Philippine Senator Panfilo Lacson is correct. When President Rodrigo Duterte called God “stupid” because of the concept of original sin and remained unapologetic despite the outrage, Sen. Lacson said: “When he talks, Filipinos listen for different reasons—some are waiting for his mistakes so they can have a field day criticizing him; others want to be … Continue reading Is God Stupid?
Empty Nest: Both Fun and Awful
I expected that my wife and I have three more months before we have an empty nest. Our older son Ian, who had been living with us for all 26 years of his life, is getting married in December. Perhaps I was just naïve enough to think that he would only move out a few … Continue reading Empty Nest: Both Fun and Awful
Keeping the ‘Pamanhikan’ custom alive
One could argue that pamanhikan is the climax of the Filipino courtship process. The Tagalog definition is this: pamanhikan png. Paghingi ng pahintulot sa magulang ng babae upang makasal na ang magkasintahan. Literally, the word means that a man and his parents "go up the stairs of the house of the man's girlfriend and her … Continue reading Keeping the ‘Pamanhikan’ custom alive
On the verge of hysteria
The English word 'hysteria' comes from the Greek word hystera, which means "uterus." In ancient times, physicians like Hippocrates and Aretaeus believed that a woman's uterus could move out of place and float within the body. So according to ancient Greek cultural beliefs, this "wandering womb" condition led to several illnesses among women such as … Continue reading On the verge of hysteria
A word spoken at the right moment
Last weekend, a member of our church approached me and said, "Pastor, I appreciate so much the last sermon you preached. It helped broaden my understanding of how God wants me to care for missionaries and to be involved in his mission. Thank you very much. I am saying this to encourage you." For sure, … Continue reading A word spoken at the right moment
The Unmasking of the Uncouth Filipino
Last weekend, a missionary couple left the Philippines for good. After more than 27 years of faithful service, they went home to the US. Their lives and ministry have touched hundreds of Filipinos. They adapted well to our culture and had been quick to apologize for any cultural misstep. Over the years, the wife had … Continue reading The Unmasking of the Uncouth Filipino
Neither “Iglesia” nor “Cristo”
My wife and I hosted some Latino friends recently. These are students from Mexico, Ecuador, Honduras, Chile, and Bonaire. It was their first time in the Philippines and they observed a lot of similarities between the Latino and Filipino cultures. Naturally, they fell in love with our country and our countrymen. One day, as we … Continue reading Neither “Iglesia” nor “Cristo”
Our Knack for Making Bad Things Worse
I love the Philippines. I love my culture. I thank God for making me a Filipino. However, I want to critique one aspect of our culture. I don't know how and when this started, but I have observed that we, Filipinos, have a knack for making bad things worse. Take the traffic situation in our … Continue reading Our Knack for Making Bad Things Worse
Proud to be Pinoy!
I have observed a growing dismay of netizens over "Proud to be Pinoy!" posts when people of some Filipino descent are acclaimed in the international stage. Here are some examples of such posts: Marlisa Punzalan wins 2014 X-Factor Australia! Proud to be Pinoy!!! Katriz Trinidad wows judges of The Voice USA! Proud to be Pinoy!!! … Continue reading Proud to be Pinoy!
Clear intentions 