The Leadership of Elpidio Quirino

 Elpidio Quirino was born on November 16, 1980, in Vigan and died on February 28, 1956, in Novalovhes, at the age of 65. He finished his elementary education in Vigan Primary School and continued at the Ateneo de Manila University, where he completed his secondary education. Finally, he obtained a law degree from the University of the Philippines in 1915. 

Before becoming president, Quirino had a long career in public service. In fact, after World War II, Quirino served as secretary of state and vice president under the first president of the independent Philippines, who was led by Manuel Roxas. When President Roxas died on April 15, 1948, Quirino became the president. His presidency came at a challenging time, as the country was still recovering from the effects of World War II and struggling with economic issues.

As the postwar reconstruction of the Philippines
was still undergoing, Quirino fixed the economy of his administration through establishing PACSA (President’s Action Committee on Social Amelioration), ACCFA (Agricultural Credit Cooperatives Financing Administration), the Labor Management Advisory Board, and the Rural Banks of the Philippines. These were made to ease the sufferings of poor families, help the farmers market their products, and help countrymen in the rural areas manage their finances. Second, he tried to restore the faith of the people in the government body of the Philippines. He revived "fireside chats" of former president Quezon that update people about the government.

Despite his many successes, Quirino faced some serious challenges during his presidency. First, he was the first president to undergo an impeachment trial because he allegedly purchased a very expensive Golden Orinola using government money. Second is the Hukbalahap, a communist rebel group, which was a major problem during his presidency. Third is corruption. Quirino’s administration faced accusations of corruption, especially among some of his cabinet members. These scandals affected his public image, even though there was no evidence linking Quirino himself to any wrongdoing.

REFERENCES

WordPress. (2010, April 6). Philippine Presidents. https://bloomspresidents.wordpress.com/elpido-r-quirino/

Robinson, J. (2018, November 26). NHK World Special: Hatred And Forgiveness. KPBS Public Media. https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2015/09/03/nhk-world-special-hatred-and-forgiveness

 

Honoring the Indigenous Communities of the Philippines

 

In the Philippines, a country rich in culture, indigenous peoples known as Katutubo include various groups like Aetas, Igorots, Lumads and Mangyans. These communities, found in many parts of the country, have diverse traditions, languages and art forms. Every October, National Indigenous Peoples Month is celebrated to honor their contributions and raise and deepen awareness and understanding of their struggles.
This month promotes respect and appreciation for their culture (through programs, exhibits and educational activities). This year’s theme, “Mga Katutubo at Katutubong Dunong: Pahalagahan, Pangalagaan at Parangalan” (which means Valuing, Nurturing and Honoring Indigenous Peoples and Indigenous Knowledge), also marks 27th year of the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act (IPRA). The law protects their rights to ancestral lands, cultural preservation and self-governance.

Observing National Indigenous Peoples Month 2024 promotes and protects the rights and culture of indigenous peoples. It strengthens their visibility in society, pushes for more support in preserving traditions and raises awareness about the challenges they face. Educational campaigns and events encourage younger generations to appreciate and respect indigenous cultures. Moreover, it fosters solidarity and collaboration among various sectors to ensure that indigenous rights are upheld.

Indigenous People play a vital role in every country. It is important to value their knowledge and preserve their culture, because respect for their rights is essential.

REFERENCES

NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES MONTH. (2022, September 16). National Today. https://nationaltoday.com/national-indigenous-peoples-month/

(n.d)https://www.twinkl.nl/teaching-wiki/the-indigenous-people-in-the-philippines

Aapi-Up. (2018, December 13). Understanding Indigenous People in the Philippines. Tumblr. https://www.google.com/amp/s/aapi-up.tumblr.com/post/181066743410/understanding-indigenous-people-in-the-philippines/amp

Mejia, N. (2018, March 25). A call to action against the exploitation of Filipino Indigenous people. Change.org. https://www.change.org/p/anac-ip-partylist-and-ncip-ao-call-to-action-against-the-exploitation-of-filipino-indigenous-people

Filipino Resiliency Amidst Climate Change

 Many Filipinos are experiencing the effects of climate change in the Philippines. It is a major problem that should not be ignored, especially by the government, because it affects people and the environment. This is more likely caused by human activities such as deforestation, burning of waste, improper disposal of waste, and excessive use of energy.

                   

This year (2024), evidence of climate change has been seen. Throughout April and May, increased temperatures were experienced in the Philippines, causing schools to change schedules and/or suspend classes. And this year, many typhoons hit the Philippines, especially Luzon, during September-November. Almost every week since September, a typhoon has been experienced in the Philippines, causing many suspensions of classes and work. Also causing farmers to suffer. Imagine working hard for your crops and having them damaged and wasted just because of typhoons. It's not just that, many houses were also destroyed, and many lives were taken.

However, Filipinos are known for their "bayanihan." They strongly faced these challenges and remained kind to others. They helped each other to rise again.

REFERENCES

PAGASA. (n.d.). Climate Change in the Philippines https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/information/climate-change-in-the-philippines

World Weather Attribution. (2024, May 14).Climate change made the deadly heatwaves that hit millions of highly vulnerable people across  Asia more frequent and extreme  https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-made-the-deadly-heatwaves-that-hit-millions-of-highly-vulnerable-people-across-asia-more-frequent-and-extreme/

Agence France-Prese(2024, April 2) Philippines heat to reach ‘danger’ levels, hundreds of schools suspend classes.
https://amp.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3257580/philippines-heat-reach-danger-levels-hundreds-schools-suspend-classes

Afp. (2024, November 19). Floods strike thousands of houses in northern Philippines. Arab News. https://www.arabnews.com/node/2579873/world

Cruz, B. R. D. D. (2024, October 28). Bagyong ‘Kristine’ nag-aywan it P15 milyon nga agricultural damage base sa initial nga assessment it Office of the Provincil Agriculture. Bombo Radyo Kalibo. https://kalibo.bomboradyo.com/bagyong-kristine-nag-aywan-it-p15-milyon-nga-agricultural-damage-base-sa-initial-nga-assessment-it-office-of-the-provincil-agriculture/

Reporter, G. S. (2024, November 18). More than 650,000 people flee as Super Typhoon Man-yi hits Philippines. Philippines | the Guardian. https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/16/tens-of-thousands-flee-as-super-typhoon-man-yi-nears-philippines

Together Let's Raise Awareness and Stop Child Violence

 

"Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future." – John F. Kennedy. This month we celebrate the national children's month with the theme “Break the Prevalence, End the Violence: Protecting Children, Creating a Safe Philippines."

Unfortunately, in the Philippines, violence against children is very prevalent. Undersecretary Angelo Tapales, executive director of the CWC, informed reporters at the DSWD Media Forum on October 31 that 18,756 allegations of violations of children's rights were received by the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center in 2023. And in that 18,756 allegations of violations of children's rights, 17,304 reports are cases of violence against children, or what we call child abuse, including rape and acts of lasciviousness. Since 2016, these have been the top three violations against children. Any form of violence can affect a child's mental, emotional, and physical health. It can cause trauma and make children scared. And no child deserves to feel that way; we all deserve to be happy, feel safe, and feel protected. This is a serious problem that needs immediate response. As a youth, I believe that we can all contribute to breaking the prevalence of violence. 

The government should focus on this issue because they have the higher ability to combat this problem. And they should implement more laws about violence against children and make budget funds for programs for children who are victims of violence. Parents should further practice positive parenting. It is also important that we are aware of our rights and know how to protect ourselves from any types of harm. Let us all take this opportunity to spread awareness and remind ourselves to respect others. 

 REFERENCES

 
CWC exec-Department of Social Welfare and Development. (2024, November 1)32nd National Children’s Month seeks to end all forms of violence against children. https://www.dswd.gov.ph/32nd-national-childrens-month-seeks-to-end-all-forms-of-violence-against-children-cwc-exec/

ChildFundPhilippines (2024, November 4). X (Formerly Twitter). https://x.com/ChildFundPh/status/1853348178499867116

UNICEF East Asia and the Pacific Regional Office, UNFPA Asia and Pacific Regional Office, and UN Women Asia and Pacific Regional Office ( 2024, November)Ending Violence against Women and Children in the Philippines
https://www.unicef.org/eap/reports/ending-violence-against-women-and-children-philippines

United Nations (n.d.) UN Study on Violence Againts Children
https://violenceagainstchildren.un.org/content/un-study-violence-against-children