Blogs
My Cholesterol Scare
By Romelda C. Ascutia “Your cholesterol is high,” the doctor says, scanning the result of my blood test. My blood cholesterol level is nearly 240mg/dl, above the limit of 200mg/dl. She prescribes cholesterol-lowering medicine and puts me on a low-fat diet. I’m told to...
Christmas Party List
By Maridol Ranoa-Bismark “Mom, my classmates want to hold a Christmas party at our house,” my son told me in a voice that was half-pleading, half-threatening. Uh-oh, I told myself. Time to make a list in between deadlines. The good news is I won’t be doing any of the...
Pinay and Proud
By Leslie Lee A few years ago, I made the monumental decision to leave Manila and carve out a new life in another country, thinking—just like millions of other OFWs—that I would earn more than what I was getting in my previous job. And I did: My salary rivaled that of...
Coming Home to a Different School
By Julie Javellana-Santos I just attended the alumni homecoming of my high school. It’s been almost 31 years since I left that school. And my classmates and I were nostalgic about how the school looked different, but was somehow still the same. The chairs in the...
Love is Love
By Jing Lejano Baby S wasn’t feeling well the other day. She woke up with a fever and slept the entire morning. When I visited her in the afternoon, all cuddled up in bed with a blanket, she held my arms and said, “Lula, sit.” And so, despite the fact that I was in...
My Body Speaks
By Ruth Manimtim-Floresca If you are familiar with The Corrs, you probably know their hit song where the lyrics go, “And it really doesn’t matter if we don’t eat, and it really doesn’t matter if we never sleep … ‘cause we are so young now, we are so young, so young,...
Real Alone Time
By Gina Abuyuan Writer and editor Alya Honasan takes pride in her annual solo getaways. She’s a diver, and for about a decade now, she embarks on dive trips—Palawan, Palau, Australia—by herself. It’s invigorating, she says. And the feeling of freedom and independence...
Decoding Parenting Styles
By Rossana L. Llenado Are you a helicopter parent? Do you constantly hover over your children, fussing over their every move? Or are you a free-range parent? Do you allow your children to go off on their own whether it’s meeting up with friends at the mall or doing...
Fast Food
By Romelda C. Ascutia In our neighborhood, there are a couple of small eateries that I regard as lifesavers. The first one makes my mornings go so much easier. On days when I am pressed for time, I just head over to this old man's food stall and buy takeout. My...