REEL PERSPECTIVE by Joyne Lavides Part 1 The streets of downtown Toronto will once again ablaze with spectacle and buzz with excitement come September 4th until the 14th, 2025. This Ontario film capital will roll out the brightest red carpet to welcome filmmakers, actors, industry professionals, and press people from around the world. Though these luminaries will come… Read More »
Annual giving refers to the practice of donating money, time, or resources to charitable or volunteer organizations on a yearly basis. It’s more than a one-time act of generosity—it’s a sustained commitment to making a difference. In Canada, however, this tradition is facing challenges. According to CanadaHelps’ 2024 Giving Report, the number of Canadians making charitable donations has… Read More »
One day, it was so cold here in Toronto; the temperature was at 10 °C, but with the strong wind, the weather was quite chilly. To pass the time, I decided to listen to our very own Original Pilipino Music (OPM); these songs were enough to warm me up. While I was enjoying listening to these Filipino songs,… Read More »
Bawat isa ramdam ko ang inyong paghihirap Kaya lahat tayo ay nagsusumikap Pero minsan hindi pa rin sapat Kaya gumagawa ng paraan ang lahat Pero may mga taong iba talaga Sa pangungutang palagi umaaasa Akala mo palaging may patago sila Pero napakahirap na singilin sila Sila ay iyong pinagbibigyan Dahil baka talaga kailangan Utang na kalimutan Sa bandang… Read More »
At a time when the Canadian economy is facing unprecedented challenges, one would expect Doug Ford’s priority to be making Ontario a business-friendly place, attracting startups and expansions to generate much-needed jobs, boost economic growth, and overall prosperity. However, Doug Ford, ignoring the fact that Ontario is surrounded by other provinces and shares a border with the world’s… Read More »
The Israel-Palestine conflict traces its origins to ancient times, when the land known as Canaan became central to both Jewish and Arab heritage. Around 1000 BCE, the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah emerged, anchoring Jewish identity to the region. Over centuries, the area was conquered by empires—Babylonian, Persian, Greek, and Roman—each leaving its mark. The Romans renamed the… Read More »
by Joyne Lavides TIFF50 Toronto International Film Festival September 4-14, 2025 Turning 50 in a grandiose domain of showbusiness dredging in elegance, fame, and pomposity seems fitting for one festival organization that has auspiciously brought and showcased thousands of films from around the world to Toronto audiences. Since its inception in 1976, this group’s own backstory mirrors a… Read More »
Though we are thousands of miles away from the Philippines, we Filipinos, who live in Toronto and elsewhere in Canada, feel as if we have not left our home after all, and the country of our birth. Why? Well, let me tell you how most of us spend our days making a living in this newly adopted country.… Read More »
Today’s job market is a seductive dance, where talent is getting lost in the fog of red tape and endless applications. (I’m a fan of Norman Mailer’s prose.) The 2025 job market is a dumpster fire; therefore, I’ve been receiving more emails asking for job search advice, which most often can be summarized as: Job search norms from… Read More »
By: Rodel Ramos The National Hero of the Philippines, Dr. José P. Rizal, was the conscience and intellectual spark of the Philippine nation. His life, works, and death awakened Filipino nationalism and played a pivotal role in the eventual achievement of Philippine independence. Filipinos in Canada are proud of their national hero, and his legacy will forever live… Read More »