One night, I could hear strong winds humming against our bedroom windows. They were powerful, yet I still managed to sleep soundly. The following morning, when I stepped outside our apartment building, I was greeted by a thick blanket of snow covering everything. It was bitterly cold—around minus 10°C. A few hours later, when I returned home, I… Read More »

These days, the popularity of the bahay kubo is once again finding its way into the hearts and minds of our countrymen. Despite the rise of modern concrete and hardwood houses, many people are now choosing to buy ready-made nipa huts and set them up in available spaces on their properties. Being part of the culture, architects often incorporate the… Read More »

Being a reporter in the 80s, one of the best beats given to me by my editors was covering the first-ever “ Kapihan sa Manila, an early morning coffee media forum held at the Manila Hotel. The setting up of this Kapihan was timely because of the growing opposition to the Marcos regime; there was a need for… Read More »

The e-book version has recently been released on Amazon, and its pocketbook counterpart will follow soon. The printed edition is available on a print-on-demand basis. Iskolar ng Bayan is a record of the struggles, hardships, and enduring hope of the First Batch—commonly known as the Pioneer Class of ’67—of Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), the Philippines’ first… Read More »

For most seniors—those of us aged sixty-five and above—living gracefully through the remaining years of life can be a real challenge. Even when we attend weddings, reunions, and social gatherings, there is often a quiet feeling that something is missing. Deep inside, we sense an unease. Our bodies remind us that we are no longer young, that we… Read More »

As an aging journalist, I rarely find myself attending big community events these days, but the recent Hotdog Band concert at the Toronto Pavilion drew me in. Before the show began, I walked around the venue—and what I saw genuinely surprised me. The whole place pulsed with life. Vendors sold everything from desserts, barbecue, and coffee to condo… Read More »

Our apartment is located near a nursing home and retirement facility. Each day, I see elderly people—some walking slowly with canes, others being gently pushed in wheelchairs by their caregivers. For the first time, I truly notice how fragile the human body can become. Some struggle just to take a few steps. Watching them, I silently remind myself:… Read More »

There is a big night for music lovers who want to relive and celebrate the iconic songs of the 1970s, known as Manila Sound, first introduced in the Philippines by the well-known Hotdog Band. Some of the popular songs influenced by the so-called Manila Sound are Pers Lab, Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko and Annie Batungbakal—and… Read More »

My country is in a very “troubled situation” where its three institutions—Congress, the Presidency and the Supreme Court—are virtually shaking from their foundations because of the massive corruption reportedly being perpetrated by public officials. Members of Congress, including senators, are alleged to be pocketing hundreds of millions of pesos in kickbacks from flood control projects, some of which… Read More »

They are right in our midst, picking their food in the ground, in front of some malls and grocery stores, apartments’ balconies, homes’ front yards, parks or even right inside the TTC stations. These birds are part of our grounds and skies; we can see them in droves, busily picking their food, flying in mid-heavens, or resting their… Read More »