What we allow, we become
Protesters display signs calling for systemic reform during a public rally addressing long-standing governance concerns in the Philippines. In one of his interviews with journalist Cathy Yang, Ramon del Rosario…
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Beyond the Myth of Self-Preservation: Reconsidering Aguinaldo and Tirad Pass
By Eliseo Art Silva Each December 2, the Philippines commemorates the Battle of Tirad Pass, where the legendary “boy general,” Gregorio del Pilar, and sixty men made their final stand against…
The rise of ad hominem politics
Personal attacks increasingly shape political arguments in the Philippines and the US. Citizens play a crucial role in identifying and resisting these tactics to keep public debate grounded in fact….
EDITORIAL | Thanksgiving in a year of strain and clarity
Thanksgiving arrives this year with a sharper edge. The events of 2025 have tested institutions, strained families, and forced communities to confront exactly what holds us together when systems falter….
Editorial: In the path of every storm, and still unprepared
Storm damage reflects the recurring toll of powerful weather systems on vulnerable communities and the urgent need for long-term risk reduction. (Photo courtesy of MDRRMO-Pandan) The Philippines has lived with…
On the quiet math of kindness
We do not truly know what goes on in people’s lives. People carry more than they let on, and what we notice is usually only a fraction of the truth….
When politics plays with lives: the lesson America nearly forgot
The 2025 shutdown closed federal institutions and created hardship for federal workers nationwide. In Washington, D.C., World Central Kitchen stepped in to serve free meals to affected employees and families….
Doing things right vs doing the right things
Management thinker Peter F. Drucker (1909–2005) first posed the timeless question, “Are we doing things right, or are we doing the right things?” – a challenge that continues to resonate…
Certainty is the true test of justice in the Philippines
Former Senator Anna Dominique “Nikki” M. Coseteng, President and Director of Diliman College under the Diliman Educational Corporation, continues to lead in education and civic advocacy. Her long public service…
The Blessing in the Release
You probably thought this would be an article on being grateful — after all, it’s Thanksgiving, and that’s what everyone writes about this time of year. But surprise! I want…
Heart of survivance: Aloha ‘āina as resistance and renewal
Abigail Lopez (Editor’s note: This essay was the winning entry in the 2024–2025 Abarquez Essay Competition at California State University, Northridge.) Growing up in the diaspora, I often attempted to…
The work behind wonder : Life lessons from Shohei Ohtani
Photo from @Shohei Ohtani instagram Before Shohei Ohtani became the most extraordinary player of his generation, he was a teenager quietly learning how to organize his dreams. At Hanamaki Higashi High…
Editorial : The U.S. law that tried to send Filipinos home Remembering the Repatriation Act of 1935
Filipino farmworkers harvest crops circa 1930s–1940s. Their labor was vital to the agricultural boom, yet their contributions were often overlooked in mainstream histories. – Photo from Bulosan.org A reflection on a…
The Power of Our Words in Breaking Financial Poverty
Have you ever noticed how quickly our words shape our reality? Especially in the area of finances, what we declare often sets the direction of our lives. Many people live…
Cardinal Ambo David and the call to live an embodied communion
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, during his visit to Los Angeles. The event was organized by the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese…
Beauty for Our Ashes
A tender green sprout pushes through the forest floor, catching light where fire once cleared the ground. Beauty and renewal emerge from what was once reduced to ashes, reflecting both…
Endure corruption or rise above it
The Philippine flood-control scandal has become more than a test of institutions; it is a litmus test of how much abuse a nation is willing to tolerate. Corruption in the…
Restoring the Filipino Spirit
Restoring the Filipino Spirit, One Exile at a Time The Philippines wasn’t born in recognition — it was born in revolution. And it’s time we wrote that truth with clarity,…
Cardinal Ambo David in Los Angeles: confronting corruption, migration, and the call to solidarity
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a two-part series on Cardinal Pablo Virgilio “Ambo” David, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines, and his recent visit to…
The rise of ‘Disney princesses’ and nepo babies in Philippine politics
The imagery of the “good life” often associated with privilege and dynastic wealth: designer outfits and handbags, luxury cars, gourmet dining, jet-setting around the world in private planes and even…
The Hercules principle
Light after struggle reveals that no beginning is final. Transformation is always possible. An old fable tells of a farmer whose cart became stuck in the mud. He cried…
A new world order from the streets?
From the Philippines to Indonesia to Nepal, Gen Z activists take to the streets, uniting against corruption and demanding accountability from those in power. With banners, placards, and collective voices,…
Our past is our passport: Filipino tourism beyond the beach
The proposed “pipe dream” by property consultant David Leechiu of welcoming 50 million tourists to the Philippines by 2050 is not just a logistical ambition—it’s a narrative challenge. Because no…
The Tenets of Journalism Are No Longer Just for Journalists
Armed with a laptop and a smartphone, people everywhere have become citizen journalists, ready to capture and shape the news as it happens. In an age when every voice can…
The wisdom of the Post-It note
“Detours and mistakes often carry the seeds of our greatest discoveries.” The Post-it Note’s accidental invention by 3M scientists teaches us to see value in failures, detours, and unfinished parts of life….
From Folklore to Freedom: How the Kapre Myth Conceals and Reveals Our Fight Against Corruption
In the jungles of colonial Philippines, the Spaniards planted more than churches, they planted fear. Among the most enduring is the myth of the Kapre: a towering, tobacco-smoking tree spirit said…
Trust in God’s Timing
After last month’s article on sowing and reaping, I heard from several readers who shared their stories and asked an honest question: “I’ve sown, I’ve given, I’ve done my best…
Rebuilding Trust Through Transparency: How Lifestyle Audits Can Transform Public Leadership
Malacañang Palace, the seat of the Philippine presidency. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered lifestyle audits across all government agencies as part of a broader push for transparency and accountability,…
Why a Filipino-Centered Identity for Our Nation Is a Competitive Advantage
At the heart of Eliseo Art Silva’s 7′ x 11′ oil and acrylic mural “Over The Rainbow” (2025)—a tribute to Uncle Bob Santos in Seattle—the Dap-ay stands as a sacred…
California and Texas Escalate Mid-Decade Redistricting Clash
Why Filipino Americans Must Stay Engaged The way congressional district boundaries are drawn determines whose voices are amplified and whose are muted. Redistricting usually follows the U.S. Census every ten…