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Miss Earth 2008 Winners at Enchanted Kingdom

The winners of the 8th Miss Earth beauty pageant relaxed after the competition late last year by letting themselves be spellbound at the Enchanted Kingdom. These ladies know how to have a good time, while continuing to promote a good cause. Led by Miss Earth 2008 Karla Henry (from the Philippines, yehey!), the beauties tried out the thrill rides in the park and met some of its colorful residents: (From left to right): Miss Earth 2008, Karla Paula Henry; Eldar the Wizard; Miss Earth – Air...

January 9th, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More

Sea cows and golfers

I opened my Google alerts to two very disparaging news around the New Year… Stranded sea cow saved by Filipino fishermen. A group of Palawan fisherman saved a giant sea cow that was trapped by low tide on the shores of Puerto Princesa. Locally called dugong, sea cows are considered at high risk for extinction. Onlookers cheered as the mammal, nicknamed Enero (January) was rescued. What the fishermen did was admirable; they could have killed the poor animal and made a few bucks from its meat....

January 7th, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More

Speaking of tributes… HappySlip vids

I just finished writing about making connections with other Filipinos when I came across this video by Happy Slip of her reunion with families from her dad’s side. Happy Slip went to Munoz, Cavite to see for herself where her dad grew up, and to re-connect with relatives from the area. It’s nice, right, to be welcomed by family with open arms. Some of us who went to the Philippines this Christmas know how touching that can be. What’s your story? Where are you from? “Taga-saan...

January 7th, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More

A tribute to your origins: "Taga-saan ka sa atin?"

Whenever I meet another Filipino, I often get asked the question, “What province are you from?” (Taga-saan ka sa atin?). If they are Tagalog, I would tell them my hometown in Los Banos, Laguna. If they are Bisaya, I would mention my tiny seaside birthplace in Negros Occidental. It’s important for a Filipino to connect in this way with another fellowman. We immediately connect with someone from our own province, and especially so if we speak the same dialect. Maybe because we’re...

January 7th, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More

New Year’s Resolutions 2009

Resolutions are a dime a dozen this time of year. But it’s part of the fun of being at the very beginning of a new year. We have a new set of 12 months ahead of us. Time to do whatever it was that we set to do last year, but didn’t get to do. I decided to have only 2 New Year’s resolutions, and I will share only one with you: * Read more books. My goal is to read more books that I did in 2008. It’s not such a lofty goal, in truth. My reading list for 2008 was pitifully short. I used to...

January 5th, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More

Thanks for Your Company in 2008

You guys have been pretty quiet the past few days. I hope it’s because you’ve been spending good, quality time with your family. I certainly have. It’s been a week of relaxing, enjoying and lots and lots of eating! Cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents and friends gathered to enjoy a feast of both American and Filipino food. We had ham, pansit, embutido, turkey, and roast duck, plus maja and pitsi-pitsi for dessert. I think that New Year’s weight-loss resolutions were invented because of...

January 1st, 2009 | Philippine Culture | Read More