Philippines

A friend once told me she lent another friend money for a small business idea. It was a verbal agreement — no contract, no clear timeline, just trust. The business failed, and so did their friendship. The borrower now acts as if the debt never existed. The anger my friend felt wasn’t about the financial…

Amidst the controversy of misspent flood control projects, Philippine government agencies like the DPWH and Bureau of Customs have long earned a reputation for red tape and corruption, just by the mere mention of their names, making them poster children for public distrust. Maybe it’s time they took a page from the Department of Tourism’s…

Once in a while, I find myself looking back in the early years of my childhood. Perhaps, I was inspired by young children on their way to school and try to compare what I did when I was at their age. Or imagine the anxiety parents feel when their children are up for sleepless nights…

Fiesta celebrations in the Philippines are more than just a festive occasion; they’re an integral part of the religious and food culture Filipinos often indulge in as hosts or as visitors. The feast day of my hometown parish of the Immaculate Conception, as well as my university, the University of the Immaculate Conception, falls on…

December has arrived. And as my favorite month progresses, one of the outstanding activities, among my birthday, workplace shutdown, and, of course, Christmas, is Simbang Gabi, a fixture in Filipino Catholic culture. Simbang Gabi derives from the Misa de Gallo, or Rooster’s Mass, which was introduced by Spanish friars to allow farmers to attend mass…

It may be hard to believe, but it’s happening: in my lifetime, the Philippines is represented in the World Cup. The Philippines had never qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. But in 2023, the country has made history. As I write this piece, Switzerland defeated the Philippine Filipinas in Dunedin, New Zealand, 2-0, on…

I get the typical stereotype of someone who hails from Davao City. “Taga Davao ka pala, Duterte ka ‘no?”, quipped one friend here in Down Under during the 2022 election period. It’s not the first time I get such a comment so it was easy to play indifferent. But also, I occasionally get asked about…