Year: 2020
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ECOP: Almost 53% of MSMEs closed down permanently and partially
Edgardo B. Lacson, chairman of the Employer’s Conference of the Philippines (ECOP) says that 52.66% of micro, small, and medium enterprises have closed down permanently or partially due to the prolonged lockdown imposed by the Philippine government. Of those who were able to continue their operation, 12.55% of MSMEs have limited operations, while only 34.79…
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Leonor Briones: Learning and education must continue
The following article was penned by the Philippines’ Department of Education (DEPED) Secretary, Leonor Briones. In it, she relates some of the decisions the DEPED had to make during the pandemic. Briones cites the resumption of classes in many countries for pushing for the start of classes on August 24, 2020. She also explains how…
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The Imperial College model for reopening has failed yet again
In this article for the American Institute for Economic Research, Peter Magness looks at the forecasts made by the Imperial College Londom (ICL) for the reopening of five US states. The ICL shows two scenarios for reopening, both of which involves the catastrophic rebound of COVID-19 deaths. Two months since the predictions were created by the ICL,…
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CDC changes guidance on how long COVID-19 patients should be isolated
People who exhibited mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms are no longer infectious after 10 days. As such, the CDC has advised that these patients should be allowed to leave isolation facilities even without receiving a negative test. The CDC also says that no retest is necessary after 10 days unless the patient is immunocompromised or…
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No, COVID education is not homeschooling
In this article for the American Institute for Economic Research, Fiona Harrigan says that the pandemic is not a great moment for homeschooling. Harrigan states that homeschooling was an educational choice which was rooted in agency. It enabled parents to develop curriculums which addressed the individual needs of their children. It allowed homeschooled children to pursue…
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How can we defend our capacity for attention and empathy?
The following article was written by Boyd Collins, an information scientist, web application architect, and philosopher of technology. In it, he outlines how social media manipulates human behavior. Through this article, Collins offers to us an understanding of how we can better use social media so that it can support full human relationships. He also…
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Defending our capacity for attention and empathy
How can we create flourishing human relationships? Jaron Lanier, one of the founders of virtual reality, asked the following question, “If the ‘hive mind’ is my audience, who am I?” [efn_note]Jaron Lanier, You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto, (New York: Vintage Books, 2011. Kindle Edition) loc. 175.[/efn_note] The hive mind is an order in which…
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Metro Manila may return to stricter quarantine level if cases hit 85k by end of July
In a press briefing yesterday, July 22, 2020, presidential spokesperson said that the Philippines’ capital may revert back to a stricter quarantine if coronavirus cases reach 85,000 by July 31. Under a stricter quarantine level, businesses can only operate up to 50% and limitations to transport services will continue. Editor’s Note: This is what happens when…
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20% of Filipinos go hungry amid COVID
A recent survey conducted by the SWS discovered that 5.2 million or 20.9% of Filipinos have experienced involuntary hunger over the past three months of community quarantines in the country. This is a 4.2% increase from the involuntary hunger recorded in May 2020. 5.1% have experienced severe hunger, the highest figure recorded since June 2013. …
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Education secretary: Children need human interaction
Philippines’ eduction secretary Leonor Briones cites the importance of human interaction to the development of children as rationale for allowing limited face to face classes in low risk areas. In this interview with The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Sec. Briones also says that children are not too affected by the pandemic and allowing human interaction, though limited,…
