“There was no choice but to sit silently while history was narrated anew, no choice but to wait in a dumbly, unenthusiastic silence for the mocking dismantling of our old stories, until later when we could whisperingly remind each other what the plunderers had tried to steal from us.” – Abdulrazak Gurnah, Gravel Heart (2017). In one of… Read More »
by Teresa Torralba One of the world’s most photographed natural landmarks was the site of a historic event in the Filipino Canadian community which took place on a drizzling Sunday afternoon of October 2023. The monument of the Philippine’s national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, will soon rise. It is to be nestled in the resplendent Niagara Parks overlooking… Read More »
Once we hit puberty, along with the newly activated hormones and awakening libido, we begin to be preoccupied with romantic notions for whatever sexual orientation we may have. We begin not only to take an interest in the opposite sex albeit, even becoming obsessed with finding the right person. The person we imagine to be our gateway to… Read More »
Having a once-in-a-month family get-together is refreshing and joyful, but most of all, it strengthens the family’s love and unity. In this anxiety-filled and busy world, family members struggle to have a simple meal together. Their secular jobs, school demands, never-ending household chores, and busy lifestyles force them to have an individualized kind of living; day in, day… Read More »
WITH the advent of the Internet Revolution and the growth of social media, every voice, lifestyle and action, once insignificant, trivial and inconsequentially irrelevant, is making headlines. A quiet voice in the shadows could be the stuff of a rally, a protest of major significance. A dominant culture of the community is no longer a guaranteed universally accepted… Read More »
Most people would much rather stay home to everything familiar to them. This is understandable. To be surrounded by family and friends, home is where one is comfortable, wanted, accepted, and loved. Many who do not have the need to transplant themselves elsewhere are fortunate. They continue to enjoy the benefits of being with kith and kin, the… Read More »
When I was a boy, my Nanay would always impress upon my young mind that I had to study hard to escape poverty, or I might become a kubetero. One recent morning, when I was having a coffee chat with Reggie in his home in Chicago, he’s the husband of my sister-in-law, I told him about that kubetero story… Read More »
“You could leave with dreams and expectations that by their nature were counter to your own best interest. Better to go with an open mind and take what comes and see what you can make of it.” – David Guterson, The Final Case. I love the detective/mystery (D/M) genre. My first introduction was Perry Mason, the crime and… Read More »
Carpe diem (Latin), literally, “Pluck the Day” or “Seize the Day” (English). It is interestingly, the motto of U.S. Army leaders. It means there is an opportunity to seize the day, to alter the future, to improve readiness, to make formations and weapons more lethal, and to regain battlefield superiority over any foe in any domain. However, since… Read More »
Working in a newspaper during those early years of martial law in the 70s was not so complicated and fearsome; all the papers had to do was publish “positive stories” about the workings of government and country– and follow Malacañang’s directives. Those martial law years were the heyday for press releases, but some people called them “praise releases.”… Read More »