Not many family-run businesses can last for three generations, and continue even beyond that. Among the few that have defied the odds is Destileria Limtuaco. Founded in 1852, it is still managed by the Lim family after 165 years. Each succeeding generation of new leaders has steered the company through upheavals, including wars and labor […]
Most people think of Karma as cause and effect, but the concept is not that simple. The phenomenon of Karma is tremendously detailed and very complex, as explained in various Buddhist logic and philosophical systems. This is because Karma is viewed and discussed in so many topics: reincarnation, life-force, collective experience of a group of […]
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. 死啊未曉倒落去 si-ah bue hiao […]
Fixing up your home devours money and time. A small home improvement project, without adequate planning, can turn into a huge one, with the end stretching farther away each time you look, and cost you your peace of mind. Following are a few ground rules which may help. Know what you want. Identify if it […]
Vigan is one of the places in the Philippines that appeared in early Chinese maps and records. Vigan’s name appearS there as bi-an (美岸 beautiful shore), bit-an (密岸 dense or many shores), bit yan (密燕 dense or many swallows), bit ngan (密雁 dense or many geese). The choice of Chinese names explains well how the […]
Municipal and provincial authorities vigorously promote Vigan, the major tourist hub in the province of Ilocos Sur. After all, its capital City of Vigan was included in the UNESCO Heritage list on Dec. 2, 1999. Vigan’s main tourist target is the people from Luzon. Air transportation to reach Vigan either from further north or from […]
If the need is not urgent, take all the time you want to mull things over, play with possibilities and ideas. I had been mulling at the problems and solutions for years before I finally upgraded my kitchen cabinets. By the time I started, I knew what had to be done and where to source […]
As children grow up, their conversations gain maturity commensurate with their age. It happens as they progress to higher grade levels in school, and when parents introduce topics and guide the conversations at home. In my family, we went one step further: Sioti and I went to meetings with our parents because there was no […]
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. 好心被雷撞 ho sim t’o […]
During the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD), Xin Gong Yi (辛公義) was appointed as the governor of Mou Zhou (牟州) prefecture. Upon assuming his post, despite being worn out during travel, he went straight to the prison. He looked for a spot at an open air vacant lot and started interrogating the prisoners by himself. Continuing the […]