Little did 26-year-old Ana Patricia Non realize that by organizing a bamboo makeshift food bank on a street would make her a celebrity and, ironically, at the same time put her in hot water. All she did was bring to life the time-tested Filipino “bayanihan spirit” of helping people in need. It all began on April 14, 2021… Read More »
According to Wikipedia, “The melting pot is a monocultural metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements ‘melting together’ with a common culture; an alternative being a homogeneous society becoming more heterogeneous through the influx of foreign elements with different cultural backgrounds, possessing the potential to create disharmony within the previous culture. Historically, it is… Read More »
Hmmm. Looks like fun. How is pandemic jargon understood? Stop the Spread – Does not work on a peanut butter and jam sandwich. Super Spreader – Yummy! (See above.) Public Health Protocols – Rules to LIVE by. Frontliners – Responsible people who work better when those they serve desire to be safer. Stay Home – When adults worry… Read More »
In my column, “Quo Vadis, Tea Party?” (December 14, 2012), I wrote: “Is the Republican Party in disarray? No. Is it dysfunctional? Probably, yes. Is it crumbling? Not yet. Yes, at the rate the bloodletting is going on, the Grand Old Party of Abraham Lincoln is going through like what ‘Honest Abe’ went through during his tumultuous presidency—a… Read More »
In my groundbreaking quantitative modeling study of 620 Bicolano women from Bicol Region, Philippines, I proposed that religion as a way of life encourages people to strive for other values. Consequently, these values yield profound societal impacts. For instance, the practice of religion has been associated with gender-role stereotypes. Illustratively, Filipino feminist scholars regard Roman Catholicism as a… Read More »
Trivia: The recent celebration of the 500th anniversary of Christianity in the Philippines brought by Spain in 1521 brings back the religious nature of the Filipinos. At that, from the early ‘50s, local movie bigwigs produced films with religious theme, all resounding money makers. This attested to the hilt the inherent religious nature of Filipinos. Lebran Productions initiated… Read More »
Did you know that 1 in 5 Toronto households experience food insecurity? As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to worsen, it is affecting a rising number of low-wage earners in terms of food security, and this is producing negative health outcomes. Food insecurity refers to the inadequate or insecure access to food due to lack of money. Many households… Read More »
What a beautiful 1st day of spring it is today – March 20, 2021! Blue skies and bright sun. Still cold but the resplendent sun and sky makes a whole world of difference. Aware of the coming warmer days, I am looking forward to finally bring out my potted plants which have been “wintering” (or is it winterizing?)… Read More »
Last March 7, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that more than 200 vessels – believed to be manned by Chinese militia personnel – were observed moored in line formation at the Julian Felipe Reef within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf. However, the reef, which is also called Whitsun Reef, is within the Spratly… Read More »
By Freddie Rabelas Obligacion, Ph.D., MBA, MA, BS (magna cum laude) In my groundbreaking quantitative modeling study of 620 Bicolano women from Bicol Region, Philippines, I proposed that religion as a way of life encourages people to strive for other values. Consequently, these values yield profound societal impacts. For instance, the practice of religion has been associated with… Read More »