The Valley Journal

21Aug

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

RECOGNIZING OUR HEROES OF TODAY

WHEN we talk about “Heroes,” we usually think of the National Heroes whose names appear in history books. However, there are so many kinds of heroes existing in our community. One of these is the members of the uniformed services who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting the land we are living in. Unfortunately, in their line, they have that unfortunate definition of a hero because there are members who went ahead in the name of protecting the people from the communist terrorist groups (CTGs) who are sowing fear and destruction in the communities. It is appalling though that such an ending for a quest for peace could be avoided and that there are chances we could grab to have a more peaceful community but there are people who choose not to care and live like it's not an ala...

20Aug

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

Stop e-sabong

Taytay Palawan Bishop Broderick Pabillo criticized then President Rodrigo Duterte's decision not to stop the operation of Online Sabong (E-Sabong). Duterte said that the billion pesos from the operations of E-Sabong are good and necessary for the government. But Pabillo insisted that the president's reason is not correct because it shows that money is more important than the lives of people who are addicted to any kind of gambling. According to Pabillo, money should not be more important compared to the lives of the missing 34 individuals linked to online cockfighting. The government should consider what is good for the people by stopping the operation and thoroughly study the real effect of E-Sabong. Any kind of gambling will never be good for the people and the family bec...

14Aug

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

The Myth of Neutrality

BY RJ RUSHDOONY One of the most pernicious and evil myths to plague the human race is the myth of neutrality. It is a product of atheism and anti-Christianity because it presupposes a cosmos of uncreated and meaningless factuality, of brute or meaningless facts. Because every atom and fact of the cosmos is then meaningless and also unrelated to every other fact, all facts are neutral. The Nonsense of Neutrality The word neutral is a curious one. It comes from the Latin neuter, meaning neither the one nor the other and has original reference to gender, i.e ., neither male nor female. It still has that meaning: a neutered man is a eunuch, a castrate. It now has also the meaning of not taking sides and, supposedly, the law and the courts are neutral. This in itself is nonsense. N...

2Jul

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

WE CAN DO IT!

HAVE you ever thought of giving up because you think you are not capable? Who among you thought that education is not for everybody? I did. I belong to a family that has nothing but poverty. Before, I had so many “buts” and “ifs”. I almost gave up! Nevertheless, my positive attitude towards learning and succeeding kept me going. When I became a teacher, I have always shared the goodness of willingness and faithful attitude towards learning. I believe that education and learning are based on our personal decision and choice so even if we motivate and encourage our students to learn if they are not willing, they will not achieve the purpose of learning because the achievement of something is desired, planned, or attempted. According to the Late Life Success Theory (Garcia, 2016), “succes...

30Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

Unity for Peace

THE recently concluded National and Local Elections (NLE) May 9, 2022, have resulted in the elected leaders for each place and the country as a whole based on the majority of votes from the Filipino citizens. With due respect to how democracy works, it is with high hopes that we all come to respect the result of the election and start our effort as citizens. Now that majority of the Filipino people have decided who they want to lead them for the next six years, I hope that the rest will also support the next administration because after all, we are all Filipinos who want the Philippines to become a better country. Plans and platforms are starting to be laid down as the government changes its leaders and had the transformation for the coming months. With this, it is but right that th...

DSWD hails social workers on Filipino Social Workers’ Day

19Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

DSWD hails social workers on Filipino Social Workers’ Day

IN recognition of the contributions and efforts of social workers in the implementation of the Philippine government’s social welfare and development programs and services, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in collaboration with the ASEAN Social Work Consortium-Philippines, spearheaded the celebration of the Filipino Social Workers’ Day on June 19. With the theme “Resilient Filipino Social Workers: Moving Toward the New Socio-Economic, Political, Cultural and Environmental Challenges”, the celebration highlighted the unwavering commitment, dedication, and altruism of Filipino Social Workers as well as their significant role in the reduction of various socioeconomic vulnerabilities of individuals, families, and communities in the country. In his keynote address...

It’s time to give domestic workers across Asia and the Pacific the rights they deserve

16Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

It’s time to give domestic workers across Asia and the Pacific the rights they deserve

WITH few rights and little social protection, domestic workers were often cast aside during the Covid-19 pandemic to fend for themselves. On International Domestic Workers Day, Chihoko Asada-Miyakawa, International Labour Organization’s Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, explains why it’s time for a change. As the Covid-19 pandemic slowly abates, it is time for countries in Asia and the Pacific to provide better social protection for domestic workers and fully recognize and regulate their work as equal to any other. According to an ILO publication launched today (16 June), “Making the right to social security a reality for domestic workers”, more than two-thirds of domestic workers in the Asia and Pacific region are not covered by even one soc...

War in Ukraine takes toll on East Asian economies

10Jun

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

War in Ukraine takes toll on East Asian economies

IN today’s hyper-connected world, with our interlinked economies, migrant diasporas and 24-hour news channels, it’s no surprise that the war in Ukraine is being felt across the globe. The war has upended the fragile economic recovery from the pandemic, not only triggering a devastating humanitarian crisis but also increasing food and commodity prices and globally exacerbating inflationary pressures. A new forecast released this week by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) shows how far global prospects have declined. According to the World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) as of mid- 2022, the global economy is now projected to grow by only 3.1 percent in 2022, down from the 4.0 percent growth forecast released in January. Global inflation is ...

9Apr

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

Statutory Rape Increase Signed into Law

REPUBLIC Act No. 11648, or the act increasing the age for determining statutory rape, received the President’s signature on March 4, 2022. The long-awaited law raises the age of sexual consent from 12 to below 16 years old. “I know this has been long-awaited by many families and child rights advocates, and as a parent to three young kids myself, I was really adamant that we get this out for the President’s signature this Congress,” said Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, author and co-sponsor of the law. He also co-chaired the Senate bicameral conference committee panel for the bill, along with Sen. Richard Gordon. “At thirteen or fourteen, our kids cannot make informed decisions about sex yet, especially sex with adults, so this is a really important law that will protect o...

Imminent plastics treaty to give Filipinos fighting chance vs plastic-polluting businesses

5Mar

By Leander DomingoNo Comments

Opinion

Imminent plastics treaty to give Filipinos fighting chance vs plastic-polluting businesses

GREENPEACE Philippines welcomed the adoption of a resolution mandating the creation of a global treaty to end plastic pollution. The group said the agreement provides a strong warning for plastic polluting companies to immediately align themselves to global ambitions by reducing their plastic production and shifting to reuse and refill models. The group said that the resolution, adopted at the 5th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) in Nairobi, Kenya last Wednesday, will be instrumental in forging a legally binding agreement that can help developing countries like the Philippines to stand up against corporate polluters. These include oil and chemical companies that produce raw plastic, as well as consumer goods manufacturers whose annual production of millions of tons of ...