I was in the house of a friend lately and I noticed that the pictures in the family room have been changed. The former portraits were gone and the new ones were all of young ones –hockey teams, a child’s birthday party, a young girl by a Christmas tree. They were all about two to ten year olds… Read More »
By Ab. Velasco This past November, I embarked on an unforgettable three-week, cross country visit to the Philippines. I was born in Manila in 1981 and my family immigrated to Canada in 1989. I returned briefly for a one-week visit in 2008 – as part of a larger Asian trip – and enjoyed it so much that I… Read More »
It gives me great pleasure to utter this greeting in our language although I do not get much chance as most, even our own “kababayan” greet one another in English; “Merry Christmas!” The much-awaited day of the year will soon be here. The preparation starts early, usually in November, right after Halloween. It usually starts with the Santa… Read More »
I love to travel. For many years, I spent my savings in joining tours to different parts of the world. There is nothing like travel for education and socialization. Every new place I visited gave me a different perspective of the wonders of nature and the varied cultures of people. I made very pleasant acquaintances and friendships with… Read More »
Last year at about this period, people in the Greater Toronto Area got scared about the possibility of a pandemic of HINI influenza. Several cases of death, possibly caused by the virus causing this disease, were reported by the media. One was that of a teenager who just came from a camping trip, complained of headache and had… Read More »
By: THESA ANOBA DAYAGBIL My grandmother died a few days ago in the Philippines. She was 90 years old. Like any grandchild who adores and loves her grandmother deeply, I took the news very badly. More so because I am here in Canada and I wasn’t there to whisper in her ear one last time how much I… Read More »
I was interpreting recently for a client who was making a claim for injuries suffered from a car accident. At the end of the session, the lawyer representing my client commented that some of the words I used sounded Spanish. I explained to her that one out of every three words in Tagalog has roots in Spanish. … Read More »
June 12 is a date significant to Filipinos. It does not matter whether they are in their native land or in another part of this planet, June 12 is a date wherein Filipinos congregate and raise their national flag, June 12 is Philippine Independence Day. In Markham, Ontario, the town council declared a Philippine Independence Week, starting… Read More »
By Rudy M. Viernes THE PHILIPPINE FESTIVALS By Rudy M. Viernes The first day of May in the Philippines ushers in the start of a month of festivals, merrymakings, processions, Santacruzan, Flores de Mayo, flowers and the Virgin Mary. May is a festive month which implies feasting or celebration. In most little towns and villages… Read More »
I find that each day there is something new to learn. We keep some views that we hold for a long time; and then all of a sudden we get shocked when something happen and finds that the view we hold is wrong. For a long time, I had the perception that racism and discrimination are directed… Read More »