After the Senate passed Senate Bill 2424, which seeks to impose an outright ban on social media use for individuals aged 17 and below, Senator Risa Hontiveros stood as the lone dissenting voice, delivering a detailed explanation of her negative vote. The bill emerged as a legislative response to a series of school shootings in the Philippines, with… Read More »

Neighbourhood safety continues to be a pressing concern for many residents across the city, but new findings from the 2025 Listening to Toronto Survey reveal a striking level of uncertainty. Conducted in early 2025 through a combination of online questionnaires and telephone interviews with a representative sample of Toronto residents, the survey asked participants how safety in their… Read More »

Fishing has long been known as one of the most calming and restorative outdoor activities. Studies show that spending time near water lowers stress hormones, improves mood, sharpens focus, and supports heart health. The slow rhythm of casting, waiting, and breathing in fresh air helps quiet the mind. For many, fishing becomes a form of meditation — a… Read More »

Diabetes is a chronic condition in which the body cannot properly regulate blood sugar, either because it does not produce insulin (type 1) or cannot use insulin effectively (type 2). In Toronto and across Ontario, diabetes has become a growing public health challenge. As of 2024, 11% of Ontarians live with diagnosed diabetes, rising to 15% when undiagnosed… Read More »

Long before fertility apps, ovulation tests, and other modern tools, women observed natural changes in their bodies to better understand their reproductive cycles. The Billings Ovulation Method® (BOM), developed in Australia by Drs. John and Evelyn Billings and collaborators in the 1950s, brought this approach into a structured system of fertility awareness. The method focuses primarily on changes… Read More »

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 »

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 »

In Toronto’s ever-evolving landscape of community work, social enterprises often operate quietly in the background — building livelihoods, strengthening neighborhoods, and creating opportunities where traditional systems fall short. A social enterprise is a business that exists not only to generate revenue, but to achieve a social purpose. Unlike charitable organizations, which rely heavily on donations and grants, social… Read More »

With the Canadian winter looming just three months away, many of you may already be wondering where to escape the cold. For one group of family and friends — Frederick, Kat, Ephraim, Ann, Marlyn, Marilyn, Edwin, Jeanne, Cody, Olive and Kim — that question led them to consider Cuba, a destination often surrounded by misconceptions yet known for… Read More »