Billings Ovulation Method: A Simple, Evidence-Based Way to Understand Fertility

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 »

TIFF51 Media Coverage + Stargazing

Once again, Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is rolling its red carpet to the world, with its 51st edition running from September 10-20, 2026. TIFF promises another stunning festival showcasing the best of Canadian and global cinema. Some of these films will have their premiere presentations in Toronto. Prominent Hollywood celebrities and filmmakers are anticipated to make an… Read More »

“Matanda Na Pala Ako” (I’m Old Already)

Oh, my gosh! I’m 76 now. But I don’t consider myself “old.” The way I think about myself, I’m still young at heart. I still have the energy to move forward in life, and I try not to let the challenges that come my way stop me. But the other day, something happened that made me pause. My… Read More »

Adobo: A Dish That Carries the Story of the Filipino People

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 »

THE ALEX EALA FACTOR

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 »

In Defiance of God

“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 »

Tribal Bookends

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 »

May Masasabi Pa rin

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 »