A young Fil-Am survivor’s journey toward progressive leadership
Dear Mama, I remembered that Saturday morning in late August in 2015 when I first told you that I was sexually assaulted. I remembered sitting on the couch and I…
Category: Lifestyle Columnists
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KIDS Philippines, Inc. provides educational opportunities for disadvantaged children
“This is the most opportune time where we are needed to fill up the huge barrenness that affects the lives of millions of less privileged children. Our assistance is judiciously…
Angels among us (Part 4)
(Last of 4 parts) (Continued from last week …) “All God’s angels come to us disguised.”–James Russell Lowell AN angel is an invisible presence that must be acknowledged to become…
The way of life: living by the spirit
“And they all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” Acts 2:11 WE celebrate Pentecost this Sunday, the…
Luis and Rosemarie Mendez: My ultimate hashtag #couplegoals
I used to ask myself, “Is there really somebody out there for everyone?” Then I got to know one of the most inspiring couples, Luis and Rosemarie Mendez. I met Luis…
Imagining America’s soft power: Inspired by David Henry Hwang’s musical
“I have emphasized the importance of face-to-face experience of the stranger as we form and nurture democratic habits of the heart. While experience can change the way we look at…
Ogie and Melissa Mendoza: Destined to a lifetime partnership
The strange fading in the number of entertainment producers hereabouts gave diminished leisurely activities around town leaving concertgoers with no choice but to settle for home movies and outdoor fun….
That perfect smile
Part of a healthy lifestyle that we have been discussing all along in this column the past two decades is the maintenance of proper dental care. Today, more than ever,…
Angels among us (Part 3)
(Third of 4 parts) (Continued from last week…) TRUST our own instincts. Your own personal experience will color the lens with which you view and relate with your personal guardian…
Melania Trump’s ‘grace under pressure’ through the President’s controversies
I guess it is fair to say that 2018 has been a tough year for Melania Trump. Well, who am I kidding; it must be really hard to be President…
Thread Lift: A less invasive alternative to a traditional facelift
“Good things come in small packages.” With Thread Lift, a youthful appearance is the ‘good thing’ that comes in small packages – such as a ‘thread.’ While it may not…
The call that we have all received
IN the four years that I’ve worked in the seminary, I would always tell people of my gratitude to God for granting me the privilege and the blessing of preparing…
The White House of self-dealings and illicit affairs vs. truth and integrity
“Exercise the power of God as a Christ-certified believer, the power of the Holy Spirit in you.” – Anonymous, 2018 On the eve of Mother’s Day, May 9 (celebrated in…
Mother’s Day feature: Multi-faceted moms’ inevitable ordeals
There is something strange about the endearment and the magnetic force that attracts a child towards his mother compared to his father. The reason could be due to the biological…
Warning: Colorectal cancer
How common is cancer of the colon and rectum? Colorectal cancer is the third-most common cancer in humans, topped only by cancer of the lungs and female breasts. More than…
Angels among us (part 2)
“ Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.” – From Frank Capra’s film “It’s a Wonderful Life” (Continued from last week …) (Second of 4 parts) THE belief…
Drinking from the source
“IN truth, God shows no partiality,” St. Paul wrote to speak of one of God’s attributes. It’s true in the sense that God does not favor anyone but sees all…
Living as a garden community in Los Angeles
“We want to live in a world where plants and fungi are understood, valued and conserved. Discover our science and visit our world-leading botanic gardens, Kew Gardens and Wakehurst.” –…
Is the Filipino diet healthy?
Today, more than ever, people are more health conscious, and since food greatly impacts our health, we are also interested to know if the food we eat is healthy, and…
Angels among us
“ I think that someone is watching out for me, God, my guardian angel, I’m not sure who that is but they really work hard.” – Mattie Stepanek Author, “Heartsongs” DO…
Have you found your voice? Unshackling hostile work environments
Disclosure: In my prior work life, I had the unfortunate experience of working for a decade+ in a hostile environment in Sacramento, and where I pervasively felt all the disparagement…
To be intimately connected to God
“I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.” John 15:1-8 JESUS’…
Renz Mareon Fernando: Gold mined from far-flung Tawi-Tawi Islands
GARNERING four medals in a highly contested international talent competition such as the World Championships of Performing Arts (WCOPA) was one feat hard to duplicate but for a determined risk-taker…
Health info capsules
Restaurant menus Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule introduced in 2012, restaurant menus today in about two-thirds of the largest restaurant chains have eliminated the highest caloric…
Scam-proofing basics 101
“ There is a sucker born every nanosecond.” –A play on a qoute mistakenly ascribed to circus impresario, P.T. Barnum YEARS ago, I came across an email message from a…
Life’s storms reveal your true friends
“When I came to know her exemplary kindness, I thought she should have been the nun and I should have been in the working world. Well. you must already know…
Goodbye Boracay — see you in six months
When an island becomes an income-generating tourist spot and has drawn millions of people to its powder-white sand beaches and coral reefs, it is hard to imagine that it will…
Divine echoes
THERE is a restlessness in many of us, one that makes us think about life and questions the varied facets of human existence. It’s a divine restlessness because it urges…
Linda M. Mayo: an instinctive mom and prototypical community leader
The long-standing notion of “women innately possessing maternal instinct is a myth” has been one debatable subject difficult to put to rest despite the fact that even psychologists settled that…
Insect Repellents
IS DEET safe? The ingredient DEET ((N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide) in insect repellents is safe when used according to directions on the container, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). For approval,…