It’s not just about getting the job done faster. For me, it’s about making sure the message still sounds like me, especially when so much of what we read now is shaped by a tool. In my experience, the key isn’t to hand over your voice to a machine, but to learn how to guide it. Working with AI is less like outsourcing and more like managing a very fast (and sometimes clueless) collaborator.

Early on, I found that the quality of what I got from AI depended almost entirely on what I put in. When I started using it to draft social media captions for events, I’d usually feed it basic details: the what, when, where, and a general sense of the event’s objective. I’d then ask it to “generate captions for Facebook.” What came back were standard announcements—generic, flat, and often too similar to things I’d never post myself.

 I wasn’t satisfied with those results, so I started refining my prompts. I began specifying who the audience was, what organization I was writing for, and the kind of tone I wanted—formal, informal, casual, or fun. The more specific I was, the better the results sounded—not just accurate, but actually like something I’d want to say.

 But there were still moments when the language made me cringe. Some outputs sounded too casual or included phrasing I’d never use—those enthusiasm-heavy phrases like “excited to share” or “thrilled to announce” that sound like they came from a corporate template. I’ve always believed in using simple, clear language, but there’s a line. Without clear direction, the tool sometimes crossed it, and I realized I needed to take more control over how it approached voice and tone.

 Eventually, I started building my own approach by feeding past samples of my work—articles, posts, and reports that already carried my tone—directly into my prompts as examples. This gave the tool a clearer sense of how I write, but more importantly, it reminded me of what I sound like. Over time, I also became more sensitive to overly formulaic phrasing. Now, I know what to look for, and I know exactly what to change.

Most of the time, that means scanning for overused words and swapping them out with language that feels more natural—more me. I might keep a structure or an idea the AI suggested, especially if it helps clarify my message. But the way it’s said? That always gets rewritten. Because no matter how efficient the tool is, the final version still has to carry my voice.

 I know a piece of writing is truly mine if it conveys my message clearly to readers—whether it’s about women’s empowerment, freelance workers’ rights, or how we protect our creative process in the age of AI. Even when I use these tools to shape a first draft or structure my ideas, I remain guided by the purpose behind the work. I still ask: Is this meaningful? Is this relevant? That’s the part no machine can replace—and that’s the part I hold onto.

If you’re a writer or creative like me, ask yourself: how do you use AI tools right now? Are they just a glorified search engine, a quick assistant, or something closer to a collaborator? The question isn’t whether AI will change how we write—it already has. The question is whether you’ll let it write for you, or whether you’ll use it to write better as yourself.

The post Working With (Not Against) the Machine: How I Use AI Without Losing My Voice appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

One question for the panel stood out to me: “Should creatives resist AI?” It wasn’t a new question, but hearing it asked out loud—to us, working creatives—felt more urgent.

My response was simple: resistance, yes, but not the kind you might think.

We can’t afford to pretend the technology doesn’t exist. Whether we like it or not, it’s already part of the tools we use. For writers like me working professionally—juggling client deadlines, research reports, grant proposals—it’s no longer realistic to avoid AI completely. But that doesn’t mean surrender.

I think of these as “pockets of resistance.” These are the places in our process, practice, and values where we draw the line. It might mean not using AI to write something personal. It might mean always rewriting what it generates so it sounds like us—not like a model trained on millions of scraped texts. Sometimes, it simply means being aware, asking better questions, or teaching others how to use the tools critically. Resistance, in this sense, isn’t rejection. It’s agency.

 What Makes Writing “Real”?

Earlier that day, I’d heard an educator on another panel say something that stuck with me. When asked how he evaluates student work now that anyone can generate polished writing with a prompt, he said he looks for soundness, intensity, and authenticity.

That framework stayed with me. Not just as a way to grade student work, but as a lens for my own writing.

 Soundness

This is the easiest for me to track. I’ve never asked AI to “write for me.” When I use it, I input my own words, angle, and intention. My starting point is always clear: what do I want to say? If I don’t know that yet, I won’t begin.

For me, soundness means the argument holds—it’s coherent, it’s structured, it doesn’t just sound nice. Tools can help with phrasing, but the thinking? That has to come from me.

 Intensity

This one’s harder, and I admit I’m still learning how to evaluate it. But here’s my personal gauge: Did the piece move me? Did it make me question something, or stay with me afterward? If not, it’s probably flat.

When I write, I rely on emotional truth—on the precise words that reflect what I’m feeling. I don’t expect AI to capture that for me. I expect it to help me sharpen what’s already there.

 Authenticity

Authenticity, for me, is about lived experience. It’s in the details you remember, the lines that feel like yours and no one else’s. You can tell when a piece is “too ChatGPT”—it’s neat, it’s plausible, but it’s hollow.

Authentic writing doesn’t just fill space. It carries voice. It carries self.

 Staying Human

Another panelist said something that’s equally worth holding on to: “AI can never be human. Only humans can think and feel.” It sounds obvious, but it’s easy to forget when the outputs are so fast, so clean, and sometimes even impressive.

The risk isn’t that AI will take over creativity—it’s that we stop recognizing when it already has.

That’s why it matters to write with care, with reflection, with real limits. Tools can help with structure, pace, even getting past that dreaded blank page. But depth, emotion, presence? Only we can bring that.

So yes, I believe in resistance. But not the kind that turns away from change entirely. I believe in resistance that takes the form of awareness. Making space for your own words, your own meaning. Teaching others not just how to use tools, but how to stay grounded while they do.

Something to think about:

What does resistance look like for you as a creative today? What parts of your process are you protecting—and why?

The post Soundness, Intensity, and the Choice to Resist: Writing with Agency in the Age of AI appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

Even when I began using it for professional writing—reports, summaries, or concept notes—I still started from scratch on anything reflective or intimate. The idea of feeding emotionally rooted ideas into a machine felt uncomfortable, maybe even wrong. I was wary of blurring the line between inspiration and imitation.

That boundary began to shift when I signed up for a paid plan that promised not to use user data for further training. It gave me enough assurance to start small. I wasn’t using AI to write for me—I was using it to help me think. I’d toss in early ideas or vague themes, and it would respond with possibilities. Some were predictable, but others helped me look at the topic differently. It became a space for early exploration.

Before AI, outlining a personal piece could take days—reading, note-taking, letting ideas settle before I even knew where to begin. Now, with a clear prompt or question, I could get unstuck within a single session. It didn’t replace my process; it accelerated it.

These days, I continue using AI in my professional writing. Beyond reports and summaries, I now use it for drafting grant proposals, refining impact stories, and structuring concept notes. It’s not perfect, but it’s a reliable tool that saves time—time I now spend on deeper reflection and more meaningful tasks.

That increase in efficiency has also allowed me to take on more projects I might’ve turned down before. I no longer feel like I’m constantly racing deadlines. Instead, I have more control over my creative flow—and that, in itself, has made the work more fulfilling.

Still, creatives have to be cautious. These tools are powerful, but they’re not neutral. It’s important to understand how they work, where their limits lie, and what risks they carry. AI can support the process, but it can’t replace what makes the work yours. At the end of the day, you still have to own your craft.

The post Exploring Creativity with AI appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

It churned out a full week’s worth of meals in seconds—breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks. Because I’d mentioned I lived in Baguio, the ingredients it listed were mostly local and accessible. The meals were balanced and even accounted for variety and potentially picky eaters. I thought, “Okay, that’s kind of amazing.”

Then it asked if I wanted a shopping list. A few seconds later, it gave me one—complete with quantities for meat, vegetables, and other staples. I wasn’t expecting that level of detail. It was practical, efficient, and surprisingly thoughtful for something I’d assumed was just a chatbot.

Around that time, I knew colleagues were already using it to draft letters, emails, and work documents. My first attempt to use it professionally was writing job descriptions and terms of reference for project-based staff. I didn’t give much context, assuming it would just “get it.” What followed were several rounds of back-and-forth—tweaking, clarifying, adjusting—until I got something usable.

It was a bit clunky at first, but the more I used it, the more I learned how to make the most of it. Being clear and specific in my prompts made all the difference. Over time, I started using it for reports, summaries, brainstorming, and drafting concept notes.

As I gained confidence, I started to wonder if it could also support my more creative pursuits. I wasn’t sure what that would look like. Creative work had always felt deeply personal. But the idea of having a tool to bounce ideas off of—or to help get past mental blocks—began to feel less far-fetched.

So I started small: using it to draft social media captions for local events I was covering in Baguio. That’s when I learned that context alone wasn’t enough. Specifying the tone and perspective was just as important. Did I want the caption to sound excited or informative? Should it sound like me, or like a neutral announcer?

The more precise I was, the better the results. It didn’t feel like outsourcing. It felt like steering a conversation. I still had to make choices, revise, and shape the final voice—but the process became faster, more focused, and less intimidating.

The post From Meal Plans to Memos – My early days with AI appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

“We are pleased to be recognized by the SEC in addressing ease of doing business in government transactions with our deployed system for online submission of documents. This was borne out of necessity during the height of the pandemic, to limit contact between people, but as we’ve seen, it has proved useful and relevant post-pandemic and has set the standard for facilitating online transactions between government and the private sector,” said ComClark Chief Operations Officer Benedicto Bulatao.

Specifically, ComClark, together with Fortis Technologies Corporation, provided a workflow-based online submission portal for corporations’ quarterly and yearly reportorial requirements to the SEC.

The online submission portal’s official name is the Company Investments and Financial Statistics System (CiFSS) of the the SEC that allows the uploading of files such as the General Information Sheets (GIS), General Form of Financial Statements (GFFS), and Special Form of Financial Statements (SFFS) files through a web interface.

The CiFSS forms a major component of the SEC’s digitalization agenda, geared towards introducing efficiency and transparency in the organization’s operations. Starting 2021, it has implemented the online submission tool to limit face-to-face contact between the agency and Philippine corporations amid the threat of the COVID-19 virus.

ComClark Network and Technology Corp. has been at the forefront of offering ICT solutions for industry-specific needs.

The post ComClark receives SEC award for ease-of-doing-business digital solution appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

Hedcor, AboitizPower’s renewable energy asset manager, has operated the plant for more than 25 years as part of its portfolio of run-of-river hydro and solar power assets. With the IP communities’ consent, the company will continue to manage Bineng 3 and contribute to the community’s development for another 25 years.

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) played a crucial role in facilitating the process, as outlined in the 2012 Guidelines on Free and Prior Informed Consent. Moreover, the NCIP will guide the IP communities in formulating Community Royalty Development Plans and will monitor Hedcor’s commitments, ensuring the growth and sustainability of ancestral domains while improving the lives of Indigenous Peoples.

“With Hedcor’s dialogue-driven approach, we see an opportunity to develop our ancestral domain, which will empower us, the IPs, to improve our living conditions and preserve our cultural heritage and identity to pass on to the next generations,” said Marcelo Abela, La Trinidad’s first Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representative (IPMR) and one of the elders in Barangay Alapang, La Trinidad, Benguet.

He emphasized that the existing partnership would achieve mutual environmental, economic, and cultural sustainability goals, illustrating how inclusivity and community engagement can create lasting impacts.

“For the Ibaloy, Kankanaey, and other IPs in the Cordillera, Hedcor’s project represents hope for a more sustainable and prosperous future in their ancestral lands,” Abela said.

Enhanced Livelihood and Social Services

In La Trinidad, Hedcor undertakes various community development projects—from medical and dental missions to livelihood assistance and education programs—all focused on improving the well-being of local residents.

Margarita Batokil, a local resident from Brgy. Bineng, recalled how Hedcor’s social services have improved their living conditions. “We have been benefiting from the partnership because it helps with our health services, dental missions, and provides free medicine. There are children who can now go to school, receive scholarships, and finish their education. Our livelihoods have improved, adding income for us, the host communities, and beneficiaries,” she said.

Another community member, Maria Sudaypan, noted the previous lack of work opportunities. “Before, it was difficult; there were no jobs. Now, with Hedcor’s help, we are receiving much-needed support. At first, we didn’t fully understand what could be offered, but after discussions and consultations between the community and them, we gradually began to see the benefits,” she said.

Sudaypan also shared that the partnership paved the way for their children to reach their full potential through scholarship grants and access to job opportunities.

Continued community development and ‘cleanergy’ generation

With this support from La Trinidad’s IP community, Hedcor is positioned to continue harnessing the power of run-of-river hydro and help the La Trinidad community in different development initiatives.

Hedcor President and COO Rolando G. Pacquiao shared, “Our commitment to drive the Philippines’ energy transition with our expertise in managing renewable assets while empowering communities is unwavering. We extend our gratitude to LTIPO for their continued trust and support for Hedcor, as we achieve our goals of delivering ‘cleanergy’ and building a brighter future for our host communities.”

Hedcor is an Aboitiz Power renewable energy asset manager with over 40 years of experience in delivering reliable energy. It manages the largest fleet of renewable assets in the Philippines, supporting the country’s energy transition goals.

The post La Trinidad IP community affirms cooperation with Hedcor appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

BENECO general manager Melchor Licoben said. “Man-asok finally being awarded its COC is a big leap in attaining BENECO’s vision on going renewable. This final approval from the DOE means that the electricity produced by the Man-asok mini-hydro will be guaranteed to be paid by the government’s Feed in Tariff Allocation (FIT-ALL) rate.”

Licoben said that the COC is a significant achievement that proved the ability of the electric cooperative to erect its own power plant. “This means that BENECO can develop bigger renewable power generation projects that can provide cheaper power rates for our member-consumer-owners,” he said. BENECO’s Man-asok mini-hydro power plant has a capacity of 3.24 megawatt (MW). The FIT-ALL rate assures electric cooperatives that their generated power from renewable energy will be paid once the power is brought into the grid.

Effective November 25, 2024, the COC now gives permission to fully operate commercially as the electric cooperative hurdled the last major regulatory requirement for operating renewable energy projects. The Department of Energy (DOE) awarded BENECO’s eligibility for FIT in the last quarter of 2022, a few months after BENECO submitted its COC application on April 28, 2022. Prior to the issuance of the COC, the DOE and ERC validated and conducted virtual site-inspection of the plant’s compliance with regulatory requirements such as the Phil Grid Code.

Artemio Bacoco, BENECO’s power generation and operations department manager, said the FIT rate is P5.98 per kilowatt hour (kWh) with the possibility that it could increase to P6.00/kWh. “This is significantly higher compared to the buying price at the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM),” he said. The WESM is the country’s spot market for power supply. Bacoco said that the WESM buying rate for Man-asok for its September to October 2024 generated power was about P3.8/kWh while for October to November, the WESM buying price was about P4.219/kWh.

“The COC signals that we can now operate the Man-asok generation facility officially and that the plant will be entitled to all rights and privileges as a renewable energy facility, of course, this would mean that BENECO will also be accountable for all its obligations in running the plant,” Bacoco said.

Bacoco enumerated the other effects of the COC — tax exemptions on carbon credits, special tax rates on equipment and machineries, income tax holidays for seven years under the Board of Investments (BOI), and duty-free importation of RE machineries, equipment and materials for ten years. BENECO’s current power supplier is Limay Power Inc., a subsidiary of San MiguelPower Corp. LPI runs a coal fired power plant in Bataan.

The production in Man-asok will help reduce the electric cooperative’s power supply from LPI. The generation component of the monthly electric bill eats up 60% to 65% of the entire amount paid by consumers.

An electric cooperative that can produce power using renewable energy can lessen the dependence on such coal fired power plants.  The ERC in November 2023 directed the electric cooperative to refile its COC application pursuant to the revised COC rules. By Laarni S. Ilagan

The post BENECO’S Man-asok hydro gets COC appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

“Pababa, pataas tsaka matumal ang benta… Dahil nga siguro sa bagyo, tignan niyo yung mga nabaha sa baba [Maynila]. Wala nang masyadong pumupuntang mga turista rito… lalo na at mataas ang presyo ng gulay” Ani Marjorie Kidlo, apat na taon nang tindera na dating OFW.

Ayon sa Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), pumalo sa 5.5% ang inflation rate ng lungsod simula nitong Oktubre 2024 dahil sa mga sunod-sunod na pasok ng bagyo sa bansa.

Mula naman sa Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC), umangat sa 140% ang presyo ng ilang gulay nitong unang dalawang linggo ng Nobyembre 2024 sa probinsya matapos ang sunud-sunod na pagbagyo. 

Karaniwang tumataas ang presyo ng mga gulay sa pagpatak ng ikaapat na kwarter ng taon, pero dahil sa sunod-sunod na bagyo, mas tumaas ang presyo ng mga bilihin ngayong taon kumpara sa mga nagdaang panahon ayon na rin mismo sa mga manininda.

Ayon sa PSA nitong 2023 tinatayang nasa ₱11,600 ang poverty line sa rehiyon ng Cordillera.

Kaya naman sa panahon ng ka-paskohan, lahat ng klase ng pagtitipid ay handang gawin ng mga mamimili, magkaroon lang ng maihahanda.  

Kaniya-kaniyang diskarte na rin ang ginagawa ng mga mamimili para sa darating pasko at bagong taon.

Hindi lang ang budget para sa pasko at bagong taon ang apektado kung hindi pati narin ang budget ng mga estudyante linggo-linggo.

“Malaki ang epekto ng inflation sa budget ko, dahil fixed ang allowance na natatanggap ko every month, kailangan kong mag-adjust o gumawa ng paraan para makatipid,” ayon kay Florian Mercado, isang mag-aaral sa kolehiyo.” 

Pati ang budget para sa ibang mga bilihin ay apektado dahil sa pagtaas ng presyo ng mga pagkain sa palengke at lahat ng pamilihan.

“Imbis na kumain sa labas ay magluluto na lang ako o kaya naman ay yung mga kinakailangang mga bagay lang muna ang bibilhin ko,” dagdag pa nito. 

“Nakakalungkot at nakaka-stress yung pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin, lalo na at hindi maiiwasan ang gastusin na kailangan sa school. Mahirap makipagsabayan sa pagtaas ng presyo, kaya syempre kailangan mas maging wise sa paggastos ng pera,” aniya. 

Dahil sa pagtaas ng mga presyo, marami ang apektado partikular ang mga nagtitinda at mamimili. 

Ang minimum wage ng bawat residente sa   Cordillera ay nasa ₱400 kada araw kaya naman malaking problema para sa kanila ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga gulay gaya ng repolyo, bawang, sibuyas, lettuce, bokchoy, sayote, atpb.

Iba’t ibang diskarte ang ginagawa ng bawat mamimili para pagkasyahin ang kanilang badyet gaya ng pagbawas sa kanilang mga binibili at kanilang inuunang bilhin ang mga gulay na kanilang kailangan.

“Malaking epekto ang inflation, dati isang kilo ng sibuyas ang binibili ko pero ngayon kalahati na lang at pinagkakasya ko ito.” Bigkas ni Loida Allawan, isang senior citizen na namimili sa Baguio Public Market.

Magkahalong galit at pagkadimasya ang emosyong nararamdaman ng mga mamimili gaya ni Allawan dahil sa patuloy na pagtaas ng mga presyo.

“Syempre, nagagalit ako sa ganun kasi naghihirap yung family… I feel helpless kasi I cannot do something anything about it kasi kung yung mga government officials, wala ngang ginagawa. Helpless ang ordinary citizens just like me,” ani Allawan. By Alexis Aubrey P. Asalil, University of the Philippines – Baguio, Student Jounalist in Training 

The post Taas-presyo ng bilihin ramdam sa Baguio appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.

The proposed measure aims to enhance the safety, security, and peaceful utilization of nuclear energy in the country.

Filed under Committee Report No. 429 on December 10, 2024, Senate Bill No. 2899 or the Philippine National Nuclear Energy Safety Act seeks to institutionalize PhilATOM as an independent regulatory body with exclusive authority over nuclear safety and security.

Its mandate includes developing policies, setting safety standards, conducting inspections, and overseeing the transport, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials.

“Doon sa mga may agam-agam, may doubt sa nuclear power plant at nuclear energy: this bill is not to put up a nuclear power plant. It’s precisely to have the institution and the right people to be able to assess the use of nuclear energy in our country,” Cayetano said.

The legislation consolidates provisions from existing laws and international guidelines to ensure comprehensive oversight. It specifies penalties for unauthorized handling or misuse of nuclear materials and prioritizes public health, safety, and environmental protection.

The bill also mandates PhilATOM to develop a national plan for off-site nuclear or radiological emergencies, integrate these plans with national disaster frameworks, and coordinate with international organizations like the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Cayetano highlighted the potential benefits of nuclear energy, including its role in advancing medicine and agriculture and addressing climate change.

As the Philippines anticipates the integration of nuclear energy into its energy mix, Cayetano assured the public of stringent safety measures, transparency, and accountability under the proposed regulatory framework.

The bill has gained support from various stakeholders, including scientists, energy experts, and policymakers who view it as a step toward a modern and sustainable future.

“For the purpose of passing this bill, we’ll try as much as possible to separate it so that hindi tayo ma-delay… I’ll really try to get it on the floor ASAP,” Cayetano said.

The bill is expected to undergo further deliberation in the Senate during the current session. NLMonitor

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The ordinance includes key provisions aimed at safeguarding basic human rights, protecting human rights defenders, and penalizing red-tagging by state actors. It institutionalizes not only the protection of human rights but also the defense of those who advocate for them.

“The Baguio HRDO is a significant milestone for the city in protecting human rights. Ensuring the protection of human rights defenders and holding accountable those who violate these rights is a crucial step toward fostering a safe and inclusive environment for advocacy and social justice. Now, we must ensure that this ordinance is fully implemented and enforced,” said Gabriel Siscar, 4th Nominee of Kabataan Partylist.

Since 2018, organizations such as the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance (CHRA), Tongtongan ti Umili (TTU), Youth Act Now Against Tyranny (YANAT), and Kabataan Partylist Cordillera have advocated for an ordinance protecting human rights defenders. From the proposed Anti-Political Vilification Ordinance to the newly passed HRDO, these groups have worked tirelessly to combat red-tagging, harassment, and violence in the region.

“Without the collective effort of the people, measures to ensure the protection of our human rights would not exist. We deeply appreciate the support for this ordinance—from the citizens of Baguio to the members of the Baguio City Council,” said Gabriel Siscar.

The ordinance aligns with today’s celebration of the 76th International Human Rights Day. This year’s celebration in Baguio City underscores the ongoing struggle of its citizens for human rights and the implementation of policies to protect them. Just a year ago, the city passed a resolution declaring Baguio an inclusive human rights city. Part of this year’s celebration is a call for the city government to concretize this resolution through actionable measures.

As human rights violations—such as red-tagging, harassment, trumped-up charges, and false terrorist designations—persist, it is vital for institutions to establish strong mechanisms for protection and justice. The passage of the Baguio HRDO is a significant step forward. Now, we look toward larger and broader victories for human rights.

The post A victory for the city and for human rights  appeared first on North Luzon Monitor.