OFF THE BEATEN PATH President Trump declared the US-Iran war would be brief, but a month in, no end is in sight. Despite his repeated claims of victory, the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, continued bombings are called for, and Iran keeps launching missile strikes at US bases in neighboring Gulf...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH For more than a week, the Middle East has been engulfed in a new wave of violence. Last week, tensions that had simmered for decades erupted when USA and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran. In swift retaliation, Iran targeted US military bases and other sites in several...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH While in the middle of doing my column for this week about Negros Island Region (comprising the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor), I took a short break and scrolled through my X feed. Something caught my attention. I saw a tweet that quoted a tweet...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In my last column, we ended the adventure by talking about the island province of Guimaras, which is only a short boat ride from Iloilo City, Iloilo. As mentioned previously, there are four provinces in Panay Island: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo. Many people who travel to...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH With so much discussion about the top tourist destinations in the Philippines, I think it’s a disservice to yourself to limit your plans to traditional tourist spots. There are several other places to visit in the Philippines that offer different experiences. Many of these...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH I’m writing this from Sapporo, Japan. Sapporo is a winter tourist destination, and this week, the annual snow festival is happening. Compared to other Asian destinations, taking a trip to Sapporo is relatively more expensive. The airport is at least an hour away from the...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Last week, I posted on X (formerly called Twitter), “How can you convince Filipinos to travel to other parts of the Philippines, when it’s cheaper to fly to Hong Kong, Singapore or other ASEAN destinations, than it is to fly to some tourist destinations In the Philippines?...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH (Off the Beaten Path takes a short break this week to give way to Marivic Larrazabal, as she talks about influencers and what could be an influencer-driven elections.) The 2025 elections will be fought on your feed. Can you tell who’s telling the truth? The 2025...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH We mourn the loss of a lady called Margarita and to this day, there are many among us who struggle with finding the words that best describe how Margarita Forés changed the Philippine culinary scene and how her championing efforts have won the hearts of so many. How I...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In both the urban centers and rural communities of the Philippines, the barangay health center stands as a beacon of hope and wellness. Or at least that is how it should be. For many of our countrymen, be it in the cities or in the probinsya, the barangay health center stands as...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH In politics, few things are as indispensable yet as understated as the health of a candidate. We often talk about a candidate’s charisma, policy acumen, and public appeal, but rarely do we remark upon their physical and mental fitness, much less how those attributes affect the...
OFF THE BEATEN PATH Resolutions are an inescapable part of the new year. Apart from being a fun thing to do, they actually do provide direction, purpose, and a tangible destination to work toward. However, the journey to achieving those goals is often complicated by challenges, detours, and the...
