OF TREES AND FOREST Cynthia Villar, my wife, mother to our three wonderful children, is running for the lone congressional seat of our beloved city of Las Piñas. And frankly, I cannot think of anyone who has the experience, dedication, and fervor to do the job for the people of Las Piñas....
FINDING ANSWERS As the world mourned the passing of Pope Francis on Easter Monday last week and as tributes poured in, there was no doubt how much he was loved – a love so profound for the grandfatherly figure who had comforted the weary and lifted the downtrodden. He was especially loved...
PEACE-MAKER As our modest way of honoring the memory of Pope Francis, we are reprinting part of our column dated March 17, 2021, ‘Pope Francis’ journey in Iraq; the 1990 earthquake in Pangasinan and pioneering in the Middle East’: “We join Roman Catholics around the world in praying...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Part 1) What’s in a name? It’s amazing how, sometimes, one’s given name is truly a reflection of one’s personality. Cynthia (woman from Cynthus) is apparently one of the nicknames of the Greek goddess Artemis, who together with her twin brother Apollo was born on...
FINDING ANSWER The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the crown jewel of the Christian liturgical calendar. It is on Easter that the message of renewed hope, of life conquering death, reverberates more profoundly. As Easter brings about redemption through the Risen Lord, the...
PEACE-MAKER Today, as Christendom celebrates the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are once again reminded that hope triumphs over despair, light over darkness, and peace over conflict. Yet even as churches across our country echo with joyful proclamations of “He is risen!”,we...
OF TREES AND FOREST I grew up during the time when Holy Week or Mahal na Araw was solemnly observed. There were no distractions that time. There were virtually no programs on TV except Holy Week related programs and movies like The Ten Commandments and Spartacus. Even radio stations...
PEACE-MAKER As the political campaign heats up, we are once again seeing the country gripped by division, mudslinging, and personal attacks. The atmosphere has become toxic — full of noise, anger, and venom. This is not what our democracy should be about. Healthy debate and differences of...
OF TREES AND FOREST The World Happiness Report for 2025 was released by the United Nations last March 20, 2025, which was also International Day of Happiness. The report does not only rank countries by their average levels of life satisfaction but also explored “the impact of caring and...
FINDING ANSWERS As the election campaign intensifies with candidates vying for local posts now joining national bets in battling for the hearts and minds of voters, many Filipinos find themselves questioning whether the triennial elections really usher in significant progress – or merely...
PEACE-MAKER The recent 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Myanmar and Thailand has shaken Southeast Asia to its core. With over 1,600 lives lost and many more injured or missing, it has become a heartbreaking reminder of nature’s fury and of our shared vulnerability. In Mandalay,...
OF TREES AND FOREST (Part I) A few days ago, March 20 to be exact, the World Happiness Report 2025 was launched. That day, March 20, was International Day of Happiness. The United Nations website described the report as a document that “features a ranking of countries by their average levels of...
