American anthropologist Kenneth J. Guest was in the Philippines with a purpose: to research the years 1935-1945, when his grandparents were in Manila as missionaries. His recent work includes studying the present situation of immigrants from Fuzhou, Fujian province who have settled in New York City’s Chinatown. But for the last two years, he has […]
My mother and her parents were imprisoned in the Santo Tomas Internment Camp during World War II for three years, one month and three days. My mother, Frances Helen, was the storyteller. She and her parents, Walter Brooks Foley and Mary Rosengrant Foley, arrived in Manila in 1935. My grandfather served as pastor of the […]
Jan. 25, 2020 to Feb. 11, 2021 will be the Year of the Metal Rat. It is the first animal sign in the Chinese cycle. According to legend, during a competition held by the Jade Emperor to decide the zodiac animals, the quick-witted rat asked the diligent ox to take him on a ride across […]
My 12th birthday was the first time I became aware that the year of my animal birth sign had come around. Chinese astrology going back 5,000 years has a complex way of marking time, following a system of “10 heavenly stems and 12 earthly branches” whose combinations have been used to mark the hours of […]
Last September, my friend Lorelei B. Aquino and I traveled by plane and bus from Manila to Calbayog City, Samar. We handed over teachers’ kits to 250 public school teachers working in upland and coastland areas. Team Pilipinas, a nongovernment organization, provided the goods; we were a bridge between their donors and our recipients. Our […]
Few in Manila think of public school teachers in Calbayog, Samar. Few in Manila think of Calbayog, Samar. Period. Yet, these teachers face daunting challenges, as they teach children in remote local communities. Some of them travel as much as 11 hours across rivers, mountains and rice fields to get to their students. They only […]
Typhoon Tisoy (Kammuri) made landfall in Samar on Dec. 2. Just before that, on Nov. 29-30, volunteers of Kaisa Para Sa Kaunlaran distributed early Christmas gifts for students and teachers at four public schools in Calbayog City, Samar. Kaisa’s presence and the goods we brought were providential. When plans were being made for the Calbayog […]
Tzu Chi Foundation is known for its disaster relief works. In the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda in Leyte, the Buddhist charity group’s emergency relief efforts reached over P1 billion. The charity foundation also actively serves poor communities in other ways. One of these is through its free clinics. A challenging start In April 1995, […]
While Tsinoys have been recognized for their contributions to Philippine culture and history, their role in the development of the local film industry is less well known. In line with the celebration of the centennial year of Philippine cinema, this article highlights the influence of Tsinoys on the growth of the local movie industry. Not […]
In Taal, Batangas, the origins of a Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, known as the Virgin of Caysasay, can be traced back to a statue of a woman of Chinese appearance recovered from the sea, which local Catholics venerated as the Virgin Mary. It is highly probable that the statue was one of […]