Forests over festivals: The real test of leadership
FOR 25 YEARS, Iloilo Province has been staging the Piyesta sa Kakahuyan, waving the banner of forest protection and celebrating environmental stewardship. Yet every...
A measles crisis waiting to happen
WESTERN Visayas is standing on a ticking time bomb. Measles is already circulating in the region, and yet the vaccination campaign designed to protect...
Parental consent vs public health
THE SCHOOL-based immunization drive in Western Visayas has exposed a dilemma: how far should parental authority reach when public health is at stake? The...
Iloilo City flooding: a collective failure
FLOODING in Iloilo City has long been viewed as an engineering issue, solved with drainage projects, pumping stations, and flood-control structures. But the recent...
Flood of funds, drought of accountability
NEARLY 300 flood control projects in Western Visayas are now under the glare of public scrutiny. From Iloilo to Guimaras, from Aklan to Antique,...
Turning cultural events into economic lifelines
THE UPCOMING Calle Real Night Market, the centerpiece of Iloilo City’s 88th Charter Day celebration, promises a long stretch of street filled with food,...
Renewable energy as a great equalizer
THE PROMISE of renewable energy is often framed in terms of sustainability and climate responsibility. But as Romil Hernandez of the Institute of Climate...
LGUs must lead the charge in renewable energy
WHEN IT comes to renewable energy, Iloilo is proving that local governments do not need to wait for Manila to take the lead. With...
The true cost of unreliable water
“NO WATER is the most expensive water of all.” Mayor Raisa Treñas’ remark captures in plain words what thousands of Iloilo City households endure...
Water is a human right, not a privilege
“WATER is life.” Mayor Raisa Treñas’ words echo a truth so fundamental that it should never be forgotten. Yet, in Iloilo City, thousands of...