As we observe Women’s Month, I encountered the nieces of the late martyred senator Ninoy Aquino: courageous sisters Roxanne Aquino and Jackie Aquino, and Mia Concio. As a child and…

I voted for then-presidential candidate Jose Claveria de Venecia Jr. in 1998, but he lost in the national elections. Despite that defeat, he never stopped serving the country. His public…

Through the late actor-politician Butz Aquino and Reli German, I was baptized in street protests and rallies. Through them, I came to know ATOM, or the August Twenty One Movement….

I was happy to see Deputy Social Secretary Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, daughter of my late former boss Congressman Iggy Arroyo, during the launch of the reopening of the Likhang Filipino Exhibition…

I want to thank everyone who greeted me on my 66th birthday last January 26, 2026.   The first from CITEM Friends and Family to greet me were Yayot Garcia…

The late President Corazon C. Aquino, fondly known as Tita Cory, left an indelible mark on modern Philippine history. She embodied what many described as a quiet courage and a selflessness…

I have previously written, on occasion, about MaryKay Loss Carlson in this column. My most recent encounter with the outgoing United States ambassador to the Philippines came earlier this month, during an…

As the new year begins, I asked nine respondents from different walks of life to share their personal hopes, expectations, and anticipations for 2026. Their reflections span governance, journalism, culture,…

FOR the first time since my return to the Philippines in August 2025 from Northern California, I spent my New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025, in the Presidential Security Command…

Congratulations to barangay chairman Christopher Clark C. Quito of Barangay 539 in Sampaloc, Manila for he has done lots of good deeds for his constituents. He is recognized for fostering…

I arrived on time for the Mass officiated by Fr. Bong Guerrero, widely known as the “Happy Priest,” one of the most dynamic preachers of the Diocese of Cubao. A…

Marissa Varsovia and Alvin Varsovia marked their 25th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel along Broadway Avenue in New Manila, Quezon…

I was grateful to the Washington DC Foreign Press Center for the FIFA World Cup 2026 media briefing led by Andrew Harold Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task…

Filipino musician and Nickelodeon host Eduard Bañez began singing at five years old and entered show business at 15. By age 17, he had already gained traction in dating blogs under the…

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently hosted Canadian Ambassador to the United States Kristen Hillman and Finnish Minister of Economic Affairs Sakari Puisto in Washington, D.C., where the three countries affirmed their commitment to…

The recent Law and Governance Forum in Makati City stood as a premier convergence of legal wisdom, ethical leadership, and enlightened discourse. Organized by Rising Tigers Magazine and its holding…

La Salle Brother Vincent Fernandez encouraged me to join the La Sallian contingent heading to EDSA for the Trillion Peso March against corruption.   Inside La Salle Green Hills, I…

A shining example of leadership and excellence, Batangas Governor Vilma Santos-Recto was recently featured on a solo LED billboard in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, powered by Alegre De Pilipinas “Official” and Janice…

It was nice to see a father and his two children participate in a prestigious art show during ManilART 2025 at the SMX Aura Convention Center in Bonifacio Global City,…

My former boss, Dr. Mina T. Gabor, once asked me to produce CITEM Trade Update—a monthly, later weekly, newsletter that caught the attention of local and foreign buyers, product specialists, academic…

During the press launch of the 2025 Manila FAME held at Centro de Turismo Intramuros—which I featured in Balikbayan Magazine some months ago—I felt honored when my former officemate, Leah Pulido Ocampo, the…

At Southern California’s premier haunted Halloween event, Universal Studios Hollywood in Los Angeles recently welcomed media representatives from across the United States during its opening night on Thursday, September 4. The…

I once again left the comfort of life in Fairfield, California, to teach in the Philippines. My American brother-in-law was openly against my decision and worried about where I would…

It was not my first time to be invited as a guest on DWAR Abante Radyo’s Jigo Live with my cousin, photographer-entrepreneur Jamin Constantino Lim. Returning to the Bilyonaryo News Channel compound…

It will be an honor to guest this coming September 25 on Wej A Minute, the program of Wej Cudiamat, who will be honored as Best Male News Anchor in the Philippines at…

Broadcast journalist Audrey Dones Gorriceta of Sword TV’s Kamay na Bakal has been named Remarkable Host/Anchor in the Philippines at the 3rd Philippines Finest Business Awards and Outstanding Achievers 2025, organized by La Visual Corporation and SIRBISU…

At Gerry’s restaurant, I was greeted by the golden voice of 18-year-old Joice Espinoza, dressed in a vibrant green outfit. The young singer instantly mesmerized me with her talent. Alongside…

John Rey Malto, a Modern Renaissance Man In a world where talent often waits for opportunity, John Rey Malto of La Union has emerged as one of Philippine showbiz’s most dedicated talent…

My American mom told me she studied high school at the University of Santo Tomas (UST), the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and Asia, and the largest Catholic…

  Award-winning young actress Elia Ilano will headline the upcoming short film “Teresa”, an official grantee of the International Children’s Peace Prize Fund. This global initiative is made possible through the…