When Courage Becomes Too Expensive

I have to admit that the news about the four ex-Marines changing their statements left me deeply disappointed. Maybe “disappointed” is not even the right word. There is something heavier about watching people who were once willing to speak suddenly step back. In a country already struggling with corruption, political pressure, and a lack of… Continue reading When Courage Becomes Too Expensive

Is Karma Real or Just a Comfort Story?

“Do good and good will come back to you.” Most of us have heard this sentence since childhood. It sounds comforting because it promises that life has a way of balancing itself. It tells us that kindness will be rewarded and cruelty will eventually be punished. It gives people hope that justice may be delayed,… Continue reading Is Karma Real or Just a Comfort Story?

The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion

Former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio recently called the flood control scam the biggest corruption scandal in Philippine history. Bigger than any scandal during Martial Law. Bigger than all the other stories of corruption that have angered Filipinos for decades. Hearing something like that makes you stop and wonder — how can something this massive… Continue reading The Flood Control Scam: How Corruption Stole ₱421 Billion

The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude

There is a strange feeling that often sits quietly in human nature, one that we rarely admit out loud but almost everyone has experienced. It is the small sense of satisfaction that arises when someone else faces a setback, especially if that person seemed too fortunate, too confident, or too untouchable. The Germans gave this… Continue reading The Curious Pull of Schadenfreude