Across the Philippines, adobo is more than a recipe — it is a cultural thread woven through generations, regions, and identities. Every Filipino knows it, every household cooks it, and every community has its own version. At its simplest, adobo is meat, seafood, or vegetables simmered in vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, and either salt or soy sauce. But behind… Read More »
Alexandra Eala’s unprecedented series of victories in tennis this year has undoubtedly grabbed the full attention of the world. At 21, she became the first full-blooded Filipina tennis player straight from the Philippines, without any hyphenation attached to her Filipino status, to win a Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) 500 title. From her remarkable Wimbledon performance to her championship… Read More »
“The road is strewn with many dangers…First is the danger of futility; the belief there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world’s ills…Yet…each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny… Read More »
Every child deserves the chance to read, to imagine, and to dream — yet across Canada, thousands finish Grade 3 unable to keep up with their reading in Grade 4. For these children, the consequences ripple far beyond the classroom: they are four times less likely to graduate, and far more likely to face barriers to employment and… Read More »
When my family and I emigrated to Canada decades ago, we brought a couple of hand-carved bookends packed in a rigid box, among other memorabilia handed down from my grandfather Francisco Lavides. The weight of these bookends must have left a huge dent on the scales at the airport, as my wife, eldest child, and I embarked on… Read More »
All of us have been there. The heavy silence in the elevator on the way down, the sudden, agonizing clarity about what you wish you had said, and the burning realization that you just blew a job opportunity. A bad interview feels final, like a door slammed shut and deadbolted. Most job seekers throw in the towel. They… Read More »
Tayo ay kusang tumutulong Walang hinihinging kondisyon Kahit hindi natin sila obligasyon Yan ang ating misyon Pero ibinigay mo nang lahat Para sa kanila hindi pa ito sapat Kahit ikaw din ay naghibirap Gusto mo rin silang makatikim ng sarap Kahit gaano kalaki ang iyong naitulong Malilimutan din nila pagdating ng panahon Isang pagkakamali mo sa iyong desisyon… Read More »
My publisher, Tess Cusipag of Balita, the Filipino community newspaper in Toronto, is facing a difficult dilemma—how to balance the demands of publishing a newspaper with the need to enjoy her own life. It was 1:25 in the afternoon on July 22. I had just finished my lunch, knowing that Tess was probably busy putting another issue of… Read More »
The latter part of 1896 was a pivotal juncture for Jose Rizal, who, after having spent four years as an exile in Dapitan, sought permission to sail for an embattled Cuba as a medical volunteer. The wars of independence against Spain were simultaneously being waged at the time by revolutionaries from both colonies. The Spanish Crown was in… Read More »
The recurring heat wave phenomenon continues to disrupt summer enjoyment in Canada in recent years. The frequency and scale of wildfires predominantly thrust its existential threat in close proximity with Canadians. Air quality has since become a major health concern. Destruction of forest continues to affect wildlife and vegetation. Humanity, as a result, bears the catastrophic brunt of… Read More »