With One's Past

01/07/2025

There are both positives and negatives associated with U.S. donations. On the positive side, a significant portion of it is directed towards health, education, military support, and disaster relief, amounting to a quarter of a billion dollars since the 1960s (bilyones na dolyares ito mga kabayan). On the negative side, accepting aid can lead to dependency (pagasa sa mga 'kano), geopolitical consequences (lumalalang alitan sa Tsina), issues of sovereignty (ginagamit tayo na pamato), and corruption (hindi na bago). In my opinion, with some exceptions, countries should not seek financial assistance from US (tumayo sa sasariling mga paa). It is generally poor policy to asking for aid, as the benefits are often temporary and little progress is made in the long run.

30/06/2025

I hope someone takes over Solidaridad bookstore and keeps it as it is. Manong Frankie has welcomed many national figures and international visitors in this humble little shop. Makasaysayan na yan lugar na iyan. It would be a shame if it were replaced by just another unattractive modern establishment in Manila. Manong is very accommodating and kind, especially to young people interested in literature and history. I met him there (naka-crocs lang) and he invited me to his office upstairs. I admitted that I mostly read his newspaper columns, barely read any of his other works. He just laughed at that. We talked about Illinois since we both have relatives there, along with other topics.



Ctto

29/06/2025

The beauty of preserving intangible heritage is that it helps maintain a connection to the past. Hindi lang sa libro nakikita ang kasaysayan kung hindi sa tunay na buhay. Importane ito sa ating mga kabataan.

This old house is in Sariaya.

Credit to

29/06/2025

Many Tagalog words that originated from Spanish have been forgotten over time. Nowadays, the term "molestiya" is exclusively used to refer to sexual violations. In contrast, older generations of Tagalogs used the word to mean "to bother" or "to be bothered." Times have changed, and we have lost much of our old Spanish heritage. Here is a clip of Dolphy using it and surprising his fellow actor. 😂

27/06/2025

It's funny, but there's some truth to this. When I was in college, we had already moved to Muntinlupa. In the 90s, people would tease you for it (saan? Sa loob o labas?). I remember a classmate who was auditioning to be an actor that would claim he was from Alabang. That was a lie; he was actually from a barrio called Bayanan, next to ours. We often saw each other on our daily commute to school. There was prestige associated with living in a well-to-do enclave rather than in a poor barangay like ours. Bakit hindi nanlang sabihin Muntinlupa, kailangan Alabang? These days, though, you can say you're from Muntinlupa, and the stigma has disappeared. We've come a long way. Hindi na karsel o piitan ang tingin ng marami sa buong bayan ng Muntinlupa. Ang pag gamit din ng katagang Muntinlupeño ay mahusay na hakbang mula sa mga namumuno ng bayan.

27/06/2025

Kung pwede naman bumili sa mga vendor na tulad nila, gawin po natin. Malaking tulong po iyan. I speak from experience. Ang ina ko po ay vendor din sa lansangan at kinalakihan ko ang buhay na iyan.

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Always choose to buy from them. They are not selling to become rich, they are selling to survive.

27/06/2025

short history talk from the late Fr Jose S. Arcilla, S.J Easily one of my favourite historians whom I saw at many seminars. A brilliant historian, one of whom we will never see again. He passed away last year.

When I first heard “ It was Spain that gave the country its shape” I thought about it. Could it have been true?Eventually, you realize that this is true. The...

25/06/2025

Perhaps one of the most expensive wedding gifts in Manila's history, El Hogar is now condemned and waiting for demolition. Nagaantay na lang gibain. Not surprising, it is in Manila, a city where tangible heritage is destined to die.

How I wish you glowed from within, El Hogar.
Across the river, the lights shimmer, dance and yet here you stand, grand but hollow, your stories tucked in shadows. You deserve to shine too.

23/06/2025

"La Bulaqueña" has been trending recently. Out of curiosity, I looked into the reason for its popularity, and it turns out the National Museum has loaned this Luna's painting to the UAE. This Middle Eastern country is home to a significant number of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).

The identity of the woman depicted in the painting remains a mystery, with three popular theories about who she might be. Personally, I believe the one that says that she could be a relative of the late Sen Soc Rodrigo, possibly an aunt (Iyang Rodrigo y Fernando). She bears a striking resemblance to Rodrigo's father's side of the family.

For those unfamiliar with Sen Soc Rodrigo, he has an extensive list of accomplishments worthy of a separate post. What I particularly admire about him is his deep Catholic faith, which has influenced both his work as a politician and as an artist. He truly embodies the spirit of a renaissance man and is a genuine treasure of Bulacan.

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18/06/2025

I grew up listening to 96.3 wRock. Everyone in the neighborhood had it playing, I even remember celebs singing their station ID. They rebranded to EasyRock, but in Cebu, wRock was still around when I got there in the 2010s they're still wRock. Such an iconic FM radio station. Ang mga bata ngayon nakikinig pa ba sa radio stations? 😂

17/06/2025

I have always admired Bohol for the ancestral houses scattered throughout the province. I visited Maribojoc many years ago. Aside from its natural beauty, Bohol is also rich in heritage, with people who appreciate it..