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A laptop, a TV, a printer- for many city dwellers, these are everyday essentials. In schools, these are basic tools used routinely for learning and teaching. Electricity is a given- plug in a device, flip a switch, and the lights come on.

But in last-mile schools, electricity is a rare privilege. For students and teachers in these remote areas, multimedia equipment is virtually non-existent. Lessons are taught with chalk, blackboards, and paper- humble tools that, while noble, limit the ability to spark creativity and innovation.

And yet, despite these challenges, educators in these underserved public schools continue to show up, driven by purpose, resilience, and heart. It’s remarkable, even heroic, how they persevere to help their students gain equal footing with their urban counterparts.

What fuels their dedication? For many, it is the act of giving back. It’s a return to their roots, to the very schools that shaped them, and to the teachers who became their ‘second parents’. These are educators whose love and devotion paved the way for generations.

This World Teachers’ Day, Manuel V. Pangilinan-led One Meralco Foundation (OMF) shines a light on two such inspiring individuals: Analyn Miñao and Jonel Elnar. They are teachers whose stories remind us that even in the most remote corners of the country, hope and excellence still thrive.

‘Teachers returning to their roots is a unique heroic act that gives inspiration to the many young students in these last mile schools. We honor them by our commitment to ensure that educators who answer this call are supported with resources they need, like electrification, to keep spreading light and hope for the next generation,’ One Meralco Foundation President Jeffrey O. Tarayao said.

Echoes from a second-grade classroom

The inspiration for Analyn, who grew up in Punta Baja, Rizal, Palawan, came from a teacher she encountered in only one school year. Her second-grade teacher Sabina Lugo Lorenzo became her earliest mentor, guiding her on cursive writing and learning English. Having no electricity in their remote community and no other means to access information during that time, the young student clung to her teachers’ words of wisdom as guidance.

Analyn carried her teacher’s reminder by heart: ‘Kapag ikaw ay inutusan, dapat ito ay sundin mo nang may paggalang, na may kasamang ngiti sa mga labi at hindi nang may pagsimangot at pagdadabog.’ When her parents-both of whom were unable to finish elementary school-told her to study hard and do what she can to rise from poverty, she followed with a smile, in many times selling banana cue at school to earn money for pencils and papers that she would use for her lessons.

Analyn, the only college graduate in their family, brought this reminder with her to school as a teacher, inspired to become like her beloved Ma’am Lorenzo. Echoing her teacher’s words to the kindergarten students of Calupisan Elementary School, located in the remote mountains of Rizal some 200 kilometers south of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan, Analyn encourages the young indigenous Palaw’an students to learn, even though many are fatigued from a two-hour walk from home to school and sometimes lack basic school supplies.

The lack of electricity and other equipment hamper the learning outcomes of students, but for Analyn, the reward is seeing her kindergarten students learning how to identify letters, numbers, and symbols, and even start to learn how to write despite these challenges. ‘Lubos na kasiyahan ang nararamdaman ko tuwing nakikita kong dahan-dahan silang natututo dahil sa unang araw ng pagpasok nila, karamihan sa kanila ‘di pa marunong humawak ng lapis o hindi nakakakilala ng kahit na anong simbulo, numero, o letra. Napapangiti ako dahil nakikitaan ko sila ng kumpiyansa sa kanilang kakayahan, lalo na kung meron nang marunong magbasa sa kanila ng mga salita.’

Potential found in a young island student

Jonel Elnar calls the islands of Calaguas in Vinzons, Camarines Norte his home. The Eugenia M. Quintela Memorial High School served as his second home, where he learned about the world through his teachers’ lenses.

Finding himself teaching in his former classrooms, he credits two people for sparking his interest in education: Teacher Eunice Elep who taught him English, and Teacher Michelle Orsolino, who taught him Science and honed his communication skills. He remembered how they instilled confidence and challenged him to become the best student he could be, encouraging him to join storytelling competitions and besting other students in science quiz bees. ‘Tumatak sa isip ko ang sabi nila na mag-aral kami nang mabuti para maging maayos ang aming buhay at makawala sa kahirapan,’ he recalled.

Inspired, he left the island to pursue a degree in education on the mainland. Seeing a computer for the very first time was a realization of how lacking the learning experience was on his island, affirming his decision to go back and serve as an educator.

‘Na-realize ko po na kahit sino ay may kakayahang maging guro, pero hindi lahat ay kayang maging guro sa island schools. Maraming kakulangan sa facilities at mahirap ang pagtawid, pero matututo ka na pagbutihin at mahalin ang trabaho mo dahil makikita mo ang tiyaga ng mga mag-aaral mo,’ said Jonel, fondly called by his students as Sir Jones.

‘Masaya po sa pakiramdam kapag ‘yung mga students ko noon ay nagme-message sa akin na Sir, I’m taking education po, lalo ‘pag English Major and sinabing na-inspire sila sa akin.’

Re-energizing education for a brighter future

Bridging gaps in last mile schools, OMF, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), brought solar technology to these remote communities through its School Electrification Program (SEP). Providing an alternative energy source, the electricity brings light, ventilates classrooms, charges teachers’ laptops for continuous access to the learning equipment, powers their television sets so students have access to digital and visual materials, and allows them to print learning materials in school so teachers like Analyn and Jonel find support so they can continue to maximize their teaching potential and focus on inspiring their students.

Jonel experienced firsthand the difficulties studying without electricity, and he can only marvel at the change light has brought to their island: ‘Namulatan kong mag-aral nang tukarol o gasera (kerosene lamp) lang ang gamit kapag gumagawa ng assignment. Ngayon, mas maliwanag na ang bukas ng aming mga estudyante. Hindi lang po ang mga classroom namin ang lumiliwanag, ganun din po ang future ng aming mga mag-aaral,’ he shared.

Gone are the days when teachers were the only source of information; students and teachers can now use gadgets to supplement their learnings. ‘Ngayon, ang mga estudyante may awareness na malayo pa ang mararating nila dahil nagkaroon na sila ng mas malawak na perspective dahil sa edukasyon. Ang iba sa kanila nangangarap na ngayon maging engineer, pilot, o pati flight attendant.’

Analyn, who for years lamented the scarcity of resources in their school, is now hopeful that her students will be more excited to attend classes where multimedia equipment is used, and that teachers can provide better learning materials thanks to electricity and technology.

With these opportunities given to the Palaw’an children, Analyn is also hopeful that the parents would be encouraged to invest in their children’s education beyond elementary school. ‘Sana’y maging hamon ito sa mga magulang na makita ang ganda ng mundong naghihintay sa kanila dala ng maayos at may de kalidad na edukasyon, na ang biyayang iyon ay mapatapos nila ang kanilang anak na magiging daan para makahanap ng marangal na trabaho na maaaring magpabago sa takbo ng kanilang pamumuhay.’

Light that sustains comes in different forms: from the sun that powers schools, to the inspiration given by teachers who change lives with their kind and encouraging words. For dedicated teachers like Jonel and Analyn, the sparks of hope are enough to sustain their hearts for their students and their community. More than just a profession, teaching is truly a calling.

‘Ang inspirasyon na nakuha ko noon kay Ma’am Lorenzo, at ang mga tulong na pinaabot sa aming munting paaralan, lahat ng ito ay nakatulong para maging mas epektibo akong guro para sa susunod na henerasyon. Taos puso akong nagpapasalamat sa inyong pagmamalasakit at inspirasyon sa guro na tulad ko,’ a grateful Analyn shared.

On a rain-slick September night, Rockwell Center’s brand-new Proscenium Theater opened not with a whisper, but with gunfire. The inaugural show-9 Works Theatrical’s staging of The Bodyguard The Musical-began with a flash and the crack of a gunshot, immediately pulling the audience into the world of danger, fame, and love that defines the story.

The Proscenium Theater makes its intent clear the moment you step inside. Its tiered seating curves upward in an elegant rise, ensuring visibility. Unlike many other theaters where rear seats relegate you to staring at the back of the audience’s heads, here you can follow the on-stage action no matter where you are. It is a theater built to amplify moments like that opening gunshot: immediate, visceral, and impossible to ignore.

Based on the 1992 film starring Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner in their breakout roles, The Bodyguard The Musical follows rising star singer Rachel Marron as she grapples with both the dazzling demands of her newfound fame and the lurking threat of a dangerous stalker. To protect her, Frank Farmer, a former Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard, is hired. What begins as a tense professional arrangement grows into a complex relationship, as Rachel and Frank navigate trust, vulnerability, and romance.

Grammy-nominated artist and West End sensation Christine Allado as the leading lady sparkles on stage. Her riveting performance entirely embodies both sides of the role, whether it be the global superstar or the woman caught between love and fear. Her crystalline voice was the production’s centerpiece, bringing both strength and vulnerability to Whitney Houston’s powerhouse repertoire.

Opposite Allado was Matt Blaker, the British West End actor cast as Frank Farmer. With roles as Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and Billy Flynn in Chicago, Blaker brought a measured, stoic restraint to the role. His Frank was all brooding restraint, providing a dramatic counterweight to Allado’s freedom-loving Rachel.

What begins as a tense professional arrangement grows into a complex relationship to the tune of Whitney Houston’s legendary hits like ‘I Have Nothing,’ ‘Run to You,’ and ‘I Will Always Love You’.

One of the most striking technical choices was the use of separated stages paired with video projections. Frequently, actors performed on one plane while music video-style visuals, pre-recorded sequences, or stylized backdrops played on another. Initially impressive, this overused framing device lost its novelty and became a crutch.

The power of theater as a medium lies in immediacy: proximity, presence, and intimacy. Too often, the production leaned on effects better suited for film, neglecting the very intimacy that makes live theater distinct.

And yet, when the production leaned on stagecraft and trusted the medium, it soared. For instance, the karaoke bar scene in Act 1 used a physical bar set and the energy of multiple ensemble actors to make the world feel lived-in and alive. Ensemble actors filled the space with the messy energy of a night out-laughing, bantering, spilling drinks, and singing off-key. Rachel and Frank’s relationship softened here, in a moment that relied not on projection screens but on on-stage chemistry and atmospheric design.

Act 2 started strong with the most fully realized use of the stage all evening. The stage was stripped down, featuring only a bed as its central prop. The silence was heavy, the lighting tightly focused. That simplicity funneled every ounce of attention to the characters onstage, their proximity, their dialogue, and their emotions. Restraint in setting the scene drew the audience into the world closer than any projection could.

These scenes, more than any technical flourish, reminded the audience why theater endures.

The production’s devotion to the 1992 film was both its strength and its Achilles’ heel. The music-the late, great Whitney Houston’s canon-is both the production’s gift and burden. While audiences were thrilled by the live renditions of iconic songs, their placement in the story often felt disjointed. Instead of emerging naturally from character and circumstance, numbers occasionally halted the narrative, resembling a greatest-hits concert stitched onto a plot.

Costume design, however, was a consistently strong department. Not only was the fashion period appropriate, but it feels like something taken right out of a superstar singer’s wardrobe. Rachel’s many performance ensembles are as glamorous as the life she leads, and even her ‘off-duty’ everyday attire marks her as someone who could never quite blend into the crowd.

Lighting was less successful. In ensemble-heavy moments, the absence of clear focal cues leaves you unsure where to look. Costumes were sometimes the only clue as to who the eye should land on. Bright spotlights during concert scenes often shone directly into the audience, creating discomfort and broken focus.

What the show makes very clear is that it loves the original Bodyguard film-its music, its moments, its aura. That love is both a strength and a limitation. While audiences relished hearing Houston’s timeless songs, the show risked losing sight of the very qualities that could have set it apart from the film as a theatrical production in its own right.

As the very first production to christen the Proscenium Theater, The Bodyguard The Musical was bold and ambitious. It was neither flawless nor hollow: at its core, it offered moments of brilliance-especially when it embraced theater’s unique strengths rather than imitating cinema.

Perhaps that is fitting for a debut: a promise for what this new stage could grow into. If the Proscenium’s next productions build on these lessons, this new venue could quickly become a space where Filipino audiences experience productions that not only dazzle but also truly move.

As part of its vision to make New Clark City a top sports destination, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the Philippine Tennis Association (PHILTA) to build the Philippine Tennis Center.

BCDA President and CEO Joshua Bingcang and Philta Secretary General John Rey Tiangco formalized the partnership.

‘This project ensures every Filipino child with a dream of becoming a tennis player has the chance to pursue it,’ said Bingcang.

BCDA has allocated 10 hectares for the center, which will meet international standards and support grassroots development and youth training. The initiative aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 and aims to boost sports tourism and economic growth.

‘New Clark City is the perfect location because of our shared vision for sports tourism,’ Tiangco said.

New Clark City already hosts world-class facilities, including a World Athletics-certified stadium with a gallery that can seat 20,000, a World Aquatics-approved center with 2,000 seats¸ a 525-unit Athletes’ Village and the National Academy of Sports, with plans for a dormitory and dining hall for 400 student-athletes.

Also present at the signing were BCDA chairperson Larry Paredes and Philta Executive Director Marie Antoinette Mendoza.

Catholic news publication editors from across Asia will gather in Manila for the SIGNIS Asia Catholic News Publication Editors’ Roundtable 2.0 on October 19 and 20 at a hotel in Manila.

The two-day meeting will precede the SIGNIS Asia Assembly, scheduled from October 21 to 25, 2025 in Tagaytay City, Cavite.

The participants will represent Catholic news publications from Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Japan, East and West Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor Leste.

The roundtable’s main purpose is to reflect on how Catholic-based news is being communicated today, to explore ways of extending its reach in order to bring the Good News to wider audiences across Asia, and to build a collaborative Catholic news network in the region.

Key themes to be addressed include:

What would Asian Catholic news media look like in 2030?

Where do we preach? Finding the Catholic voice and visibility in the digital wild

Bridging the divide: Keeping the faith alive in an increasingly secular and screen-soaked Asia

Stronger together: Building a collaborative Catholic news network in Asia

Serving both as a strategic dialogue and a platform for collaboration, the Editors’ Roundtable will set the tone for the SIGNIS Asia Assembly, where Catholic communicators, media practitioners, and church leaders will continue discerning the future of faith-based communication in the region.

President Russell Marion Nelson, world-renowned heart surgeon and 17th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Church of Jesus Christ), passed away peacefully at his home in Salt Lake City on September 27. He was 101 years old, the oldest prophet in the history of the Church.

Born on September 9, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Nelson was the second of four children of Marion C. and Edna Anderson Nelson. His early life was marked by a love of learning, music, and faith that shaped both his professional and spiritual journeys.

Medical career

President Nelson graduated at the top of his medical class at the University of Utah in 1947 and later earned a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

He helped develop the heart-lung machine that made open-heart surgery possible and performed Utah’s first successful open-heart operation in 1955. Over the course of his career, he performed more than 7,000 surgical operations.

He served as president of the Society for Vascular Surgery, as director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery, and as chairman of the Council on Cardiovascular Surgery for the American Heart Association.

He authored chapters in medical textbooks and numerous scholarly publications, gaining worldwide recognition for his skill and innovation.

Family

In 1945, he married Dantzel White in the Salt Lake Temple. Together they raised 10 children. After Sister Dantzel’s passing in 2005, he married Wendy L. Watson, a professor of marriage and family therapy, in April 2006.

Nelson is survived by Sister Wendy Nelson, eight of his children, 57 grandchildren, and more than 167 great-grandchildren.

Church service

Nelson was called as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on April 7, 1984, and served for more than three decades. On January 14, 2018, he was set apart as the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

His presidency was marked by significant initiatives that reshaped the global Church.

He announced the construction of 200 new temples, emphasized the importance of the revealed name of the Church, reorganized priesthood quorums, and introduced changes to ministering, missionary, and youth programs.

He also modified temple recommend interview questions and addressed policies affecting families.

As prophet, he ministered across the globe, visiting 32 countries and US territories, and met with world leaders, including Pope Francis in 2019. In January 2016, then-Elder Russell M. Nelson made his final visit to the Philippines, ministering to thousands of Latter-day Saints in multiple cities across the country.

President Nelson has also built bridges with faith and civic organizations, notably partnering with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to advance initiatives in education, self-reliance, and community service.

Legacy

President Nelson will be remembered for his pioneering contributions to medicine and for his prophetic leadership, which invited millions worldwide to deepen their faith in Jesus Christ.

Funeral services will be announced by the Church in the coming days. A successor to President Nelson is not expected to be formally designated until after the funeral.

The Church in the Philippines

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has grown remarkably in the Philippines since its first presence in 1961. Today, nearly 1 million members worship in more than 1,300 congregations across the country. The Philippines is also home to 14 temples in various stages of operation, construction, or planning, making it one of the largest centers of the Church outside the United States.

Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo ‘Ping’ M. Lacson is stepping aside as chairman of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, after some colleagues aired their disappointment over the inquiry anomalous flood control projects.

He acknowledged the observations, but also cited ‘disruptions’ that gave the perception of unwieldy hearings, including his run-ins with his predecessor in the Blue Ribbon, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta.

The two senators have been arguing over the handling of the Discaya couple, one of the biggest favored contractors for flood-control projects. At one point, Lacson asked Marcoleta, ‘why are you so protective of the Discayas?’

Meanwhile, Lacson – who noted that all Senate committee chairpersons including the Blue Ribbon are elected by fellow senators and thus serve at the pleasure of their peers – maintained on Sunday that this will not stop his continuing fight against corruption.

‘Since all chairpersons of the Senate committees are elected by our peers, I serve at the pleasure of my colleagues, particularly the members of the majority. Rightly or wrongly, when quite a number of them have expressed disappointment over how I’m handling the flood control project anomalies, I thought it’s time for me to step aside in favor of another member who they think can handle the committee better,’ Lacson said.

‘No amount of criticisms from misinformed netizens and partisan sectors can distract or pressure me from doing my job right, but when my own peers start expressing their group or individual sentiments, maybe it is best to vacate. Nevertheless, I will continue to fight a corrupt and rotten system in the misuse and abuse of public funds as I have consistently done in the course of my long years in public service,’ he added.

In a radio interview earlier Sunday, Lacson said he is preparing his resignation letter and may formally manifest it in plenary when the Senate resumes its session.

Lacson scored the fake news and false narratives that some sectors insisted on circulating – including one that says he is targeting some fellow senators while allegedly protecting members of the House of Representatives perceived to be the ‘masterminds’ of the flood control mess – including former Speaker Martin Romualdez and ex-Rep. Elizaldy Co.

‘If you ask me, I would say I handled the hearings well. But there are those trying to disrupt the hearings. In one instance, the hearing had barely started when someone tried to make a distraction,’ he said, apparently referring to Sen. Rodante Marcoleta, who questioned Lacson’s impartiality as soon as a hearing began. Marcoleta was replaced as Blue Ribbon chief by Lacson after the Sept. 8 shakeup that saw Vicente Sotto III elected Senate President, ousting Sen. Chiz Escudero.

Such disruptions, Lacson said in Filipino, are partly ‘why there is a perception that the hearings were not handled well.’

THE Philippines’ failure to strengthen basic education is weakening its workforce and dragging down its global competitiveness, according to industry experts who warned that poor literacy and numeracy at the earliest levels are feeding into the country’s widening talent gap.

In the 2025 IMD World Talent Report, the Philippines placed 64th out of 69 economies, lagging behind its Asean peers, which improved their rankings by investing heavily in education and training.

The report tracks how countries develop, attract and retain talent, and experts said the Philippines’ low standing is rooted in weak literacy and numeracy at the primary level.

Philippine Business for Education (PBEd) Executive Director Hanibal Camua said the poor performance was no surprise.

‘Related assessments will tell us that there’s really a problem.. We’re always at the bottom. That’s just in the education sector. When you’re looking at the World Talent Rankings and particularly talking about talent, what prepares our workforce is really our education and our training ecosystem,’ Camua said at a recent panel discussion.

In the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which tested 15-year-olds in 81 countries, the Philippines ranked near the bottom in all subjects-third lowest in science with an average score of 356, sixth lowest in mathematics with 355, and also sixth lowest in reading with 347.

These results showed little improvement from 2018, when the country scored 357 in science, 350 in mathematics, and 340 in reading.

A World Bank study also earlier found that as of 2021, nine out of 10 children were unable to read and understand a simple text by age 10.

Camua warned that this collapse in early learning is carried forward through the education system.

‘If we are not doing very well in basic education, then basically those who will proceed to senior high school and eventually to college will have low competencies. And it shows,’ he said.

The Philippine Statistics Authority’s (PSA) Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) reported that while basic literacy among Filipinos aged 10 to 64 reached 90 percent last year, functional literacy-defined as the ability to comprehend and apply information-was only at 70.8 percent.

According to the PSA, this means that for every nine individuals in this age group who can read, write and compute, two still struggle with comprehension.

The gap between basic and functional literacy was also widest among those aged 60 to 64, where one in every three who could read and write had difficulty understanding what they read.

Skills gap felt in training and jobs

THE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) has also seen the impact in its own programs, with many students entering training without the minimum skills needed to keep up.

‘Some of those graduating from basic education, even higher education, still do not know how to read and write. They cannot really comprehend well, and the numeracy facility is very low,’ said Tesda Executive Director El Cid Castillo, noting that this lack of foundational skills makes it difficult for many to qualify for or finish technical courses.

The lack of preparation has also spilled into the job market.

According to JobStreet by SEEK Managing Director Dannah Majarocon, some employers are struggling to match workers with vacancies.

‘This continued growth in job openings is not just an indicator of business growth but it’s also an indicator that there are jobs that are harder to fill because of the missing talent that we have,’ she said.

Majarocon added that the timing is critical, with younger cohorts now entering the workforce.

‘In the next two years or so, those who are currently 25 and under will be dominating the workspace. These are the very people we are saying we have an educational crisis,’ she said.

This generational shift, experts noted, highlights how deeply rooted the problem has become.

Camua stressed that the crisis cannot be pinned on a single administration, as decades of underinvestment have eroded the system.

‘It’s been a systemic negligence, I would say. It’s not attributable to this administration or the previous administration,’ he said.

He warned that unless reforms are carried out soon, the country’s so-called demographic dividend could turn into a liability.

‘Do not delay in solving the education crisis because the longer that we delay this, the more it becomes a liability,’ he added.

Falling behind ASEAN peers

THE Philippines, once regarded as a model for education in Southeast Asia, has been overtaken by its neighbors.

‘Malaysians and Indonesians would come here to study our education system. But the irony now is we are already left behind,’ Camua said.

Both Indonesia and Thailand have shown improvements in recent years, but the 2025 IMD results placed them ahead of the Philippines despite mixed movements.

Malaysia ranked 25th, climbing eight spots, while Indonesia slipped to 53rd but still remained well above the Philippines at 64th.

Thailand also kept its position in the middle of the pack (43rd), improving gradually in talent development indicators, where the Philippines has consistently lagged.

Panelists said this widening gap reflects years of underinvestment in literacy, numeracy, and functional reading, areas that must now be prioritized alongside higher per-student spending and stronger accountability mechanisms.

They added that the government cannot rely solely on companies to close the gap.

‘It’s a very, very practical viewpoint around it, but I feel like the cycle around relying on the private sector or businesses to actually upscale and reskill employees just because that need is so very urgent is absolutely unsustainable,’ Majarocon said.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has teamed up with e-commerce platform Lazada Philippines to expand the digital presence of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) assisted by the agency.

The partnership, formalized on Wednesday through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, seeks to bring more DOST-supported businesses into online marketplaces by integrating the agency’s MSMEs oneSTORE initiative with Lazada’s platform.

It also aims to provide MSMEs with access to the platform’s logistics, marketing, and payment systems to strengthen their market reach and competitiveness.

‘This collaboration is especially significant because MSMEs make up more than 99 percent of businesses in the Philippines and provide over 60 percent of employment,’ Science Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. said during the signing ceremony.

He said expanding their digital footprint could help small firms keep pace with changing consumer trends and market demands.

Under the agreement, participating MSMEs will undergo training through Lazada University, which offers modules on digital marketing, supply chain management, customer engagement, and online selling.

The two parties will also co-develop targeted campaigns promoting DOST-assisted products and innovation-driven enterprises.

Lazada Philippines government affairs head John Kenneth Estiller said the collaboration is designed to help MSMEs scale up their operations and improve their competitiveness both in local and global markets.

The partnership builds on DOST’s ongoing efforts to support small enterprises through technology-based programs, such as the Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program; Community Empowerment through Science and Technology; and the Science for Change Program.

From 2022 to 2024, thousands of MSMEs and local governments have benefited from these initiatives, according to the agency.

Data from the latest Global Innovation Index showed that the Philippines currently ranks third among lower-middle-income economies in innovation performance.

The De La Salle Philippines has begun developing a 24.4-hectare botanical garden that will cultivate rare and native plant species to support research on habitat restoration and ecological rehabilitation.

Through its Lasallian Institute for the Environment (LIFE), the La Salle Botanical Gardens (LSBG), located within AyalaLand’s Alviera estate in Porac, is envisioned as a living laboratory where scientists can study how disturbed landscapes recover and regenerate over time.

Esperanza Maribel Agoo, a botanist and biology professor at De La Salle University, told the BusinessMirror the project will prioritize species endemic to Central Luzon’s biogeographical zone.

‘We’re focusing on native species with rare and threatened status,’ Agoo said. ‘Among the rarest plants on earth can be found here-cycads, or ‘pitogo,’ local bamboo species, ferns, and some herbs and legumes that help fertilize the soil.’

‘These species will help us demonstrate habitat restoration in areas disturbed by lahar, floods and typhoons,’ she added.

Porac, one of the hardest-hit towns during the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption, was buried under repeated lahar flows that reshaped its terrain and river systems. The botanical garden seeks to transform these scarred areas into models for ecological recovery.

The LSBG forms part of La Salle Philippines’ broader environmental program on biodiversity conservation, ecological education, and science-based land management.

Agoo said the first phase of planting would include around 100 species of trees, palms, ferns and soil-stabilizing plants suited for regeneration.

An earlier inventory recorded at least 45 tree species, which can be expanded through nursery propagation.

‘We’re selecting plants that naturally occur here,’ Agoo added. ‘It’s not just about conservation, but showing the natural process of recovery.’

To understand how flora and fauna interact in recovering ecosystems, researchers will also monitor wildlife activity.

Ronaldo Lagat, a herpetologist and faculty member at De La Salle Dasmariñas, said the approach is designed to recreate a functioning ecological system where plants coexist with animals.

‘We’re not just planting trees, we’re creating a system,’ Lagat told the BusinessMirror.

‘Animals like birds and bats help disperse seeds, while insects serve as pollinators. A quarter of the site will be left untouched so we can observe natural succession, how a disturbed area heals itself,’ he explained.

Data collected from the site will guide future rehabilitation programs and policymaking, providing evidence on which species to prioritize or avoid in reforestation efforts, he said.

‘With the right data, we can identify which plants thrive and which ones may become invasive,’ he said. ‘This information will help make rehabilitation more effective.’

The Philippines is home to hundreds of threatened native species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The LSBG was first conceptualized in 2016 and formally planned following a land donation in 2018. Its master plan, developed with landscape architects from the United Kingdom and the Philippines, was followed by fundraising and nursery propagation during the pandemic.

A 2-year-old girl chosen as Nepal’s new living goddess was carried by family members from their home in a Kathmandu alley to a temple palace Tuesday during the country’s longest and most significant Hindu festival.

Aryatara Shakya, at 2 years and 8 months, was chosen as the new Kumari, or ‘virgin goddess,’ replacing the incumbent, who is considered by tradition to become a mere mortal upon reaching puberty.

Kumaris are chosen from the Shakya clans of the Newar community, indigenous to the Kathmandu valley, and revered by both Hindus and Buddhists in the predominantly Hindu nation.

The girls are selected between the ages of 2 and 4 and are required to have unblemished skin, hair, eyes and teeth. They should not be afraid of the dark.

During the Indra Jatra festival earlier in September, the former Kumari was wheeled around on a chariot pulled by devotees. The Kumari always wears red, pins up her hair in topknots and has a ‘third eye’ painted on their forehead.

The weeklong Indra Jatra festival was the first of a series of celebrations in October including Dashain, the main festival, and Tihar or Diwali, the festival of lights.

Tuesday marked the eighth day of Dashain, a 15-day celebration of the victory of good over evil. Offices and schools were closed as people celebrated with their families.

Family, friends and devotees paraded the new Kumari through the streets of Kathmandu before entering the temple palace, which will be her home for several years.

Devotees lined up to touch the girls’ feet with their foreheads, the highest sign of respect among Hindus in the Himalayan nation, and offered her flowers and money. The new Kumari was scheduled to bless devotees, including the president, last Thursday.

‘She was just my daughter yesterday, but today she is a goddess,’ her father Ananta Shakya said, adding that there were already signs she would be the goddess before her birth.

‘My wife during pregnancy dreamed that she was a goddess and we knew she was going to be someone very special,’ he said.

The former Kumari Trishna Shakya, now aged 11 years old, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters. She became the living goddess in 2017.

Families of the Shakya clan who qualify for the prestigious seat compete to have their daughters selected. The family of the Kumari gains an elevated position in society and within their own clan.

But Kumaris live a sequestered life. They have few selected playmates and are allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals.

Former Kumaris face difficulties adjusting to normal life, learning to do chores and attending regular schools.

Nepalese folklore says men who marry a former Kumari will die young, which has resulted in many of the girls remaining unmarried.

Over the past few years, there have been many changes in tradition and the Kumari is now allowed to receive an education from private tutors inside the temple palace and even have a television set.

The government also offers retired Kumaris a small monthly pension of about $110, which is slightly above the minimum wage fixed by the government.