The ASEAN region’s health challenges encompass a diverse range of risks. The convergence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), infectious diseases, climate change impacts, and other non-health factors paints a complex picture. NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory ailments, and diabetes, are already the leading causes of death in the region, accounting for 62 per cent (8.5 million) of all fatalities.
Southeast Asia is undergoing a significant demographic shift. In just over a century, the percentage of people aged 601 and older will surge from 4.7% in 1950 to a quarter of the population by 2050
We often tell our youth that “the world is your oyster” as they embark towards their adult life, and they can do anything if they put their heart and mind into what they wish to achieve—from education choices, career aspirations, or to be at the cusp of other adventures yet to be determined.
Fossil discoveries in Indonesia, the Philippines, and just recently, the Lao PDR are altering our understanding of human evolutionary history. They suggest that diverse groups of ancient or primitive hominins reached and inhabited Southeast Asia much earlier than thought and coexisted with modern humans before they went extinct. It raises questions about the origins, migrations, and interactions between these groups.
International Day of Yoga has been celebrated on 21 June since 2015. It is observed globally to promote Yoga as a way to find physical, mental, and spiritual harmony in our fast-paced modern existence.
The ASEAN Artists Residency Programme (AARP) is a platform for young ASEAN artists to showcase their talents. For its fifth rendition, 31-year-old Cambodian Srun Rida was chosen as the artist for the month-long-residency programme, from 23rd May to 20th June 2023.
There are about 260,000 migrant domestic workers in Singapore, many of them are from neighbouring countries like the Philippines and Indonesia. Finding heartwarming stories about employers and workers in a sea of migrant workers may seem like digging for precious gems. However, in today’s digital age, the power of social media has made it easier to discover such stories.
Warni Ibrahim vividly recalls the tumultuous period of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past decade, 39-year-old Warni has worked as a migrant domestic worker. She first worked as a nanny before transitioning to her current role as a live-in caregiver for an older person at the request of her new employer.
Forty-nine-year-old Sumitha Shaanthinni Kishna always knew she wanted to become a lawyer. With a natural flair for expressing her thoughts, growing up, she was never afraid to assert her critical thinking.
Richard Regaspi was a migrant worker in the United Arab Emirates for 13 years before the COVID-19 pandemic hastened his return to the Philippines. It was a tough transition, but the move back allowed Richard and his wife to grow their young business and start a new one.