Category Archives: General

Filipinos in these hard times

I was at Food Basics the other day and they had some fresh carrot muffins for $1.99 in a package of six. I bought a package and when I reached home, I brewed a cup of coffee and enjoyed one of the muffins with the hot beverage. My sister and I had the muffins for two breakfasts and… Read More »

Ola – la ! Oh! Bama! God Bless America!

Eskeremengoles! Saming last Kalabit, Me mga nag – email nabating pabalik! Good wishes sa staff, sana raw lumawig Buhay ng BALITA, sey nung avid readers. * * * Alahoy! Alahoy! Tuwing Kung Hei Fat Choi ! Noon sa Echague nabaha ng Tikoy! Ewan ko, ewan nyo? Ganun pa ba ngayon? Happy New Year to all! Sating madlang Tsinoy!… Read More »

Languages and Dialects in the Philippines

One advantage Filipino immigrants to North America have is that almost all of them can speak in English. Actually Filipino immigrants in the 60’s and 70’s were educated from elementary to university in English. In 1946 when the Philippines got full independence from the United States, the medium of instruction in the elementary schools gradually was changed to… Read More »

Where is Home?

I was listening last Saturday to the homily at the 5:00 pm mass. The priest was reminding the congregation that it was the end of the Christmas season and the celebration of the baptism of Jesus Christ. which should make us recall our own baptism. I have a great respect and admiration for this particular homilist who can… Read More »

Ngayong Bagong Taon, Happy New Year to all!

Holy Kalungkaling! From Vatican City, Si Papa Benedict, kaniyang mensahe: “Greed will destroy the world” hindi imposible. Sa paligid – ligid nakikita ire! * * * Alahoy! Butchukoy! Ngayong bagong taon! Apul Dyus! As usual, mga resulusyon! Babaguhin na raw, yung ganire! Yung ganon! Parang sirang plaka! Ang singhal ni Tembong! * * * Doon po sa atin,… Read More »

Jose Rizal and the Immigrant experience

This article is in commemoration of the 112th anniversary of the martyrdom of the Philippine National hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, observed December 30, 2008. While certain groups paused and recalled the event on this date many Filipinos especially those who were born outside the Philippines do not see the relevance of the contributions of this great man to… Read More »

The Hero in all of us

Two weeks ago, CNN, an American Channel, presented a program honoring heroes of America. When we think of heroes, what often come to our minds are the men and women with distinguished courage who fought in battlefields and often gave their lives in the cause of freedom . Before the program actually started, I was thinking of the… Read More »

Maligayang Pasko Ang bati sa inyo!

Alahoy ! Alahoy ! Maligayang Pasko ! Tropa ng Kalabit, bumabati sa inyo ! Ang Diwa ng Pasko kung isasaulo: Tahimik ang mundo, masaya ang tao. * * * Manny ! Money ! Manny ! Pinacquio na lahat ! Ken Le – on ! Ken Tigre ! Pati si Goliath ! Pacquiao ! Walang tinge ! Kabig !… Read More »

Dignity in Sharing

I was in the car of a close friend driving along the narrow streets in the west end of Toronto when she slowed down the vehicle as her eye caught the pushcart by the gate of one of the old houses. A man, probably in his late forties was by the stairs of the house picking up some… Read More »

Let Us Be a Part Of The Change

I got my copy of the Time Magazine this morning, the issue after the recent election in the United States. Of course, the front-page picture is that of the new president elect, Barack Obama. The caption: “Change has come to America.” The last US election campaign had been the main news in the previous three months. It caught… Read More »