Devotees of the Lady of Caysasay, also recognized as the Chinese goddess Ma Cho, have built shrines to house her image. In Batangas City, on the grounds of Chinese school Kip Si, a temple was built complete with traditional Chinese dragons, arches and carved stone pillars. It is home to a replica of the original […]
Some 90 percent of Tsinoys are Christians belonging to Catholic, Protestant, or native Philippine churches. Only about five percent believe in Buddhism only or any form of Chinese folk religion. Yet, tradition dies hard. Centuries of living in the Philippines have embedded Chinese customs, beliefs and practices into the tapestry of local life, including religion. […]
Lin Ze Xu (林則徐 Aug. 30, 1785-Nov. 22, 1850) was a Chinese scholar-official of the Qing Dynasty best known for his role in the First Opium War of 1839-1842. On June 3, 1839, Lin Ze Xu ordered the destruction of opium. By June 25, all opium, totaling 2,376,200 jins (斤 or half a kilo) had […]
Back pains or pain near the waist are the usual complaints of patients who come to me for consultation. My first question is whether an accident has happened: was there a fall, a bump, a slip? But in real day-to-day situations, the most common cause of back pain is due mainly to wrong body posture […]
First, we hear self-ascribed whistleblower Bikoy, Peter Joemel Advincula in real life, implicating President Rodrigo Duterte’s children and allies in the illegal drug trade. Next thing we know, he was singing a different tune and accusing the political opposition of plotting to oust the president. In between were more twists and turns in his tales. […]
I write this in memory of a woman whose memory left her in peace long before she left this world in peace. Add one more to the list of my life’s regrets. The day I told my daughters we were going to the wake of their great-grandmother, they were shocked, not of her passing, but […]
The list of museums in Metro Manila has grown longer with the opening of the new Chinatown Museum. Located at the Lucky Chinatown Mall, this is the second museum that Megaworld Corp. has opened, the first being the Iloilo Museum of Contemporary Arts in 2018. With several more museums in development, this is part of […]
The Philippine National Police (PNP) is looking into the alleged kidnapping of at least 15 wealthy Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) officials since 2013, its chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said. Albayalde said some victims do not report the alleged kidnappings to police since they do not know the identities of the perpetrators. Some are afraid […]
Hokkien, on the tongues of Tsinoys, has grown and evolved, taking on a life of its own. Sometimes words simply fail us. With some creativity, Tsinoys have strung together words to form colorful phrases that simply hit the bull’s eye. Here are some expressions unique to Hokkien as favored by Tsinoys. Idioms, expressions Hokkien pronunciation […]
The enduring image of a well-preserved colonial-era city has made Vigan an icon of Filipino culture and a popular tourist attraction. Thousands visit this northern city to get a glimpse of its old-world charm, history and even indulge in culinary feasts. While the “touristy” side is well-known to a lot of visitors, the ili or […]