I’m excited to visit once again my home country and this early lots of things going on in my mind such as what things to do, places to visit, and. friends to see. At my age now 74, going to be 75 on February 14, some concerns face me honestly, like the difficulty of going around because my… Read More »
For most people, Christmas is a season of joy, peace and giving. I don’t know why the Christmas spirit is so strong that throughout this holiday season, people are becoming more generous and kind; they will move heaven and earth just to be with their families. Never mind if the plane fares are exorbitant, Filipinos will be hell-bent… Read More »
“I’ve reached the end of this great history/And all land will fill with talk of me:/I shall not die, these seeds I’ve sown will save/My name and reputation from the grave,/And men of sense and wisdom will proclaim,/When I have gone, my praises and my fame.”—Abu’l-Qâsem Ferdowsi Tusi, Shahnameh. My name is Manuel Ortega. I am a foreign… Read More »
In the late 90s, I was interviewing for a call centre management position with a well-known insurance company. Karl, my interviewer, and I clicked. Small talk revealed we shared a love of golf and agreed that Rhum Corner makes the best mojitos in Toronto. Karl seemed impressed by my STAR stories and experience creating incentive programs that drove… Read More »
The Philippines recently observed World AIDS Day on December 1, 2024, under the theme “Take the Rights Path: My Health, My Right!”. The event focused on raising awareness about HIV prevention, promoting testing, and emphasizing the critical role of human rights in combating HIV/AIDS. Spearheaded by the Philippine National AIDS Council, along with various organizations and government agencies,… Read More »
The Philippines is currently reeling from the devastating effects of a series of super typhoons, heavy rains, and rare, powerful winds reaching speeds of nearly 190 kilometers per hour. These typhoons have caused widespread destruction, including tidal surges over seven meters high, the loss of homes, and the displacement of over a million Filipinos to emergency shelters. The… Read More »
I don’t know about you, but I sense that the Christmas spirit has not really kicked in this year with most people. Then again maybe it is just me. How could it? With all the craziness going on around the world. And yet, I still believe that there are redeeming qualities that life, through history, offers for us… Read More »
By Rey Moreno Filipinos believe strongly in miracles. I remember when I was a boy a rumour was circulating of an image of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the window of a bungalow-style home in the north side of the town proper. One night some of our neighbours decided to check out if it was true. I tagged… Read More »
In the early 60s, that short-stretch street called Loreto in Sampaloc, where I grew up, was primarily peopled by ordinary people whose daily life was continually struggling to survive. That short street had a small “Talipapa,” a makeshift market, and beside it was a basketball and tennis court, a public toilet along the road, and a handful of… Read More »