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The truth about our resurrection

THAT gospel episode, where some resurrection-deniers among the Jews tested Christ with a tricky question about the resurrection, gave Christ the chance to talk precisely about this truth of our Christian faith. (cfr. Mk 12,18-27) They approached him and posed the question about whose wife a woman who married seven brothers, one after another, would be among the brothers at what they regarded as the so-called resurrection. And so, Christ told them that at the resurrection, everyone would have gone beyond our earthly condition to enter into our spiritualized and supernatural condition. Yes, we will still retain our body. But that body will be fully subjected to its spiritual and supernatural condition where marriage, whose main purpose is procreation, would already be irrelevant. As Christ said, in the resurrection, we would be like angels, but angels with a body. We will not be pure spirits. And then he proceeded to explain about the resurrection by citing some passages in the Bo...
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Why does God allow Evil?

By Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo The title above does not say, “Why did God create evil ?” because God does not directly create evil. All that God created is good. We men are the ones who have spoiled creation and created evil. God only allows evil to happen but always for a good purpose. Life is full of good things. Some of them are very good. But life is also full of bad things:   sin, suffering, disease, death, disappointments, fears, follies, and failures. A religion that does not take into account the “dark side” of life is unrealistic and incomplete. The Catholic Church , like God Himself, has always taken evil seriously, in real life as well as in thought. First, let’s discuss evil and its nature. Evil is the most serious problem in the world for three reasons:   one, it is the only anti-God thing in the world. Second, evil is the strongest argument against the existence of God, the only reason for atheism :   if God is good why does He allow evil? There are many ...

How are we disposing coal ash in the Philippines

We already know that coal-fired power plants continue to operate across the country. What we don’t always know is how we are disposing of the toxic byproducts they produce—especially coal ash . Coal ash, which includes both fly ash and bottom ash , is a waste product from burning coal. It contains heavy metals like arsenic , mercury , and lead —substances we do not want to leak into our air, soil, or water. Yes, of course, there are laws regulating the disposal of coal ash. We have a comprehensive legal framework: RA 6969 controls hazardous waste RA 8749 (Clean Air Act) regulates emissions and ash pollution RA 9003 governs solid waste DENR AO 2004-36 lays out how hazardous waste should be handled And even the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) touches on coal ash contracts That’s impressive on paper. But here’s the real question: How do we know how much of these laws are being implemented? There are agencies that are supposed to do the job—the DENR, its E...

AI can help, but weak support systems put older Filipinos at risk

The Philippines is projected to become an aging society by 2030, but inadequate support systems, such as weak healthcare, limited pensions, and low digital literacy, risk leaving millions of older Filipinos vulnerable. Aging experts at the 11th Annual Public Policy Conference (APPC), organized by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) as part of the 23rd Development Policy Research Month (DPRM), urged the government to act now: strengthen institutions, embrace technology responsibly, and ensure no elderly Filipino is left behind. “The Philippines is aging before it becomes economically affluent,” warned Dr. Grace Cruz of the UP Population Institute. Findings from the “Longitudinal Study of Aging and Health in the Philippines (LSAHP)” reveal that older Filipinos have fragile and informal sources of support: six in ten rely on their children, 54% on pensions, only one in four earn from work due to low employment rates, and 18% receive remittances from abroad. ...

Comelec 2nd division nixes poll protest vs Laoag mayor

Former  Laoag Mayor Michael Keon and incumbent Laoag Mayor Bryan Alcid. By Dominic B. dela Cruz, Staff reporter Laoag City —The Commission on Elections (Comelec) Second Division has “dismissed with finality” the election protest filed by former Laoag Mayor Michael Marcos Keon against elected Laoag Mayor James Bryan Alcid. Alcid was happy that the Comelec dismissed the protest filed by the former mayor. “Maragsakan tayo tapnu metla maka traaho tayon iti husto ked ere-deretso with no hindrances ,” the mayor said. City government administrator Atty. Ed Von Cid, in an earlier interview, confirmed the dismissal of the case filed by Keon against Alcid. Cid said he received via email the certificate of finality and entry of judgment regarding the election protest. According to Cid, the mayor has no plan to “counter” the former mayor rather the mayor said it is time to move on since the final result has been declared, and politicking should be over now. He added that since th...

New Laoag mayor marks 1st 100 days

By Dominic B. dela Cruz,  Staff reporter Laoag City —Guided by this administration’s tagline, “Alisto, Asenso, Progreso,” Laoag mayor James Bryan Q. Alcid presented his 1 st 100 days accomplishment for the city of Laoag.   Charity Begins At Home The mayor’s first half day of work became a signal for change that everyone should start to work and deliver the beginning of fulfilling promises which he immediately signed Executive Order No. JBA 001-2025 institutionalizing the tagline “Alisto, Asenso Progreso” as the general approach to local governance for his administration and to be adapted by all departments aligning their programs, projects, and services. The mayor likewise issued Memorandum JBA 2025 No. 001 for the City Assessor’s Office and City Treasurer’s Office for the implementation of Real Property Valuation and Assessment Reform Act that resulted to a collection of PHP4 million and saved around PHP8,000 for the fines and penalties those who were unable to...

Ilocos Norte set to become first to attain HPV Vaccination WHO standard

  Ilocos  Norte leads the way toward cervical cancer elimination, nearing 90% HPV vaccination coverage among young girls, a milestone that brings the Philippines closer to a cervical cancer-free future. Laoag City — Ilocos Norte is on its way to becoming the first province in the Philippines to achieve 90-percent vaccination coverage among young girls in public schools against the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) which is the cause of cervical cancer.   The province’s goal is aligned with the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target to fully vaccinated 90% of girls against HPV by age 15, to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030. Ilocos Norte’s ambition was highlighted during the Department of Health’s (DOH) national launch of the Bakuna Eskwela Campaign in Balatong Integrated School in Laoag City on September 30, 2025. This comes after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed in his recent State of the Nation Address , that cancer prevention through HPV vaccination, is one o...