A recent article in Esquire Philippines attempted to settle the debate on whether travel to and in the Philippines is more expensive than elsewhere in Southeast Asia. The Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) defended local pricing, saying hotel rates reflect the high cost of doing business in the country. There is some truth to...
Category: Lifestyle
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In support of zero hunger through sustained, strengthened food rescue partnership
How to address hunger among Filipinos was the point of discussion at a recent Zero Summit led by Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) Philippines, a food rescue and environment foundation that saves good-quality surplus food and makes this available to vulnerable communities. Food insecurity remains a pressing issue in the Philippines with 27.2% of Filipinos experiencing...
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Wonder and wistfulness in Japan, including a glimpse of Mount Fuji
“In a few minutes, we will be starting our descent…The weather in Narita is clear, with a temperature of 15°C.” As first-timers in Japan, my husband and I were more than thrilled to hear that announcement on the plane. We were so looking forward to experience what other travelers have been raving about: Japan is...
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Maybe JP’s coffee-shop walkout isn’t really about his misspelled name
“Starbucks LOST a ‘Loyal’ Customer Today!” One JP Abecilla fired off that dramatic declaration on Facebook, and his post quickly went viral. What was it all about? A misspelled name on a cup. According to JP, Starbucks had long been his go-to place for reading, relaxing, and enjoying a Grande Americano with a Cinnamon Danish....
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When one tries going wholesome, diet-wise
One has this stereotype of healthy food lacking in savory taste, bordering on blah. Sometimes, one thinks of it as close to pagkaing darak (or rice bran fed to poultry, cows and pigs)—no offense meant to one’s friends who have chosen to eat strictly plant- or fruit-based food. One’s palate was honed by a mother...
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Even on a short visit, there’s much to appreciate in Negros Occidental
The province of Negros Occidental has been on our “must-visit” list for some time, so that when a commitment took us to neighboring Iloilo, we planned a side trip to what’s known as the “Sugar Bowl of the Philippines.” After about an hour’s ferry ride, we reached Bacolod, Negros Occidental’s capital city. We rested a...
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Pope Leo XIV, the outsider insider: what to expect from the first Augustinian pontiff
By electing Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost as Pope Leo XIV, the College of Cardinals has sent a subtle but unmistakable message: The Catholic Church will continue the reformist energy of Pope Francis, but with a fresh calibration toward tradition and doctrinal clarity. In Prevost, the cardinals have chosen both an insider and an outsider—someone rooted...
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A view of mountains from the back of the pack
There are many things those who climb mountains can’t say about the mountains. When we city folk look at mountains from the lowlands or from the sea, they become plain geographical features, heaping mounds of rock and earth with some green on them, or backdrops for our Instagram posts. And when we imagine the task...
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Wrestling with cerebral concerns, such as the nature of Nature
It used to be my golf swing that kept me up at night. I would find myself awake at past midnight and crawling out of bed in order not to wake my wife, going to the living room (where I once nicked the coffee table with a golf club while practicing indoors) or the yard...
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Pope Francis of the streets personifies ‘the Church which goes forth’
ROME—As soon as news of Pope Francis’ passing on Easter Monday broke, many people from all walks of life flocked to the Vatican to pay their last respects to the beloved shepherd. The streets of Rome erupted in a frenzy as traffic snarled along the long lines of Via della Conciliazione, with priests and nuns...