extreme heatwaves scorch different parts of the world, people are increasingly turning to cooling systems such as air conditioning. But the debate over whether air conditioning is a necessity, a luxury, or an ecological threat remains unresolved. A commentary by Chelsea Follett for the Cato Institute and a study published on EconStor titled “Rising danger of air conditioners: A necessity or…
Taiwan will deliberately slow mobile internet speeds for the first time during annual civil defence drills in August, testing how citizens would communicate if bandwidth became scarce in emergencies ranging from disasters to a Chinese invasion. During the 30-minute slowdown, high-bandwidth services, such as video calls, streaming and social media images, will be unavailable across 14 cities and counties in northern and…
Rising nighttime temperatures driven by climate change are quietly robbing people of sleep worldwide, a new study has found. The analysis, conducted by Climate Central, showed that hotter nights cause the average person to lose nearly 56 hours of sleep per year between 2020 and 2025. Examining data from 1,338 cities globally, the study found that warmer nighttime conditions have created a…
Thirty-six years ago today, the ground beneath northern and central Luzon shook with a violence Filipinos of that generation have never forgotten. At exactly 4:26 in the afternoon of July 16, 1990, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck—the strongest and most destructive to hit the Philippines in two decades, according to PHIVOLCS. The epicenter was near the town of Rizal in Nueva Ecija,…
With the perceived ouster of career health officials, Malacañang now stands accused of putting institutional stability and expert leadership at risk for political convenience. The uproar follows the exit of Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire and other veteran DOH officials in what appears to be a politically motivated shake-up. About 55 professional medical groups signed a joint statement expressing concerns of what…
The Laguna Lake is fast deteriorating into the country’s “biggest septic tank,” Biñan City Rep. Walfredo “Arman” Dimaguila Jr. warned on Saturday, August 2. In an interview on DZRH News’ Special on Saturday, Rep. Dimaguila urged the Marcos Jr. administration to take urgent and science-based action to rehabilitate the vital water body affecting millions across Southern Luzon and Metro Manila. “Magkakaroon na…
The Iran war is showing why the Philippines can’t afford to neglect its farmers
A war thousands of kilometers away is beginning to ripple through something as basic as the Filipino dining table. The conflict involving Iran has pushed oil prices higher, disrupted key shipping routes, and strained global supply chains—especially for fertilizer, a critical input for food production. Farmers are already feeling the pressure. Fertilizer prices have surged by as much as 30% to 40%,…