BY ALEX ALAGON
The lessons learned during the childhood years stay with us for a long time. They’re just so difficult to forget. Take our first weeks of elementary school at a formerly all-boys’ school in Matina as example. For ones who had not been well-oriented and prepped by a year at kindergarten, shell-shocked might as well be the closest feeling at just being in the center of it all. While the size of both the school premises and its student body may truly make one’s jaw drop, the militarist rat-a-tat list of rules that come at you, is the more traumatizing follow-up punch that’s least expected.
From the headmaster down to the teachers and the boy scout master, a torrent of whats and what-nots were fed on us as daily fare. At that early age, I reckoned right away, Jesuit education (perhaps like others in that era) revolved around numbing repetitive exercises, much like kata reps, ensuring we do not forget. Practice makes perfect, a prefect liked to say. But better yet, I’d tag it as pummel into pulp or submission.
“The truth is, our generation may not have had a choice in living and enduring that particular era. It’s also for this reason we feel a certain pride in these battle scars we carry.”
To think, at one time, the student body was forced to sing the national anthem at least fifty times until we got the lyrics right. For that, two class periods were suspended. The result? Ask me to sing it today and I’d start cringing at the first line.
Though not familiar with schools nowadays, what I know is, during our time, there was not much fuss about “sensitivities”. In fact, grade school (and later high school which was worse) felt more like a military camp to us, with our teachers as on-ground MPs. Unlike the softer system of today, we were meted a row of punishment; from writing out our offenses a thousand times on sheets of paper (which improved penmanship, some say), to duck-walking among others, and lastly, actual caning using a long slat of bamboo for major offenses, just short of expulsion.
Despite all the makings of a medieval age setting, our primary and secondary school of old were really not that bad even if they were compared to today’s modernist-woke-politically-correct standards ek-ek. Just ask any survivor from that time. The truth is, our generation may not have had a choice in living and enduring that particular era. It’s also for this reason we feel a certain pride in these battle scars we carry. Thicker hides baby.
When one finally thinks about it, the theme then may have been a roughshod imprint of discipline to make us mindful of rules because understandably, the generations before had just been World War-scarred, and our era to them, was an unfurling of sorts. Last night during our gig at a local bar, I met a bunch of batch 85s who laughed heartily when I said mine was proudly 71. Just think, it had already been four years since our high school batch celebrated our 50th year anniversary. That’s fifty long years of water under the Bankerohan Bridge. Today, our bunch of graders who first entered the gates of that Matina grade school half a century ago are scattered all over distant lands. It just boggles the mind to ponder, our grand and great grandchildren, wide-eyed and all innocent to the world, now occupy the same ground we used to stand on.
These eighty-fiver newbies can laugh all they want. In the end, veterans rule. Thicker hides baby.
THE DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) has issued a public advisory detailing a list of “dos and don’ts” for the month-long Kadayawan Festival, urging residents and visitors to practice vigilance and cooperation to ensure a safe and peaceful celebration.
The advisory, released by acting city director Col Mannan C. Muarip, comes as the city prepares for the festivities, which are scheduled to run from Aug. 7 to 31, 2025.
Muarip emphasized the DCPO’s full commitment to public safety and called for community partnership, stating, “The success of Kadayawan doesn’t rely on security forces alone, but on each individual’s discipline, vigilance, and sense of responsibility.
“While the advisory did not list specific prohibitions, the Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) and other security partners have previously outlined strict guidelines for major event areas. These include a ban on backpacks, caps, jackets, pointed umbrellas, and non-transparent water bottles.
The city’s “culture of security,” which encourages the public to report any suspicious items or behavior, will be strictly enforced.
The DCPO has been stepping up its preparations, including conducting urban tactical drills to ensure a swift and coordinated response to potential threats.
Earlier this week, the city’s security cluster announced the deployment of approximately 14,000 security personnel throughout the month, with around 600 uniformed officers on daily rotation in major activity areas such as San Pedro Square and Magsaysay Park.
Muarip urged the public to become “stewards of peace” by following the guidelines, respecting one another, and embracing the festival’s true spirit of “unity in diversity.”
HOMEGROWN retail giant NCCC Mall-Ma-a branch is set to open its ground level to the public in October 2025, an official said.
Alice Romero, NCCC Malls marketing manager, revealed this development during the Business Forum at Ahfat Seafood Plaza, NCCC-Victoria Plaza on Friday.
“We are looking at October this year to open the ground floor tenants,” Romero said to expect big brands such as Jollibee, Kenny Rogers, and Dairy Queen, among others.
The ground floor has a projected capacity of 60-80 tenants, from the total accommodation of 200 tenants for all its floors, including business units.
Meanwhile, the upper floors are also set to open in December 2025. Last December 20, 2024, its supermarket was opened to the public in time for the Christmas season.
The mall is still under construction but has a total of 28,200.64 square meters, four floors, and one basement parking.
Amenities of the mall include a supermarket, retail spaces, cinema, department store, amusement, bowling, multipurpose hall, dog park, food court and a chapel within the al fresco roof deck.
It will have two main entrances, one in MacArthur Highway side and the other in Ma-a side, and features 800 basement parking slots to cater to mallgoers.
ELEVEN candidates representing Davao City’s ethnolinguistic tribes will take part in a grand coronation on August 14 to be crowned as the next Hiyas sa Kadayawan and uphold their advocacies on cultural preservation and youth empowerment.
The contestants attended a media presentation on Aug. 1 at the Acacia Hotel to present advocacies on strengthening IP education, cultural literacy in the digital era, or reconnecting the youth to their roots to benefit their respective communities.
Jozelle Lanciano, representing the Bagobo-Klata tribe, shared her message to the younger generation, where she emphasized that the youth must show love for their own culture and tribe.
Catherine Kate Oda from the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe advocated for traditional ecological knowledge for the children in her community, as she noticed that they had begun to be interested in their culture.
On Aug. 9, the cultural presentation (talent competition) will be held at SM City Davao Annex event Center, while the coronation night will take place at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) gymnasium and cultural center in the evening.
Hiyas ng Kadayawan 2025 is a major annual event of the Kadayawan Festival that is not only a beauty pageant but a platform to celebrate Davao’s rich cultural heritage and unity among tribes.
BY ARAVELLA A. QUIMBO/DSSC Intern
THE CITY Veterinarian’s office has fixed 83,336 dogs and cats as part of its stronger campaign against the deadly rabies.
During the iSpeak forum in City Hall on July 31, Acting city veterinarian Dr. Gay Pallar said their office also served 39,387 pet owners so far
Dr. Pallar emphasized that all services offered by the City Veterinarian’s Office come with no cost, including pet castration and vaccination.
“We want to continue the legacy of former city veterinarians, and I encourage all pet owners to avail themselves of our free services,” she said.
As of July, 726 male pets had been neutered, and the city will continue its efforts to control the pet population and prevent the spread of rabies.
Dr. Pallar also explained that dogs cannot develop herd immunity against the virus, stressing that rabies is not only highly contagious but also zoonotic, meaning it can be spread from animals to humans.
“If an infected dog mixes with a pack, all of them could get infected. There’s no such thing as herd immunity when it comes to rabies,” she warned.
She encouraged all pet owners to act early by vaccinating and neutering their pets to protect both animals and people from this life-threatening disease.
LAWYERS today face an uphill battle with time. Between combing through dense statutes, keeping up with countless judicial rulings, drafting pleadings, and advising clients under tight deadlines, many find their days consumed by tedious tasks.
But what if there were a legal assistant that never needed rest, could instantly fetch precise answers, and help you work faster with greater accuracy?
Enter Digest AI—a more intelligent AI legal assistant for law firms, explicitly designed for Filipino lawyers.
The time challenge facing Filipino lawyers
Legal research and document preparation are integral parts of law practice, yet they are also some of the most time-intensive processes. It’s not just about reading laws or cases but analyzing, cross-referencing, and applying them correctly.
Traditional methods involve hours poring over physical books or scrolling through scattered online databases. For busy law firms, this slows workflows, delays client service, and adds exhaustion to already packed schedules.
The time crunch is especially acute in the Philippines, where the legal landscape often involves intricate local nuances and a growing volume of jurisprudence.
This context creates a ripe opportunity for AI technology to streamline operations, freeing lawyers to focus more on strategy, counseling, and advocacy.
Introducing Digest AI: A smarter legal assistant
Digest AI is a cutting-edge AI-powered chatbot developed by the PH legal tech firm Digest PH. Unlike generic chatbots, Digest AI is tailored exclusively for Philippine legal practice.
It draws on an extensive, continuously updated Philippine case law, statutes, and legal doctrines database to provide expert-level, reliable answers to legal questions in real time.
Accessible 24/7, Digest AI helps lawyers quickly clarify complex legal provisions, draft pleadings, review contracts, and conduct compliance checks—all at the click of a button.
The tool’s ability to synthesize and summarize vast legal texts means lawyers spend less time sifting through references and more on substantive legal work.
Digest AI in daily legal practice
Imagine working late on a labor case where a client disputes their “Floating Status.” Instead of shelling out hours to locate relevant laws, Supreme Court decisions, and government issuances, Digest AI promptly delivers a clear legal explanation grounded in updated Philippine law.
Lawyers can also use the AI for contract review, spotting inconsistencies or risks that might otherwise be missed. This versatility extends to:
- Pleadings and memoranda: Quickly generating draft questions or legal summaries.
- Jurisprudence analysis: Breaking down recent Supreme Court rulings for easy application.
- Compliance checks: Assessing if corporate practices follow legal standards.
- Legal drafting: Offering frameworks that accelerate document creation.
By automating these repetitive but critical tasks, Digest AI transforms workflows, saving countless hours and reducing human error.
Transforming legal research and drafting
Research studies on AI adoption in the legal profession highlight significant productivity gains. AI-powered legal research tools can quickly analyze vast databases of statutes, case law, and legal materials, delivering precise and relevant information within seconds. This drastically reduces time spent manually reviewing documents and minimizes human errors.
In the Philippine legal sector, AI platforms like Digest AI have emerged as indispensable aids in accelerating legal work. Lawyers can focus on high-value strategic activities by delegating routine research tasks to automation.
The Supreme Court of the Philippines has also recognized the potential of AI-powered tools to enhance court legal research, underscoring their role in speeding up case disposition and improving access to justice.
In empirical studies, AI integration in legal workflows has improved accuracy, reduced cognitive overload, and increased efficiency, contributing to enhanced decision-making and better client outcomes.
Concrete benefits for law firms
Digest AI delivers a range of tangible advantages:
- Efficiency: Rapid answers and legal summaries help meet deadlines and manage heavy caseloads.
- Accuracy: Grounding responses in current Philippine law minimizes research mistakes.
- Cost savings: Reducing billable hours spent on manual research translates into better resource allocation.
- Improved client service: Clear, AI-simplified legal explanations make client communications smoother and more understandable.
This practical AI support fosters a law firm culture where technology amplifies human capability rather than replacing it.
Empowering Filipino lawyers: Embrace the future with Digest AI
As Filipino lawyers navigate increasingly complex workloads and tighter deadlines, integrating AI tools like Digest AI becomes essential for maintaining competitive and effective legal practices.
Digest AI’s ability to automate labor-intensive research and drafting tasks improves accuracy and efficiency and liberates lawyers to dedicate their expertise to client advocacy and legal strategy. This aligns with global research showing that AI-enabled legal support dramatically enhances lawyer productivity and decision quality.
Filipino lawyers eager to elevate their practice can now sign up for Digest AI, which includes dedicated onboarding support to ensure a seamless transition. Whether practicing solo or within a large firm, Digest AI offers a more innovative way to keep pace with the evolving demands of Philippine legal work.
Don’t let time-consuming tasks hold you back—embrace the power of AI for law firms today and transform how you practice law.
MANILA, Philippines – To mark World Drowning Prevention Day on July 25, MILO® and the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) held the biggest event yet of the MILO® Safe Swim program last July 27 at Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, equipping participants with essential water safety and first aid skills to combat rising child drowning cases in the Philippines.
Why MILO SAFE Swim matters
According to the World Health Organization (2019), drowning is the third leading cause of unintentional injury deaths in the Philippines, accounting for 31% of such deaths among children under 14 years old. Introduced in 2024 as a nationwide initiative, MILO® SAFE Swim has already made stops in Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Ilocos Sur, Cavite, Cebu, Bacolod, Pampanga, and Pasig, reaching communities across the country to promote water safety awareness and equip families with life-saving knowledge in response to this alarming statistic.
“Let’s make a commitment today—to protect each other, to raise awareness, and to give every child the chance to enjoy water safely,” said Dr. Gwendolyn Pang, general manager of the Philippine Red Cross. “Let’s make sure our kids know how to swim, how to stay safe, and how to help others because no one should lose their life to something we can prevent. Remember, SAFE water is fun water.”
Dr. Gwendolyn Pang explaining the SAFE swim method
“Drowning continues to be one of the leading causes of death among children in the Philippines. That’s why we knew we had to act, and that’s how MILO® SAFE Swim came to life,” shared Carlo Sampan, assistant vice president for MILO® and head of MILO® Sports. “At MILO®, we’ve always believed that sports build champions not just in the field, but in life. Today, we’re proud to expand that mission into the water with a program that saves lives, builds courage, and strengthens families.”
“Swimming is more than just a sport. Hindi porket competitive swimmer ako, I can save myself and save others in times of emergencies. Hindi ‘yon automatic, natututunan po ‘yan,” former Olympian swimmer and now swimming coach Jenny Guerrero also showed her support, spotlighting the growing momentum behind the campaign.
From safety to confidence: Teaching kids to swim the SAFE way
More than just swim lessons, MILO® SAFE Swim emphasizes that swimming is an essential life skill, especially in a country prone to typhoons and flooding. Through its practical and accessible sessions, the program empowers families to stay safe and respond effectively to water-related emergencies, whether in pools, natural bodies of water like rivers and lakes, or during calamities.
Certified PRC instructors, together with Bert Lozada Learn-to-Swim (BLSS) coaches, led three core sessions: (1) life-saving skills seminar covering CPR and first aid, (2) introduction to water safety with swim assessments, and (3) hands-on water safety demonstrations.
To make water safety clear and memorable, MILO® introduced the SAFE method—their take on the ABCs of swimming:
These simple yet vital steps are designed to prevent drowning and empower individuals to respond confidently in water emergencies.
A movement toward widespread safer safety awareness
MILO® SAFE Swim is a long-term advocacy that envisions water safety, especially the SAFE method, as second nature as ‘duck, cover, and hold’ in earthquake drills.
By reaching communities nationwide, the program aspires to make swimming not just a recreational activity but a life-saving skill, critical in a country like the Philippines, where water-related emergencies are common.
BY ANNABELLE CHUA
HOW CAN you make the 40th anniversary of graduating from fine arts a memorable occasion? The idea came about during a batch reunion in 2023. Everyone had just emerged from the pandemic lockdown, and this reunion made one eager to reconnect and interact with each other.
The casual exchanges of ‘how are you and ‘what have you been up to’ led to a sharing of stories about life after graduating from UST. That sparked an idea. With the 40th anniversary of their graduation coming up, why not compile the stories into a book to commemorate that milestone? It’s a rather ambitious undertaking, but that’s what makes it a challenge worth accepting.
An online meeting was set up with batch mates from Section 1, involving those who are residing in different parts of the globe. The response was enthusiastic. A group headed by Daryl Descallar and Noel Garingan, with Norman Tioco, Larry Castro, Joey Ong, Liza Africa Sangalang, and Annabelle Chua, was formed. This has transformed into a labor of love, with everyone juggling their own careers to make time for the book. The initial hurdle was to reach out and collect their stories. So after months of persuasion and coaxing, after countless online meetings by the core group, after overcoming unforeseen personal matters that pushed back the proposed deadline, what began as a promising idea finally evolved into a tangible book.
The book entitled Creative Journeys chronicles the stories of the alumni of the University of Santo Tomas, College of Fine Arts and Architecture (CAFA), Major in Advertising Arts Section 1 Class of 1984. This collection showcases the diverse creative paths taken by classmates as they navigate life, with each page filled with stories and artistic creations that reveal how being an art graduate influenced their life choices, whether or not they ended up in the field of advertising or ventured into other fields and pursuits.
In their stories, you can see that the urge to create art never went away. This book features alumni from Giovanni Labao, a writer, local arts advocate who dedicated his life’s work to making his Baliuag, Bulacan community relevant and preserving its history and arts; to Debbie Ang, who turned her passion for cooking to create works of art with the dishes she made.
The book became a reality with the dedicated effort and talent of the editor and publisher Daryl Descallar, a proud Dabawenyo and a member of the Tabula Rasa Art Group Unlimited and the Dabawenyo Artists Federation, Inc.(DAFI). He is also the painter of the inaugural portrait of President Rodrigo R. Duterte, which is now displayed in the Malacañang Library and Museum. Noel Garingan, the uber-talented artist and creator behind The Jaunty Octopus, is the co-editor and the artistic director. Norman Tioco, one of the few accomplished alumni who continued on in the field of design, provided the cover art. Joey Ong, who excels in the creation of exhibit pieces of mixed media visual art, for sternly refined the concept. Liza Africa Sangalang and Abbie Chua for working out the editing with Noel Garingan, meeting the submission deadlines, content finalization, and organizing and directing the book launch event together with Larry Castro.
Esteemed Filipino Contemporary visual artist and a proud Thomasian himself, Joe Datuin graced the book with his valuable foreword, which is such an honor for the participants. Joe Datuin is a Visual Olympian and Monumentalist, Grand Prize Winner at the IOC Sport and Art Contest of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Hopefully, this book will serve as a source of inspiration and as a testament that no matter where one ends up in life, the love to create art remains an integral part of one’s existence.. What initially got a bunch of students together as batch mates made them come together again as artists in their own right 40 years later. Larry Castro, whose pages show his journey through photography and art, sums it all up in the following:
Sapagkat ang talentong akala mo’y sa iyo
Ipinahiram lamang pala ito
Yan ang tutoo
Alagaan mo ito ng maigi
Para sa tamang panahon
Sa iba ay iyo’y maibahagi
Yon ang na-aayon.
This book is a special way to celebrate our 40th anniversary. Our classmate Ricci Reyes, now a professional photographer based in Las Vegas, USA, said we just went through two finest moments- the first one during our graduation in 1984 and the second, our 40th anniversary celebration.
The launch for the book Creative Journeys was held on July 27, 2025, at The Catalyst Coworking at España Manila, with live streaming for our participants abroad. The distinguished guest of honor was no other than Prof. Joe Datuin. Mrs Blanca de Leon, the mother of Carolyn de Leon, whose journey is chronicled in the book, graced the event with her presence as well. She is the lovely mother hen who opened her home and took care of the batch mates during their thesis days. The presence of Ms. Lalyn Buncab, curator of the Dela Salle Museum and sister of contributor and graphic artist Dodjie Buncab, greatly contributed to the book launch’s success.
We are now in our sixties, and this project proved that we still have our creative powers and mental energy. Sir Joe Datuin is our model of an artist with unstoppable drive and motivation to keep imagining and creating. Finally, our classmate, Giovanni Labao, encapsulates it well: “This project reached its full completion, and the creative journey continues.”
The book is available for sale at P1250.00 per copy. Order the book Creative Journeys by emailing to descallarvccs@gmail.com. Shipping fee shall be added to the cost of the book.
THE PAGES keep turning for Fully Booked as it opens its 45th branch nationwide—and its third store in Davao City—this Aug. 1 at SM Davao.
Since 2023, when Fully Booked opened six provincial stores in quick succession, the bookstore chain has steadily grown its presence across the Philippines, bringing stories closer to readers in Metro Manila and key cities throughout Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Now, with a new store in Davao, Fully Booked continues its mission to spread the joy of reading and help nurture thriving book-loving communities. The SM Davao store spans 179 square meters and offers a thoughtfully curated selection of titles across every genre and interest: from bestselling fiction to children’s books, graphic novels and manga, self-help, cookbooks, and more. Shoppers can also explore a variety of toys, novelties, and stylish stationery.
“We want Fully Booked to be a hub for discovery and community,” says Jaime Daez, managing director of Fully Booked. “We’re pleased to expand our presence in Davao, offering readers and curious minds a new space to explore, imagine, and connect.”
And there’s more ahead. 2025 may be more than halfway through, but Fully Booked is still preparing to open additional branches—some in locations readers might have been requesting for some time. While details remain under wraps for now, Filipino readers can look forward to exciting developments in the months to come.
To celebrate the opening of SM Davao, Fully Booked is opening exciting promos for its grand opening weekend (August 1-3, 2025).
For a minimum single receipt purchase of Php3000, bookworms can receive a free Fully Booked Discount Card, which gives cardholders 10% off on d-coded items for a lifetime, as well as a 20% birthday discount.
A minimum single purchase of Php3000 will also give customers 50% OFF on any Fully Booked branded quote bag or artist tote bag—all the better to carry their haul of great reads.
Come through, bookworms. Fully Booked SM Davao branch is located on the Ground Floor, SM Davao, Quimpo Boulevard, Ecoland Subdivision, Matina, Davao City.
