Category Archives: General

THE LORE AND ENDURING LEGACY OF A WET MARKET

“Palengke” in the old Parañaque By Edwin de Leon “PAMILIHANG BAYAN NG PALANYAG” was the prominent sign of the Parañaque public market of the post-war years, right into the 50s. Anybody who has travelled between Manila and Cavite has passed the front of this iconic building along Quirino Avenue, the only thoroughfare connecting Manila to the southwest.  … Read More »

How Time Flies Fast; We Are Now Seniors

Years back, when we were living in this anxieties-filled world, busily making a living, raising families, and working hard, we failed to notice how our time flies so fast, and suddenly, with a jolt of lighting, we found ourselves already seniors. Then, on hearing the iconic Beatles’ songs, we would clap,  jump,  dance and gyrate to the tune… Read More »

On Unli and Overload 

Nothing attracts people more than promos, freebies, and add-ons. Business establishments spend money on research  to lure people to choose them over their competitors. That is, for people to buy what they don’t need. This is what powers consumerism and materialism. In terms of food, fanning lust and greed are two things they exploit. Lust for food and… Read More »

Never forget EDSA & People Power

BREAKTHROUGH  – Elfren S. Cruz – The Philippine Star  There are again attempts to downgrade the significance of this extremely significant event in the history of the Filipino people. I think it is important that we recall the role that the EDSA movement played in our struggle for democracy. The classic definition of People Power is “political pressure… Read More »

Balikbayan  ni Edwin Esteba

ni Edwin Esteba Buhay  Sa ibang bansa ikaw ay nagpapakahirap Upang matupad mo iyong mga pangarap Pinipilit mong magsumikap Upang pamilya makaahon sa hirap Hindi naman kalakihan lahat ating kinikita Iyong iba nga sinasabi ay kulang pa Pero kung tayo ay marunong magpahalaga Dapat alam mo kung paano gumasta Kapag tayo ay nagbabalikbayan Sa tingin ng iba tayo… Read More »

Love Poems

Waiting We are eagerly hoping to see our Big Day as the sunset sets in; finding ourselves still waiting till the morning dawn greets us again. Tra la la, la, we joyfully sing to ease the pain of waiting; who knows, our Day is just around the corner. While we are waiting, it’s not an idle thing; we… Read More »

The Game is in the Name

There are many, many unique things about the Philippines. Naming one’s kid is one of them. For instance, would you ever think of naming their baby girl to honor the three major Philippine islands — Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao: Luzviminda. How clever is that?! But many years later, after that initial adventure into a name, Filipino parents have become… Read More »

Legacies from the Spaniards

Under the service of Spain, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, came upon the Philippines in 1521. I am not using the word ‘discover’ because like in many other countries, the Philippines already had the rudimentary elements of a civilization when the Spanish vessels docked.  In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, to honor the reigning king, Philip… Read More »

Corruption starts with a cigar

“The cancer that demands our urgent attention is corruption and poverty.” —Miriam Defensor-Santiago. “Corruption is a cancer, a cancer that eats away at a citizen’s faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity.” —Joe Biden. Every country has a history of corruption. Those which are well-governed have managed to curb corruption to its minimal impact. That’s… Read More »

OH NO, NOT AGAIN! THE RESULTS OF THE 2022 PISA

AH!  What a glorious sunny-cool day again today! You can’t beat the weather in the Philippines at this time of the year. Despite climate change, there is still an excellent window of the old “dry and cool” Jan-Feb. Month. Occasional rain cannot dampen the generative  power of a warm climate to an aging “infrastructure,” anatomy now stiff, crumbly,… Read More »