Category Archives: Editorial

Food Banks: A Glean of Hope

A study done by University of Toronto revealed that about 5.8 million people in Canada experienced some form of food insecurity in 2021; those numbers include 1.4 million children. In Ontario, one in six households (equal to 2.3 million people) were food insecure during the same period. Out of this figure, nearly five percent or over 250,000 households… Read More »

Kids: Are they OK?

Despite the return to normalcy in school learning that no longer requires online learning, masking and physical distancing, more students are still struggling and feeling unhappy, nervous, or worried about the future. Around 36,000 students in Grades 6 to 12 took part in a survey (by TDSB, 2021) and the findings are worrisome. Students who reported they were… Read More »

Is It Possible to Not Be on Social Media?

The answer is “Yes,” however, the existential question is, “Can you live without social media?” How social media works: Me: “I prefer mangoes to oranges…” Random Person (hiding behind an anonymous account): “So basically, what you’re saying is that you hate oranges. You also failed to mention pineapples, bananas, and grapefruits. Educate yourself!” You can never win on… Read More »

Employers Love It When You Speak Their Language

When interviewing candidates or meeting someone at a professional event, I can tell how involved they are in managing call centres. How? By the words they use. Specifically, I am referring to terminology call center professionals use, such as AHT (Average Handle Time), ASR (Automatic Speech Recognition), CTI (Computer Telephony Integration), and SLA (Service Level Agreement). Code-like acronyms,… Read More »

OVER A BOWL OF BUTONG PAKWAN

If Ka Doroy Valencia, dubbed by Associated Press then as one of the most influential journalists in the Philippines during his time (1913 to 1987), had his “Over a Cup of Coffee” column, then we had our “over a bowl of butong pakwan” session in our home. Complete with Marites stories. Woe to the one who did not… Read More »

La Coutts

 La Coutts Toronto  was a corporate sponsor at the 13th Edition of the International Fashion Encounter, held at Mercedes Benz Downtown Toronto on September 22n.  We were there to witness the glorious merger of local & international designers to complete the International Fashion Encounter.    “LA COUTTS TORONTO is committed to pushing the boundaries of fashion and redefining… Read More »

Save the Wildflowers

Wildflowers play an important role in our ecosystems. Not only they beautify our surroundings, but these plants have also a big impact in soil health to pollination, and to us as humans. Pollinators: like bees, insects, and birds, depend on many species of wildflowers for food. In turn, these pollinators help provide our food. In fact, around 75… Read More »

INTRODUCING:  The Sinè Institute

 As I write (Sept 13, 12:45 am), I feel my cheeks damp.  Am crying?  Quietly, yes.  I feel so grateful for the kindness and support of everyone. Our org, The Sinè Institute, will need you all the way as we encourage you to appreciate the Filipino culture and examine the Film industry as a potential career for a… Read More »

THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD

These words ring true more than ever today.  These words were first written by the novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton in “Cardinal Richelieu”, the historical play he wrote in 1839.  According to Alison Gee of BBC News, there were previous writers who have expressed the same thought earlier, like Robert Burton, in the early 17th century when he… Read More »

RxART Canada: Healing through Art

Art activities and art appreciation has been known to promote healing, reduce stress and anxiety. While more studies are needed to better understand how art therapy impacts our mental and physical health, there is a growing interest in its efficacy for a broad spectrum of health conditions. In a study conducted by Girija Kaimal, et.al. (2016), they found… Read More »