Juan and Maria at the crossroads of crisis

 

By Ignacio R. Bunye

Published Mar 23, 2026 12:05 am | Updated Mar 22, 2026 03:24 pm

SPEAKING OUT

The peso has fallen to its weakest level in history—₱60.10 to the dollar. For Juan and Maria, this is not an abstract figure on a trading screen. It is the rising price of rice, medicine, and school supplies. It is the shrinking value of their hard-earned wages. It is the cruel arithmetic of inflation that punishes the poor more than the rich.

When the peso weakens, imported goods—from fuel to flour—become more expensive. Remittances from overseas workers may look bigger in peso terms, but the benefit is quickly erased by the surge in prices at the palengke and the gas pump. Juan and Maria do not need economists to tell them what they already feel in their wallets: the peso’s weakness is their daily burden.

Compounding this is the relentless climb of oil prices, now above $100 per barrel, driven by conflict in the Middle East. The government has promised to tap foreign oil stockpiles to extend our buffer supply from 30 days to two–three months. This is a welcome move, but it is a stop-gap measure. Juan and Maria know that every jeepney ride, every tricycle fare, every kilowatt-hour of electricity is hostage to global oil volatility. And now, water rates are poised to rise next month, adding yet another layer of pressure on household budgets.

Against this backdrop, the government has announced a 50 percent fare cut for MRT-3 and LRT-2 starting March 23. For the millions who rely on these trains daily, this is a tangible relief. It is a rare piece of good news in a season of economic gloom. But let us be honest: this relief is temporary and limited. It does not reach the commuters in Cavite who ride jeepneys, nor the farmers in Mindoro who depend on pump irrigation. It is a band-aid on a wound that requires surgery.

Meanwhile, Congress has passed two food-related bills aimed at stabilizing supply and prices. This is a step in the right direction. But legislation is slow, and inflation is fast. Juan and Maria cannot wait for committee hearings and bicameral conferences. They need rice that is affordable today, not tomorrow.

What emerges from these four headlines is a portrait of ordinary Filipinos caught in a perfect storm: a weak peso, rising fuel and water costs, limited relief in transport fares, and long-term promises on food supply. The challenge for government is not merely to announce measures, but to weave them into a coherent strategy that protects the most vulnerable.

Juan and Maria deserve more than piecemeal relief. They deserve a government that anticipates crises, not just reacts to them. They deserve policies that cushion their daily struggles, not just headlines that soothe their anxieties. The peso’s weakness, the oil surge, the water hikes, and the food bills are not isolated issues. They are interconnected threads in the fabric of national survival.

In the end, the measure of leadership is not in the numbers of foreign reserves or legislative outputs. It is in the lived reality of Juan and Maria—whether they can afford to ride to work, put food on the table, and pay their bills without sinking deeper into debt. That is the true test of governance in these turbulent times. (totingbunye2000@gmail.com)

IT is never too late

 

“IT IS never too late to be what you might have been” is a famous, encouraging quote often attributed to novelist George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans), emphasizing that personal growth, reinvention, and achieving dreams are possible at any age, regardless of past setbacks. It acts as a reminder that the future is yours to shape, urging you to overcome fears, challenge self-imposed limits, and start pursuing your aspirations now.

t suggests that no matter what stage of life one is at, there is always the opportunity to evolve, change direction, and pursue one’s true potential. Often, societal expectations or personal setbacks may cause individuals to feel as if their dreams or aspirations are unattainable, particularly as they age.

“Never Too Late” is a song by Canadian rock band Three Days Grace. It was released on May 7, 2007, as the third single from the band’s second album One-X. “Never Too Late” is about not giving up. Adam Gontier stated, “I guess it’s like feeling like you’re at the end of your rope and deciding whether or not to completely give up or whether or not to try and sort of keep making it through another day.”

I know a lot of pensioner expatriates living in the Philippines for good. Many of them have a big problem – after staying here for only a couple of months, they get bored.

I believe it’s important, as we grow older, to stay active instead of just lying around. I realize that some older individuals have health issues and cannot do what they would like to do, but many are in decent shape, but just choose to do nothing. It seems the more a person gives in to their excuses of how they are tired from paying their dues, the worse they feel. Inactivity is alright when we are resting, but the more we get up and get going, the better we feel. I encourage everyone to find something really important to you and see how you can get involved.

We’ve heard it said that we must not live to work but work to live. Your goals are achieved the moment you commit yourself to them, so no matter how old you feel, or how many times you’ve officially retired, it’s never too late to give the world a little more of what God has given to you. We should pray and ask for God’s inspiration, strength, and wisdom, but hopefully, a person will eventually discover that he or she is the master-gardener of their soul and the decision-maker of their destiny.

Caprice Cayetano proves the biggest prize is giving back

 

By Robert Requintina

Published Mar 22, 2026 10:13 pm

For Sparkle artist and Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Collab 2.0 Kapuso Big Winner Caprice Cayetano, winning was never just about herself. True to her generous spirit, Caprice channeled her victory into something greater—spending her morning with the young patients of her chosen charity, Little Ark Foundation in Quezon City, last March 19.

Caprice's visit was far more than a charitable drop-off. She immersed herself in the children's world—crafting bracelets together, dancing to TikTok trends, and filling the room with laughter and energy. She also treated everyone to a warm, hearty lunch, sharing the fruits of her recent Wendy's endorsement with the kids and their families.

In her recent interviews, Caprice has been very vocal about her desire to share the love she has been receiving. “Little Ark po yung napili ko dahil minsan lang po maging bata, and I want these kids to feel what it’s like to be normal, to experience joy, and to receive the treatment that they need, dahil gusto ko din po na maexperience po nila yung normal na childhood,”  Caprice shared.

PBB Celebrity Collab 2.0 Grand Winner Caprice Cayetano plays with children

Caprice started her career at a very young age and has worked with many celebrities in the industry. From her journey and her co-star, she learned the importance of always looking back to where you came from. “Ang pinaka dadalhin ko po talaga ay huwag kakalimutan kung saan nanggagaling at piliin na laging maging mabuti sa lahat, sa mga staff, sa mga co-actors, at laging ibigay ang best.”

Furthermore, Little Ark Foundation Founder and President Mr. Butch Bustamante expressed his gratitude, saying the organization felt heard and seen through Caprice’s visit. “Today is a reminder that we are not alone in our fight. Ms. Caprice, you made us feel that we have someone with us in our journey. You are a reminder to all of us that there is hope, goodness, and a God who continues to move in our lives. From all the families, the children, and the whole Little Ark Foundation—maraming maraming salamat sa puso mo, sa faith mo, at sa pagmamahal na pinili mong ibigay.”

Caprice Cayetano has made one thing clear: a true winner lifts others up. By turning her spotlight into a source of hope, she has proven that the biggest prize isn’t a title—it’s the joy she brought to the children who needed it most.

PH waters; Makabayan opposes creation of ammunition depot

 

Two Philippine Air Force A-29B Super Tucano aircraft fly above USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) during the bilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity on March 20, 2026. (Photo by Edward Bungubung/PAOAFP)

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and the United States Indo-Pacific Command (US Indopacom) carried out joint maritime drills in Manila Bay and waters off Mariveles, Bataan over the weekend to improve their interoperability. Read more

Meanwhile, the Makabayan bloc in the House of Representatives is imploring President Marcos to reject proposals for the construction of a United States (US)-backed ammunition factory in the Philippines. Read more

The Pussycat Dolls are reuniting, but their drama never left

 

By Robert Requintina

Published Mar 21, 2026 11:29 am

The Pussycat Dolls are back — but not everyone made the guest list. Original member Carmit Bachar has dropped a bombshell, claiming she was left out in the cold from the group’s highly anticipated reunion concert, sending shockwaves through the pop world.

The Pussycat Dolls 2026: From left: Kimberly Watt, Ashley Roberts, and Nicole Scherzinger (Facebook)

The stage is set for three. Nicole Scherzinger, Kimberly Wyatt, and Ashley Roberts are stepping back into the limelight as the newly minted Dolls — and they're not holding back on the tea, dishing out their takes on why Carmit didn't make the cut.

“Well, I mean, listen — we are just, so, as women today …,” Scherzinger started, struggling momentarily to find the words, during an appearance on the Today show aired on March 20, according to an article on billboard.com.   

Kimberly continued, “I mean, it has been an ever-changing lineup, and this is what it looks like now in 2026. “You never know what comes next. Ultimately, we’ve got to protect our peace, and when something like The Pussycat Dolls has so much history … we have ruptured in the past, and right now we are repairing, and we’re sort of on the same page with that.”   

Nicole then completed her earlier thought. “But what I wanted to say is, we have so much love and respect for all of the women who have been part of the PCD legacy. Once a Doll, always a Doll.”

On March 12, the Pussycat Dolls released a new single, “Club Song,” alongside an announcement of a 53-date reunion tour scheduled to begin in June. 

Shortly after the announcement, Carmit shared a detailed statement: “In light of recent developments, I feel it is important to speak honestly and respectfully. I was not contacted regarding the group’s decision to move forward, and I learned of these plans at the same time as the public.”   

“Given my history with the brand, having been part of its foundation long before its commercial debut and instrumental in the connections that led to the record deal … I would have appreciated direct communication,” she wrote. “While this is disappointing on a personal level, I remain proud of the role I played in helping shape what The Pussycat Dolls became.”

The Pussycat Dolls formed in 1995 as a six-member group that also included Melody Thornton and Jessica Sutta. Throughout their career, they have placed 11 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and landed two albums on the Billboard 200.

Carmit participated in the group’s 2019 reunion, during which they performed as a five-member lineup — without Thornton — on The X Factor: Celebrity and released “React” in February 2020. 

The comeback proved brief, as the COVID-19 pandemic led to the postponement of a planned tour that year. The tour was ultimately canceled in 2022, and both Carmit and Jessica stated on Instagram that they had not been informed of the decision before it was made public.

Among the hits of The Pussycat Dolls are Don't Xha, Stickwitu, Buttons, Jai Ho!, When I Grow Up, I Hate This Part, and Sway.

Monitoring ‘happiness’

 

BY MAHAR MANGAHAS

MARCH 21, 2026

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March 20th was the United Nations’ annual International Day of Happiness, which stemmed from a 2012 UN Resolution initiated by Bhutan, the famed originator of the Gross National Happiness (GNH) concept. It explains the timing of the release of: (a) the Social Weather Stations (SWS) report, “Fourth Quarter 2025 Social Weather Survey: 33% of Pinoys are ‘very happy’ with life; 23% are ‘very satisfied’ with life” (www.sws.org.ph, 3/19/26), and (b) the 2026 World Happiness Report (WHR), published by the Wellbeing Research Group of the University of Oxford in partnership with Gallup, the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and the WHR’s editorial board.

Happiness of Filipinos according to SWS. The SWS report discloses its two survey questions for monitoring happiness, one with the adjective “happy” (masaya) and another with the adjective “satisfied” (nasisiyahan), and both describing the respondent’s present life as a whole. Each option has a four-point scale: Very Happy/Fairly Happy/Not Very Happy/Not At All Happy and Very Satisfied/Fairly Satisfied/Not Very Satisfied/Not At All Satisfied. SWS has asked the “happy-life” question 49 times since 1991, and the satisfied-life question 57 times since 2002; see the report’s charts and tables.

Personally, I think the happy-life option goes straight to the point; I also like to focus more on downside rather than the upside. In 2025, SWS used both options in two surveys, with these average results (in percentages): 32 Very Happy, 52 Fairly Happy, 14 Not Very Happy, and 2 Not At All Happy; and 29 Very Satisfied, 51 Fairly Satisfied, 14 Not Very Satisfied, and 6 Not At All Satisfied. For me, these may be simplified into 16 percent “unhappy” and 20 percent “dissatisfied.”

 

THE POINT OF PRAYER

By

 Mindanao Daily News

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March 20, 2026

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The point of prayer is to communicate and build a relationship with God, aligning oneself with divine will rather than just requesting favors. It serves as a means of worship, gratitude, and finding peace, allowing individuals to seek strength, guidance, and spiritual growth while fostering dependence on the divine.

The Prayer Hand is an easy way to remember five essential aspects of prayer: confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving and praise. Use this helpful diagram in your personal prayer life or when teaching about prayer to others.  

When tragedy strikes, it’s easy to harden our hearts and cry out, “God, why did you let this happen?” Maybe then, we started praying. Before, when everything went smoothly, we would not even think a minute about praying… 

Prayer may be the most powerful tool we have for personal and global transformation. Personal prayers and the prayers of a united community provide a direct link and connection to the Divine. All things become possible and exalted.

We must pray all the time, and when we pray, we must always pray in faith. Prayer should rise from the depths of our being, be adjusted to line up with God’s word and the Holy Spirit, and then be released like hot incense. That kind of prayer will always enter the throne room and catch the attention of heaven. If you pray like that, you are praying in faith. If you pray like that, then you demonstrate that you believe you are being heard and that the Lord will answer your prayers. Do that and your prayers will be powerful.

“To be a Christian without prayer, “said Martin Luther, “is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer is the only way of becoming what God wants us to be. This is the reason why Jesus spent many hours praying.

Unquestionable, our needs bring us to a place of prayer. Confronted with danger or tragedies, as I mentioned earlier, we look for God’s help. Difficult times always cause the hearts of men to turn to God into prayer. 

Let me ask you: How long has it been since you’ve brought your burdens to God? Since you asked His forgiveness for your shortcomings? 

In his very interesting book “People in Prayer”, Dr. John White reminds us that prayer is a divine-human interaction and it is always God who takes the initiative. White writes: “God speaks and we respond. God is always speaking. To hear his voice is not usually a mystical experience. It consists merely of a willingness to pay heed to God who lays a claim to our lives.”

Yes, God always speaks. It is up to us whether we will listen and respond to Him. Many think we are the ones who initiate prayer. But prayers begin and end with God. 

There was a time, I wasn’t in the mood to pray any more. It seemed that God didn’t listen to my prayer any more. I didn’t get what I prayed for. Of course, not… ! That’s not the meaning of praying to God. Will all my wishes be granted? Heaven forbid!

Sometimes, after we have prayed, God’s answers may puzzle us. But as time goes by and as events unfold we see God’s purpose in his answers. We might get a larger vision, what HE likes. Not what WE like… .

Think about it for a moment” How does the idea that prayer begins and ends with God affect me now? Do I have the habit of listening to god? How do I respond to Him? How do I usually pray?I confess that a long time ago I have been trying to persuade God to change other people in my surroundings or circumstances. Nothing changed. Of course not, what a fatal attraction? I got confused because God never granted my requests. Meanwhile I got God’s answers to my prayers. Maybe very simple: I was willing to let God change me… .This is how each one of us should start. Happy endings. Because I prayed according to His will… 

Prayer can foster a sense of connection, whether it’s to a higher power, what a person finds important in life or their values, said Ryan Bremner, an associate professor of psychology at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota. Prayer can reduce feelings of isolation, anxiety and fear as well.

In Christianity, the purpose of prayer is to build a personal relationship with God, align the believer’s will with His, and glorify Him. It serves as a vital communication channel for praise, thanksgiving, confession, and presenting requests, enabling believers to experience God’s grace and receive strength.

Nowadays, I live a wonderful life in my second and last home, the Philippines. I never regretted moving here for good. I have everything I could ask for. I can do everything I wish to do. Thank you Lord.

Eid'l Fitr set Saturday, March 21

By Liza Jocson

Published Mar 20, 2026 05:20 pm

ABUBAKAR (Photo via Liza Jocson)

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Darul Ifta of Bangsamoro and the Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan said Eid’l Fitr will be on Saturday, March 21.

“The Bangsamoro Darul Ifta-BARMM formally pronounces that the moon has not been sighted tonight,” said the Darul Ifta-BARMM. “Therefore, the Eid’l Fitr will be celebrated on March 21, 2026, Saturday.”

The same announcement was made by the Grand Mufti, Sheikh Walid Abubakar, of Region 9 and Palawan on Thursday, March 20.

Observers gathered at the Paseo del Mar here on Thursday afternoon to conduct moon-sighting activities which ended without the appearance of the crescent moon.

Eid’l Fitr is celebrated as the culmination of the month-long Ramadan characterized by fasting, charity, and devotion.

Between then and now

 

By Shanell Jay Aguinald

I was listening to “I Have a Dream” by ABBA the other day, and man, it hit me like a ton of bricks and took me straight back to being a kid.

That was my school’s graduation song. It always reminds me of those weird, hazy days between February and March. I remember watching the kids just one year older than me, who seemed like actual adults at the time, practicing in the heat all month long for their big day.

“I have a dream, a song to sing. To help me cope with anything …”

I can still hear those kids. Their voices were always a little too high-pitched, but they sang with this devastatingly sincere intensity. They would mouth the lyrics with a sense of fulfillment that you can only really possess before you’ve had your first real heartbreak or your first soul-crushing job. Looking back, it’s wild how we were all just children with these massive, “oversized” dreams.

Back then, the world felt tiny but also impossible. Success wasn’t about tax brackets, LinkedIn “announcements,” or trying to figure out what the hell “work-life balance” actually looks like. It was simple: a gold star, the look on your parents’ faces, and the absolute certainty that by the time we reached the age we are now, we’d have it all figured out. We thought “growing up” was a destination—like a city you eventually reach—rather than this messy, exhausting trek through the woods that it actually is.

Watching those older kids practice, I didn’t see the stress of final exams or the anxiety of moving to a new, scarier school. I saw giants. To a child, a one-year age gap is an epoch. They were the “big kids,” the ones standing on the precipice of the future. As they sang about crossing the stream and seeing the wonder of a fairy tale, I felt a desperate, impatient hunger to be in their shoes.

I didn’t realize then that the fulfillment I saw on their faces was actually their first taste of a bittersweet goodbye. They weren’t just singing about dreams; they were singing to bridge the gap between the safety of childhood and the cold uncertainty of what came next.

As we grow, our dreams undergo a brutal process of distillation. At seven, your ambitions are boundless; you want to be an astronaut-teacher-princess. At 17, your world narrows; you just want to get into a good college or hope your crush notices you in the hallway. At 27, or 37, the dream shifts again. Now, you might just want a job that doesn’t make you want to scream into a pillow on Monday mornings. It’s not just the mornings, either; sometimes it’s a random Tuesday at 2 p.m. when the weight of “being an adult” feels like a backpack full of rocks.

But beneath that layer of cynicism, that kid from the graduation rehearsal is still there. We’ve all crossed the stream dozens of times by now. We’ve navigated the currents of heartbreak, the sharp rocks of career pivots, and the quiet, sobering realization that the future we were promised isn’t a fixed point on a map, but a moving target that keeps shifting every time we get close.

We often spend so much time mourning the loss of our childhood dreams that we forget to celebrate the fact that we actually survived the reality that replaced them. There is a specific kind of melancholy in realizing you are now the age of the people you once thought were “real adults.” You look in the mirror and realize there is no magical moment when you suddenly feel like you have all the answers. You’re just a kid with more bills to pay, a better vocabulary, and higher caffeine dependency.

However, there is also a profound beauty in that. Those kids in the courtyard weren’t singing because they knew they would win; they were singing because they believed they could. To hold on to that sense of wonder in a world that tries its absolute hardest to iron it out of you is its own quiet act of rebellion. It’s a choice to remain “un-ironed.”

ABBA knew something we didn’t quite grasp as children: having a dream isn’t about the destination. It’s about dreaming itself. It’s the “fantasy” that helps us move through the heavy sludge of reality.

If I could go back to those February afternoons, I wouldn’t tell those kids to study harder or warn them about the fluctuating economy. I’d just sit on those warm concrete steps, listen to those high-pitched voices one more time, and remind myself to breathe. I’d tell myself that it’s okay not to have it all figured out, because no one else does either.

We are still those kids. We are still practicing for a day that hasn’t come yet. We are still mouthing the lyrics to a future we haven’t quite mastered, hoping we don’t trip during the processional. And as long as the music is playing, as long as we can still see the wonder hidden in the mundane tasks of a Tuesday afternoon, we haven’t lost our way. We are just on a longer bridge than we expected, still crossing the stream, still carrying the dream.

SPECIAL REFLECTIONS

 SPECIAL REFLECTIONS

By Klaus Döring

Simply put, self-reflection (also known as “personal reflection”) is taking the time to think about, meditate on, evaluate, and give serious thought to your behaviors, thoughts, attitudes, motivations, and desires. That's what I do now.

Not long ago, I passed a milestone marking 55 years since I began writing my first published article in a daily newspaper. I started keeping all the clippings since then. Believe me, it's like a book. As I re-read my first articles, I was amazed, I ever kept it up. But now you couldn't pay me to stop.

Nowadays all my publications are stored in my electronic-archive. 

Back to my clippings. Can you imagine that there are some benefits from keeping them? From life experiences, I see that progress and failure are both parts of my journey. My columns are mostly a view into a mirror. I am reminded of God's grace when I read (and wrote before) how He helped me to find solutions to problems. I also gained insight from past struggles that help with issues I am currently facing. I remember one of my previous columns entitled "If failures get results". 

God has indeed been faithfully working in my life. 

I read a story by Dennis Fisher, who didn't keep publishing clippings but a spiritual journal. He advised: "Journalism may be useful to you too. It can help you see more clearly what God is teaching you on life's journey. To begin a journal, record your struggles, reflect on a verse that is especially comforting or challenging, or write a prayer of thankfulness for God's faithfulness."

The most awaited season of the year has finally come. For many of us, December is still a glow that blossoms across the eastern horizon bringing the promise of a new beginning. December and Christmas should be the song to awaken our hardened hearts, to touch those people around us, who might have waited a long time for such a move. Let's become "new people" at last.

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Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook or LinkedIn or visit my www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .