Kuwentong Peyups atbp

Exactly a year after being given an X-rating, “Alipato at Muog”  film on desaparecidos  was recognized as Best Picture  by  the  Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS)  Awards. “We don’t have any speeches prepared. We don’t have lists of people to thank. We were there to be the voice of the voiceless. We were there because we have a …

“Alipato at Muog”  film on desaparecidos  won  73rd FAMAS Best Picture and Best Director Read More »

Osaka, Japan –   The  use of rattan for the façade of the Philippine Pavillion perhaps is  a simple way  to address climate change issues. The panel discussion on  “Health and Climate Change: The Greatest Challenge of Our Time” underscored that  climate change impacts livelihoods and health through various direct and indirect pressures, and vulnerable populations …

Rattan and  climate change Read More »

Eighty years ago,  the pre-recorded announcement of Emperor Hirohito verbally accepting the terms of surrender  that ended  Second World War reverberated throughout Japan via radio on August 14, 1945 . The United States earlier detonated two atomic bombs over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima  (August 6 ) and Nagasaki (August 9) that killed between 140,000 and 70,000 people, respectively,  most of …

Flowers for Lolas Read More »

Buscalan Tinglayan,  Kalinga – I  was inked last Holy Week  in my right forearm with the iconic three dots tattoo by  Apo Whang-Od, the so-called last and  oldest surviving mambabatok. Batok refers to the traditional Filipino tattooing practice, particularly in the northern Luzon region that  has been around for more than a thousand years. It involves hand-tapped designs applied to the …

The three dots iconic tattoo of Apo Whang-Od and copyright  Read More »

Mahjong has a special place in our family as we grew up with weekend gatherings of aunts and uncles for mahjong sessions while we (cousins) play traditional games. Mahjong is a Chinese tile-based game of skill, strategy, and luck, which can be fun but can also be deadly. Mahjong is commonly played by four players …

Mahjong as part of Chinese influence in Filipino culture Read More »

“At nang magsawa na kami’y pinawalan, Halos ang hininga’y ibig nang pumanaw. Sa laki ng hirap na pinagdaanan, Sira na ang isip pati na katawan.” 89-year  old Lola Maria Quilantang led in singing  the 18 stanzas of the  song of the Malaya Lolas  in the style of “pangangaluluwa,” hymn-offerings to the dead. The Malaya Lolas is associated with the “Bahay …

Declare ‘Bahay na Pula’ as official WWII memorial Read More »

When I was younger,  I always had dreams of flying by virtue of magical shoes. In Greek mythology, shoes, particularly sandals and winged sandals, symbolize various themes including speed, travel, divine aid, and even power or authority. Shoes, far from being mere functional items, possess deep symbolic resonances. Shoes  symbolize universal experiences of protection, transition, and …

When Life Gives You Tangerines: a tale of shoes and cabbages Read More »

Ate Guy is a rebel. Thus declared veteran writer  Ricky Lee during  the state necrological service  for the late Nora Aunor held at the Metropolitan Theater  on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Both were declared National Artists for Film and Broadcast Arts in 2022. “Rebelde si Guy. Sa loob ng pitong dekada ay nilabanan niya ang status quo. Binago niya …

In  memoriam: Nora Aunor (May 21 1953 –  April 16. 2025) Read More »

“Basically , your school has  all big fish that came out of a small pond. You can not always be the top student. It is impossible.” A  line from the Netflix Korean drama  “When Life Gives You Tangerines”  by Yang Gwan-sik (Park Hae-joon) to his daughter Geum-myeong (IU) about the competitive environment in South Korean   education system. This heartrending drama delicately …

UPCAT as gateway to being Iskolar ng Bayan Read More »

“We are the ones who show the world what women are capable of. We are the ones who prove that strength is not defined by gender”. A strong statement by Achrissa Maw of the Women’s Basketball Team of the University of the Philippines (UP) during the Third Sunflower Run-Walk-Parade   that was held last March 22,2025 at …

Third Sunflower Parade as tribute to UP women athletes  Read More »