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In April 2021, the Philippines committed to a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its 2020 numbers as part of the Paris Agreement. It also aimed to increase renewable energy (“RE” or “renewables”) usage to 35% to enable this goal. Plans are still in motion for the country’s RE transition, but as far as progress is concerned, Southeast Asia’s Green Economy 2022 Report found the Philippines to be a laggard in the race for green energy. According to the report, this slow pace is due to a lack of concrete implementation to accompany our loftier plans, so high hopes rest on the incoming administration to catch up and make good on our commitment to GHG reduction.

In 2013, Yahoo dealt with what the world now dubs as one of the biggest, if not the most massive, data hacks in history. At that time, the company was in the process of a huge takeover deal with another firm. According to a Reuters article, the breach took place in 2013 but was publicized by Yahoo only in 2016 when the company admitted that accounts of over a billion of its subscribers were compromised. Although the hackers were able to access security questions and answers, the attackers were not able to steal payment card and other bank details of the company’s subscribers.

Can you remember the very first time you logged your financial details online or made a cashless transaction? As late as 2016, I can still recall a general hesitance to sign up for e-wallets or streaming platforms due to a fear that any attempt to put one’s credit card or bank details online would immediately lead to theft. Some five years later, however, financial technology (fintech) has proliferated in the mainstream.

Feeling left out has a lot of harmful effects to our emotional and mental well-being. In fact, when we do not feel like we belong in a particular communal setting or activity, the social ties that help manage our stress levels are eroded. Over time, these small emotions associated with feeling left out balloon, and we are often left to deal with higher levels of stress, much more than we can handle.

If you were to gather the world’s most imaginative storytellers and its most pedantic planners in one room and ask them to come up with a vision of the future, how accurate would that future be?

The Filipino culture has never failed to mesmerize. There is no one word to describe it, as it is rightfully referred to as a cultural potpourri of sorts. It brings to the table something new and something old in terms of tradition, married by the Philippines’ rich history covering periods of colonization and subsequent independence sought by the country’s brave heroes and martyrs.

A considerable number of newsworthy climate stories came out in the last two months. This year's Earth Hour and Earth Day celebrations are still fresh in mind, especially as the latter urged society to "invest in our planet" and act now. April notably saw a worldwide scientist-led protest following the release of the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. More recently, the BBC reported on "phantom forests" resulting from organizations that overpromised and failed to implement reforestation programs.

What makes a good leader? We may have heard or read about this question at least once, more so now that we have seen and heard from political candidates during their campaigns and rallies before the May 9 national elections. The same inquiry arises at some point for corporate employees. Although it is easy to dismiss it as another question with neither a right nor wrong answer, it is one worth pondering about. After all, being a leader is not just getting the job done; it is far from it. It entails fostering open communication with and a culture of trust among peers and staff, with Gallup reporting that 22% of workers expect to have leaders with clear-cut objectives and visions for the organization. Needless to say, a leader is one who is able to contribute and to make a lasting impact to colleagues and the whole organization.