Traveling alone is not new to me, even in my younger years. (Huwag na ninyong itanong how long ago!). Somehow, especially in the Philippines, or in Asia for that matter, people would look at me askance, sometimes with downright incredulous eyes. This happens almost always when they find out I am on a trip by myself. This time,… Read More »
All children should be able to read by age 10. Beyond this, when children cannot read, it usually indicates that there could be some gaps in the educational system. Many children around the world are not learning to read proficiently. In fact, over 250 million children are not even in school (UNESCO). This is a crisis that threatens… Read More »
As we transitioned to today, July 1, Canada Day, it is interesting to note that the month preciding it, June, was both Filipino Heritage Month and National Indigenous Month in Canada. I started my piece for this issue intending to highlight the similarities in the cultures and histories of both nations – Canada and the Philippines. Offhand, or… Read More »
“Change doesn’t always mean progress, but the status quo is not always the best result, either. It is merely the most convenient.” – Harsha Bhogle, Indian cricket commentator and journalist. 102 candidates are running to be Toronto’s 66th mayor. Which of these candidates… Looks like a mayor? Talks like a mayor? Listens like your neighbour? It may be… Read More »
Sleep is crucial for having a healthy life. Too much or too little sleep can be associated with the overall well-being as well as with a shorter lifespan. According to the Sleep Foundation, those who slept between seven and eight hours, but not less than or more than this range, could expect to add one to three years… Read More »
“There is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some Diehard’s vote.” ― David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster and Other Essays. Despite a field of 102 Toronto mayoral candidates, last night’s election was a two-candidate battle—proving the need for rank-balloting—between Ana Bailão… Read More »
However much I try not to follow what is going on in Ukraine and the rest of the world, I am inexorably drawn to the video posts from both MSM (mainstream media) and independent journalists (mainly the latter as I am beginning to doubt the former’s credibility, or at least, their evenness). I cannot help but compare the… Read More »
Based on my interactions with those under 35, I have made the following generalization: Young people today are increasingly eschewing meaningful friendships, intimate relationships, having a steady job, and being connected to a religion and a community in favour of spending a lot of time on social media. It is well known that a healthy eating habit is… Read More »
As soon as I entered the Kalayaan Centre on the evening of June 10, I was ready for CARTAS DE AMOR together with the full-packed audience! Background: The play Cartas de Amor meaning Love Letters, created by Josephine Roces Chavez, presents the tragic tale of romance between our national hero, Jose Rizal, and his greatest love – Leonor… Read More »
Circumstances beyond control made me put off for the next Balita issue (June 16-31, 2023) the column I was working on. In its stead, I am putting forward two published stories I have written in the distant past. ***** First, rest assured that the recent display of Victoria Day fireworks was as magical and mystical as always. I… Read More »