HAPPY NEW YEAR! MANIGONG BAGONG TAON! BONNE ANNEE! As we step into the next chapter of the 21st century, in the 25th year of the third millennium, this New Year invites a moment of reflection, a unique poignancy that feels more pressing than in years gone by. This time, the idea of New Year’s resolutions seems empty. While… Read More »
“Is it true that human beings are fundamentally cruel? Is the experience of cruelty the only thing we share as a species? …To be degraded, damaged, slaughtered—is this the essential fate of humankind, one which history has confirmed as inevitable?” —Han Kang, Human Acts. “…if only you will not begrudge lending your ears…those which you are accustomed to… Read More »
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 »
“The action or process through which something is changed so much that it appears to be entirely new.” “To change how you behave or look so that people think of you differently.” “transform,” “redesign,” “modify.” reclaim.” It is how the dictionary describes reinvention. In this article, we will delve deeper than reinventing ourselves, including transforming our politics, environment,… 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 »
When almost everyone celebrates Christmas, writing on why I’m not celebrating it is not an easy task, it’s just like going against the tide. It seems like dousing some cold water to a joyful event that the whole world over is looking forward to. For most people, Christmas is a season of joy, peace, and giving. The Christmas… Read More »
On Sept. 19, 2024, Joel Butuyan’s Phil Daily Inquirer column, “Flea Market of Ideas,” published an article about the Pope’s recent Asian tour. The article “All Religions are Paths to Reach God” refers to the Pope’s bold and daring assertions. I responded to Butuyan’s article on Sept. 30, https://opinion.inquirer.net/177171/religion-a-giant-conspiracy-theory. This article is an expanded version of my response.… Read More »