Northern holidays
As the holidays progress, the cities seem to be more and more crowded and nauseating to those who are not used to this much mass of humanity. It can be…
Category: Lifestyle Columnists
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The gift of family
SCENES of my own family gathering last Christmas still live in my mind: the joyful noises of my nephews and nieces running around the house; the circle of siblings and…
Do drugs really expire?
As expensive as medications are today, this question is most relevant. And even if they were free, no one would want to throw away and waste such valuable items if…
2012 Newsmakers and Headliners
They seemingly destined to create a bombastic blast and indelibly stamp their unprecedented marks in the annals of the field they’re known for in 2012. The year saw a long…
2012 Newsmakers and Headliners
They seemingly destined to create a bombastic blast and indelibly stamp their unprecedented marks in the annals of the field they’re known for in 2012. The year saw a long…
Just the start
As of this writing, the world didn’t come to an end as doomsday predictors had it on December 21. There were no catastrophic solar flares or population-eating earthquakes. We were…
The blessings of the centennial year
I FEEL so blessed! This has been my sentiment during the past days of Advent. I feel blessed because of having been a historic and significant part of Immaculate Heart…
December nightmares . . .the bleakest Christmas
Just when the whole world is pre-occupied with the traditional holiday shopping and busy finalizing plans for the yuletide season, twenty six families together with their relatives and friends were…
December nightmares . . .the bleakest Christmas
Just when the whole world is pre-occupied with the traditional holiday shopping and busy finalizing plans for the yuletide season, twenty six families together with their relatives and friends were…
Colon cleansing scam
The Snake Oil racket of the 15th century pales in comparison to the billion dollar global health scams of today. Fueled by people’s everlasting search for the “Fountain of Youth”…
It’s that time again
It is coming again, a feeling familiar to us all. Walking around the metro, the lights and sounds are in full blast. There is a chill that mixes with the…
Because of you!
“ As we celebrate Gaudate Sunday this Third Week of Advent, let’s heed to the call of St. Paul in his Letter to the Philippians to “rejoice in the Lord”, to…
The Braganza trademark of creative excellence
Film demands a fundamentally different kind of performance with several nuances, while theater requires exaggerated body movements and expansive gestures to effectively convey emotion. Choreographer-singer-stage performer Miguel Braganza II can…
The Braganza trademark of creative excellence
Film demands a fundamentally different kind of performance with several nuances, while theater requires exaggerated body movements and expansive gestures to effectively convey emotion. Choreographer-singer-stage performer Miguel Braganza II can…
Amazing food medicine
In this issue, we shall devote our column to exalting the “medicinal values or therapeutic effects” of regular, ordinary food that people all over the world eat as a part…
And so it goes
The country is in a state of shock. Thousands are still reeling from a typhoon that ravaged the provinces of Visayas and Mindanao claiming a great number of lives while…
WW II Veteran Alfredo T. Diaz (1916-2012): The Fall of the Last Man Standing
Revered World War II veteran Alfredo T. Diaz, who was highly regarded as a living hero from among the survivors of that war, peacefully breathed his last and finally succumbed…
Advent: A period of conversion
THERE is still a great need for conversion in each of us. When we think that we’re doing well with the practice of our faith, other people call our attention…
WW II Veteran Alfredo T. Diaz (1916-2012): The Fall of the Last Man Standing
Revered World War II veteran Alfredo T. Diaz, who was highly regarded as a living hero from among the survivors of that war, peacefully breathed his last and finally succumbed…
Is hair coloring safe?
In this day and age of social consciousness, where youth and inner and outer beauty are revered, where image is considered very important, hair coloring has become a widely accepted…
Home at last
Thousands of Filipinos will venture out into the Rizal Memorial Stadium this Saturday. The crowds will come in full regalia, their faces painted blue with all the adornments. Personalities will…
Advent: A yearning for solitude and peace
THERE are times when I need to be alone and to be quiet, away from the noises and the busyness of life. There are times when I prefer to stay…
The Hawaiian Punch’s kick is still there
With the days leading up to Pacquiao-Marquez IV ( and hopefully this will resoundingly end) the boxing world saw another classy fight courtesy of Filipino-American and World Boxing Organization flyweight…
What sets us apart?
CORA Oriel, the publisher of Asian Journal, shared with me an amazing story from New York Times regarding a devastation of recent Hurricane Sandy. This happened in Breezy Point in the New York…
Music: A universal fund raising source
Hurricane Sandy’s massive destruction last October 29 left a disheartening aftermath of numerous residential houses mercilessly splintered like matchsticks in unimaginable proportions. To date, there are still growing numbers of…
Music: A universal fund raising source
Hurricane Sandy’s massive destruction last October 29 left a disheartening aftermath of numerous residential houses mercilessly splintered like matchsticks in unimaginable proportions. To date, there are still growing numbers of…
Are we, humans, really civilized? (Or, are humans for the birds?)
I was driving to work one early morning in Munster, Indiana when I noticed a flock of Canada geese flying against a beautiful backdrop of a golden orange rising sun…
Meeting the Higantes
IT is a clear day in Angono. The streets are filled with bystanders—residents and non-residents alike—who are eagerly waiting for the presence of something big. Looking above, the view of…
Anything but joy!
THE Scripture readings this Sunday are filled with positive images. Mark’s Gospel might distress us with images of the darkening of the sun and the moon and the falling of…
8 steps to quit smoking
Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases…