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…
Category: Features
Covering the week’s most noteworthy feature stories impacting the Filipino-American and Global Filipino community.
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New York–based Cecile Licad brings her music home to the Philippines
Internationally acclaimed pianist Cecile Licad takes a bow with Maestro Grzegorz Nowak, music director and principal conductor of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, during her Manila concert, where she captivated 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…
Meet the Filipina who turned a suitcase filled with dreams into a billion-dollar reality
Jen Rubio co-founded Away in 2015. Discover how she turned a broken suitcase nightmare into a $1.4B unicorn and redefined what it means to dream and build. From suitcase mishap…
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…
Thrilla in Manila at 50: Heat, endurance, and a fight that still echoes
The “Thrilla in Manila” – Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier faced off at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on October 1, 1975, in one of the most grueling and…
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,…
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….
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…