The phone buzzes with a reminder that another “easy” online loan payment is due, larger than last month and heavier than expected. That sound has become familiar to many mobile owners, and it never brings relief. Excessive interest rates on online loans are not helpful—they are traps that quietly bleed borrowers dry.

I have always been uneasy about how these loans are presented as friendly and harmless. A few taps, a smiling icon, and money appears as if by magic. But the magic fades quickly when the repayment schedule arrives, bloated with charges that were barely noticeable at the start. What looked like short-term relief turns into a long-term burden that refuses to loosen its grip.

What troubles me most is the speed with which these loans turn modest needs into chronic poverty. Monthly payments eat into salaries before food, rent, or school fees are even considered. The borrower is forced to juggle priorities, often choosing the loan out of fear of penalties, harassment, or damaged credit records. It is a cruel inversion: money borrowed to survive ends up making survival harder.

These interest rates are not accidents or miscalculations. They are built into the system, calculated to profit from urgency and desperation. Many online lenders know their market well—people with limited access to banks, people facing emergencies, people tired of being turned away. The rates are high because they can be, and because regulation often lags behind technology.

There is also something deeply disturbing about how normal this has become. Conversations about loans now happen casually, almost jokingly, as if paying double or triple the amount borrowed is just part of adult life. I find that normalization is dangerous. When financial pain is treated as routine, outrage disappears, and exploitation starts to feel inevitable.

I cannot ignore the emotional cost either. Debt of this kind does not just drain wallets; it drains sleep, patience, and dignity. The constant arithmetic in the head—what to delay, what to skip, what to sacrifice—becomes exhausting. Over time, it reshapes how people see themselves, shrinking confidence and breeding quiet shame.

A touch of irony lies in the word “online.” These loans feel modern, fast, and smart, yet they revive an old practice that many societies once condemned: lending that thrives on imbalance and fear. Wrapped in apps and algorithms, the practice looks clean, but the effect on ordinary lives is anything but. Technology, in this case, has not softened greed; it has sharpened it.

The wiser path, to my mind, is restraint and skepticism. Borrowers should pause, calculate honestly, and walk away when the numbers already feel painful on paper. At the same time, stricter rules and clearer limits on interest rates must catch up with these platforms. Easy money should never cost a person their future, and refusing such loans may be the first real step toward staying afloat rather than sinking deeper.

THAT’S from Psalm 27,1 and is often used a Responsorial Psalm the readings of many Masses. It’s a verse that deserves to be written deep in our heart and mind to remind us, especially nowadays when we have a lot of atheistic, agnostic and heretical tendencies, that it is in Christ where we have the true guide in our earthly sojourn.

We need to strengthen our faith in him, nourishing it daily with many acts of piety if only to counter the strong forces around that tend to take us to another path that would actually lead us nowhere even if it promises to give us a lot of earthly perks.

And this nourishment should not only be a personal duty but also a social one, starting with the family which is the basic cell of society. Let’s always remember that as persons, we are not meant to live by our own selves alone. We are meant to enter always in relation with others, starting with God, and in fact, develop a culture of intimate communion with everybody else. That is the ideal meant for us.

In this regard, parents should realize the importance of the great responsibility they have of forming their children to be strong in the faith to such an extent that they would always feel the need to help their children not only to be well-fed, well-clothed, well-provided, but also and most importantly to be good and consistent Christians, even to the extent of making them canonizable saints.

Indeed, there’s a certain urgency to make the family today an effective center of formation. With all the growing developments and complicated challenges of our times, we cannot afford to sit pretty and just allow blind fate to take its course.

We need to remember that the family plays a very strategic role in the development of a person and of society in general. It should be able to handle the duties and responsibilities inherent to its nature and purpose.

We cannot deny the fact that many people have inadequate, if not erroneous understanding of what the family and its closely related institution of marriage are. In the US today, for example, they are now legalizing and are openly promoting the so-called same-sex marriage and open marriages.

It’s no wonder that we have many broken marriages and dysfunctional families nowadays with matching complicated consequences. Of course, the recourse to divorce does not solve the problem. It can even make things worse.

Everything has to be done to address this fundamental problem. And all the subsidiary institutions and offices—the parishes, government, schools, NGOs, etc.—should lend a hand.

Continuing formation and evangelization about marriage and family has to be pursued without letup. Of course, the Church can take the lead in this, but this can be done also by many other people in the secular field. In this regard, the laity should also take a lot of initiative, since this matter concerns them more than the clergy, and they have the experience and the competence to talk about this matter.

For one, couples planning to marry should be made to realize clearly that their marriage brings with it the duty to make their family the basic center of formation for their children. They should be prepared and equipped to carry out this delicate duty.

As the basic center for formation, the family that is led by the parents should know how to lay the foundations of the human virtues and the life of faith and piety of the children. It should be well-versed with the doctrine of faith and the traditions of piety so that as early as possible the children would have the right attitudes and outlook in life.

Five for Fighting’s “100 Years” is one song that makes you think of life in generaL, how fleeting and how short it can be that it needs a more meaningful approach, a more positive way of doing the way of living it well.

At fifteen, the song talks about dreams and possibilities. For a Filipino teenager, this should mean dreaming of becoming a doctor, an engineer, or maybe even the next SB19. But corruption often steals those dreams. Budget on Education are not yet sustainable, classrooms remain overcrowded, and teachers always dream of higher salary and some of them are dying even in class observations. It is like being told you have “a hundred years to live,” but half of those years are spent waiting for government actions that must come yet ever delayed.

At twenty-two, the song describes being “on fire,” full of passion and ambition. This is the age when many Filipinos enter the workforce, eager to contribute to society. Yet corruption creates barriers—jobs lost to nepotism, promotions tied to bribery, and businesses crippled by unfair practices. Instead of burning with possibility, many young professionals burn out from frustration, their energy drained by a system that rewards connections over competence.

By the thirties and forties, the song shifts to family and responsibility. Here, corruption’s impact is most painful. Parents struggle to provide for their children while public funds are misused, healthcare systems remain weak, and basic services are unreliable. Families are forced to work abroad, leaving children behind, because corruption has weakened the local economy. The years that should symbolize stability and growth instead symbolize sacrifice and separation.

Finally, as the song reflects on old age, it reminds us that even a hundred years is short.
In essence, “100 Years” symbolizes the urgency of time and the importance of living meaningfully. Applied to the Philippine context, it becomes a critique of how corruption wastes not only money but also the lives and dreams of its citizens.

Every stolen peso is a stolen moment, every dishonest act a delay in progress. If life is short, then corruption makes it shorter, robbing Filipinos of the chance to fully live their hundred years with dignity and hope.

As what I have heard today, an old man said this to me, Bisan pa sobra 100 iton abotan han edad kun diri naman mahinungdanon, waray gamit an panahon!

The rise of generative AI, particularly models like ChatGPT, is rapidly transforming the digital marketing landscape. These tools offer unprecedented opportunities to enhance efficiency, personalize customer experiences, and drive better results across various marketing channels. By strategically integrating ChatGPT into their workflows, marketers can unlock new levels of creativity and effectiveness.

Content Creation and Curation

One of the most significant ways ChatGPT can enhance digital marketing is through content creation. High-quality content is the cornerstone of any successful marketing strategy, but producing it consistently can be time-consuming and resource-intensive. ChatGPT can assist in generating a wide range of content formats, including blog posts, social media updates, email newsletters, and even scripts for video marketing campaigns.

For example, imagine you need to create a series of blog posts on the topic of “sustainable living.” Instead of starting from scratch, you could prompt ChatGPT with a specific outline or a set of keywords, and it can generate a draft that you can then refine and customize. This not only saves time but also helps to overcome writer’s block and spark new ideas.
Beyond content creation, ChatGPT can also assist in content curation. By analyzing vast amounts of online information, it can identify trending topics, relevant articles, and influential voices in your industry. This information can then be used to create curated content feeds, social media updates, and email newsletters that provide value to your audience and establish your brand as a thought leader.

Personalized Customer Experiences

Personalization is key to capturing and retaining customers. Consumers expect brands to understand their individual needs and preferences, and they are more likely to engage with marketing messages that are tailored to their interests. ChatGPT can play a crucial role in delivering personalized customer experiences across various touchpoints.

For instance, ChatGPT can be used to create personalized email campaigns that address each subscriber by name, recommend products based on their past purchases, and offer exclusive deals tailored to their interests. Similarly, it can power chatbots that provide instant customer support, answer frequently asked questions, and guide users through the sales funnel.

By analyzing customer data and understanding individual preferences, ChatGPT can help marketers create more relevant and engaging experiences that drive conversions and build brand loyalty.

Enhanced SEO and Keyword Research

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for driving organic traffic to your website and increasing your brand’s visibility online. ChatGPT can assist in various aspects of SEO, including keyword research, content optimization, and link building.

For example, ChatGPT can be used to generate a list of relevant keywords for your target audience, based on their search behavior and interests. It can also analyze existing content on your website and suggest ways to optimize it for specific keywords, improving its ranking in search results.

Furthermore, ChatGPT can assist in link building by identifying potential partners and influencers in your industry and crafting personalized outreach messages that encourage them to link back to your website. By leveraging ChatGPT for SEO, marketers can improve their website’s visibility, attract more organic traffic, and generate more leads.

Social Media Engagement

Social media is a powerful tool for building brand awareness, engaging with customers, and driving traffic to your website. However, managing social media effectively can be time-consuming and require a constant stream of fresh content. ChatGPT can help marketers streamline their social media efforts and maximize their impact.

For instance, ChatGPT can be used to generate social media updates, captions, and hashtags that are tailored to your brand’s voice and target audience. It can also analyze social media conversations and identify trending topics, allowing you to create content that resonates with your audience and sparks engagement.

Moreover, ChatGPT can power social media chatbots that respond to customer inquiries, provide support, and even generate leads. By automating these tasks, marketers can free up their time to focus on more strategic initiatives, such as building relationships with influencers and creating engaging video content.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Data analysis is crucial for understanding the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and identifying areas for improvement. ChatGPT can assist in analyzing marketing data, generating reports, and providing insights that help you make better decisions.
For example, ChatGPT can be used to analyze website traffic data, identify trends in customer behavior, and generate reports that summarize key metrics. It can also analyze social media data, identify influencers, and measure the impact of your social media campaigns.

By leveraging ChatGPT for data analysis, marketers can gain a deeper understanding of their audience, optimize their campaigns, and drive better results.

Ethical Considerations

While ChatGPT offers numerous benefits for digital marketing, it’s important to consider the ethical implications of using AI in this context. Transparency is key, and marketers should be upfront with customers about when they are interacting with an AI-powered chatbot or receiving AI-generated content. Additionally, it’s crucial to ensure that AI-generated content is accurate, unbiased, and does not infringe on any copyrights or trademarks.

Conclusion

ChatGPT is a powerful tool that can significantly enhance digital marketing strategies. By leveraging its capabilities for content creation, personalization, SEO, social media engagement, and data analysis, marketers can improve efficiency, drive better results, and create more engaging customer experiences. As AI technology continues to evolve, it’s essential for marketers to stay informed about the latest advancements and explore new ways to integrate these tools into their workflows. Embracing ChatGPT and other generative AI models can help marketers stay ahead of the curve and thrive in the ever-changing digital landscape.
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If you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts on the column, feel free to send an email to jca.bblueprint@gmail.com. Looking forward to connecting with you!