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The “ber” months, Jose Mari Chan’s voice, and the countdowns on TVs and radios are all reminders that the Christmas season is just around the corner. It is also a reminder that our traffic nightmare is about to get worse.

Modernizing the agriculture sector holds the key to reducing, if not eliminating, rural poverty in the Philippines. And part of the modernization process is farm diversification or a more balanced agricultural production that is not necessarily focused on the rice sector.

During his 4th State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte asked Congress to pass a new Salary Standardization Law that will raise the pay of government workers, including public school teachers. This is not just the fulfillment of a promise he made during the election campaign but a recognition of the hard work and sacrifice of teachers. This well-deserved salary increase is a recognition of the role of public school teachers in shaping the mind of the youth and building the foundation of a strong future for our country.