The Vital Mandate of Assisting Those In Need
I have a friend and a member of the Sisters of Social Service who has spent her life ministering to impoverished families and children of Paliparan, Cavite, in the Philippines….
Category: Features
Covering the week’s most noteworthy feature stories impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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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….
Hope Found in Communities
You have often heard me express in my homilies my deep longing for unity among all of us, the children of God, as well as my yearning for an end…
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…
AAPI Communities “Reclaim Our Streets” After Trump-Era ICE Raids Terrorize Southern California
Romeo Hebron, Executive Director of the Filipino Migrant Center, speaks at the ‘Reclaim Our Streets’ rally in Long Beach on September 11, 2025, joining AAPI leaders in denouncing ICE raids…
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…
A Life Defined By Matters of the Heart
Have you seen street robots delivering food? What about those driverless cars? Have you taken a ride in one? Friends, we live in an era of robots, artificial intelligence, and…
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…
Transformative Lay Leadership
“You don’t need a title to be a leader!” This statement is the title of a presentation on transformative lay leadership I gave two weeks ago. I borrowed it from…
What Will You Give Your Life To?
Anniversaries of historic events are not only about remembering the past. They also carry within them questions that reach into the present. The remembrance of Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr.’s death…
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…
No, Quezon Didn’t Wish for Hell—He Wished for Filipinos Who Could Change It
By Eliseo Art Silva Every time a scandal erupts, a pothole deepens, or a karaoke machine drowns out a barangay meeting, someone inevitably resurrects Manuel Quezon’s most quoted line: “I prefer…
Oubaitori: Blooming in Your Own Time
You are not meant to bloom like anyone else. You are meant to bloom like you. Oubaitori whispers this truth: Your worth is not defined by comparison, but by blooming…
On Following The Way
There are many kind, generous, and thoughtful people in the world. I am reminded of this whenever someone falls ill or passes away. People demonstrate their concern and care, expressing…
Beyond the White Church: Disrupting Racism, Rebuilding Faith Community (Sacra Sage, 2025)
by Doug Cunningham The following book review, submitted by Enrique de la Cruz, Ph.D., offers both an academic and personal reflection on Beyond the White Church: Disrupting Racism, Rebuilding Faith…
The Power of Sowing and Reaping: A Spiritual Law for Victorious Living
One of the most transformative truths I’ve discovered in my journey of faith and finances is this: you reap what you sow. It’s not just a wise saying; it’s a…
Praying for God’s ministers
“It’s not easy to be a priest or a pastor,” I shared with the parishioners during my homily on the Feast of St. John Vianney last week. “I know this,”…
A Vision Beyond the Term : Why a Leader’s True Measure Is the Test of Time
The opening of the 20th Congress, followed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s recent State of the Nation Address, offers more than a window into legislative priorities or political optics. These…
A strong faith in God, the greatest treasure
I’m so happy to hear from those who attended my sister’s funeral about how impressed they were by my niece Ann’s composure, poise, and calmness while delivering her eulogy for…
‘Godsfidence’ and Love of family and friends powered her life
“One poignant moment three hours before she died encapsulates Rina’s spirit and character. Msgr. Lorenzo, his sister Dr. Elva Miranda, and I gathered at her bedside. As soon as she…
EDITORIAL | The Flooding Imperative: Confronting an Escalating Crisis in the Philippines
A call for stronger national-local coordination, climate resilience, and long-term solutions Flooding in the Philippines has become more than a seasonal disruption – it is now a recurring national crisis…
Breaking the Cycle: From Generational Curse to Generational Blessing
When we hear the phrase “generational curse,” it often evokes images of families trapped in cycles of hardship, patterns of addiction, poverty, abuse, or illness that seem impossible to escape….
God’s Terms and Ways
As many of you know, I have recently developed a deep devotion to St. Rita, the patron saint of impossible situations. I prayed for her intercession during my sister’s battle…
A State Visit with Strategic Consequences: What Marcos Jr.’s Washington Trip Means for the Philippines and the U.S.
When Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. arrives in Washington this week for a high-level state visit, the spotlight will turn to the longstanding—but increasingly complex—alliance between the United States…
Martha, Mary, and the Better Part
It’s easy to overlook Martha’s virtuous qualities in this Sunday’s Gospel: her honesty, frankness, diligence, thoughtfulness, caring nature, and hospitality. She is portrayed as an anxious woman worried about many…
His reward is heaven, for a life well lived!
About two thousand came for a mass at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Pasadena. It is a workday, at 10am. You would think few would come, but thousands did. It…
EDITORIAL | The Filipino Moment Is Here—But Will It Become a Movement?
There was a time—not long ago—when Filipino triumphs on the global stage were treated as exceptions. A lone boxer electrifying the world. A solo singer breaking through Broadway. A startup…